diff --git a/protector.lua b/protector.lua
index 92be47b..a9db3fd 100644
--- a/protector.lua
+++ b/protector.lua
@@ -37,23 +37,26 @@ minetest.register_node(":areasprotector:protector", {
 		local pos1 = vector.add(pos, vector.new(radius, radius, radius))
 		local pos2 = vector.add(pos, vector.new(-1 * radius, -1 * radius, -1 * radius))
 		local name = player:get_player_name()
-		local perm, err = areas:canPlayerAddArea(pos1, pos2, name)
-		if not perm then
-			minetest.chat_send_player(name, red("You are not allowed to protect that area: ") .. err)
+
+		if not minetest.is_protected_action(pos, name) then
+			local perm, err = areas:canPlayerAddArea(pos1, pos2, name)
+			if not perm then
+				minetest.chat_send_player(name, red("You are not allowed to protect that area: ") .. err)
+				return itemstack
+			end
+			local id = areas:add(name, "Protected by Protector Block", pos1, pos2)
+			areas:save()
+			local msg = string.format("The area from %s to %s has been protected as #%s", cyan(minetest.pos_to_string(pos1)), cyan(minetest.pos_to_string(pos2)), cyan(id))
+			minetest.chat_send_player(name, msg)
+			minetest.set_node(pos, {name = "areasprotector:protector"})
+			local meta = minetest.get_meta(pos)
+			local infotext = string.format("Protecting area %d owned by %s", id, name)
+			meta:set_string("infotext", infotext)
+			meta:set_int("area_id", id)
+			meta:set_string("owner", name)
+			itemstack:take_item()
 			return itemstack
 		end
-		local id = areas:add(name, "Protected by Protector Block", pos1, pos2)
-		areas:save()
-		local msg = string.format("The area from %s to %s has been protected as #%s", cyan(minetest.pos_to_string(pos1)), cyan(minetest.pos_to_string(pos2)), cyan(id))
-		minetest.chat_send_player(name, msg)
-		minetest.set_node(pos, {name = "areasprotector:protector"})
-		local meta = minetest.get_meta(pos)
-		local infotext = string.format("Protecting area %d owned by %s", id, name)
-		meta:set_string("infotext", infotext)
-		meta:set_int("area_id", id)
-		meta:set_string("owner", name)
-		itemstack:take_item()
-		return itemstack
 	end,
 
 	after_dig_node = function(pos, oldnode, oldmetadata, digger)