diff --git a/src/content_abm.cpp b/src/content_abm.cpp
index 3704fe83d..6adcbf708 100644
--- a/src/content_abm.cpp
+++ b/src/content_abm.cpp
@@ -228,9 +228,12 @@ public:
 		ServerMap *map = &env->getServerMap();
 		if (map->transforming_liquid_size() > 500)
 			return;
-		//todo: look around except top
-		MapNode n_below = map->getNodeNoEx(p - v3s16(0, 1, 0));
-		if (n_below.getContent() != CONTENT_AIR)
+		if (	   map->getNodeNoEx(p - v3s16(0,  1, 0 )).getContent() != CONTENT_AIR  // below
+			&& map->getNodeNoEx(p - v3s16(1,  0, 0 )).getContent() != CONTENT_AIR  // right
+			&& map->getNodeNoEx(p - v3s16(-1, 0, 0 )).getContent() != CONTENT_AIR  // left
+			&& map->getNodeNoEx(p - v3s16(0,  0, 1 )).getContent() != CONTENT_AIR  // back 
+			&& map->getNodeNoEx(p - v3s16(0,  0, -1)).getContent() != CONTENT_AIR  // front
+		)
 			return;
 		map->transforming_liquid_add(p);
 	}
diff --git a/src/mapgen.cpp b/src/mapgen.cpp
index 7343d10fd..23af1f398 100644
--- a/src/mapgen.cpp
+++ b/src/mapgen.cpp
@@ -836,8 +836,10 @@ void Mapgen::updateHeightmap(v3s16 nmin, v3s16 nmax) {
 
 
 void Mapgen::updateLiquid(UniqueQueue<v3s16> *trans_liquid, v3s16 nmin, v3s16 nmax) {
-	bool isliquid, wasliquid;
+	bool isliquid, wasliquid, rare;
 	v3s16 em  = vm->m_area.getExtent();
+	rare = g_settings->getBool("liquid_finite");
+	int rarecnt = 0;
 
 	for (s16 z = nmin.Z; z <= nmax.Z; z++) {
 		for (s16 x = nmin.X; x <= nmax.X; x++) {
@@ -847,8 +849,8 @@ void Mapgen::updateLiquid(UniqueQueue<v3s16> *trans_liquid, v3s16 nmin, v3s16 nm
 			for (s16 y = nmax.Y; y >= nmin.Y; y--) {
 				isliquid = ndef->get(vm->m_data[i]).isLiquid();
 
-				// there was a change between liquid and nonliquid, add to queue
-				if (isliquid != wasliquid)
+				// there was a change between liquid and nonliquid, add to queue. no need to add every with liquid_finite
+				if (isliquid != wasliquid && (!rare || !(rarecnt++ % 36)))
 					trans_liquid->push_back(v3s16(x, y, z));
 
 				wasliquid = isliquid;