diff --git a/src/elements/bcln.c b/src/elements/bcln.c
index 36ad347d0..aaf4afced 100644
--- a/src/elements/bcln.c
+++ b/src/elements/bcln.c
@@ -11,18 +11,21 @@ int update_BCLN(UPDATE_FUNC_ARGS) {
 	}
 	if (!parts[i].ctype)
 	{
-		int rx, ry;
+		int r, rx, ry;
 		for (rx=-1; rx<2; rx++)
 			for (ry=-1; ry<2; ry++)
-				if (x+rx>=0 && y+ry>0 && x+rx<XRES && y+ry<YRES &&
-				        pmap[y+ry][x+rx] &&
-				        (pmap[y+ry][x+rx]&0xFF)!=PT_CLNE &&
-				        (pmap[y+ry][x+rx]&0xFF)!=PT_BCLN &&
-				        (pmap[y+ry][x+rx]&0xFF)!=PT_PCLN &&
-				        (pmap[y+ry][x+rx]&0xFF)!=PT_STKM &&
-				        (pmap[y+ry][x+rx]&0xFF)!=PT_STKM2 &&
-				        (pmap[y+ry][x+rx]&0xFF)!=0xFF)
-					parts[i].ctype = pmap[y+ry][x+rx]&0xFF;
+				if (x+rx>=0 && y+ry>=0 && x+rx<XRES && y+ry<YRES)
+				{
+					r = photons[y+ry][x+rx];
+					if (!r || (r>>8)>=NPART)
+						r = pmap[y+ry][x+rx];
+					if (!r || (r>>8)>=NPART)
+						continue;
+					if ((r&0xFF)!=PT_CLNE && (r&0xFF)!=PT_PCLN &&
+				        (r&0xFF)!=PT_BCLN && (r&0xFF)!=PT_STKM &&
+				        (r&0xFF)!=PT_STKM2 && (r&0xFF)<PT_NUM)
+					parts[i].ctype = r&0xFF;
+				}
 	}
 	else {
 		create_part(-1, x+rand()%3-1, y+rand()%3-1, parts[i].ctype);
diff --git a/src/elements/clne.c b/src/elements/clne.c
index 173bd0a5b..295974ada 100644
--- a/src/elements/clne.c
+++ b/src/elements/clne.c
@@ -3,18 +3,21 @@
 int update_CLNE(UPDATE_FUNC_ARGS) {
 	if (!parts[i].ctype)
 	{
-		int rx, ry;
+		int r, rx, ry;
 		for (rx=-1; rx<2; rx++)
 			for (ry=-1; ry<2; ry++)
-				if (x+rx>=0 && y+ry>0 && x+rx<XRES && y+ry<YRES &&
-				        pmap[y+ry][x+rx] &&
-				        (pmap[y+ry][x+rx]&0xFF)!=PT_CLNE &&
-				        (pmap[y+ry][x+rx]&0xFF)!=PT_BCLN &&
-				        (pmap[y+ry][x+rx]&0xFF)!=PT_PCLN &&
-				        (pmap[y+ry][x+rx]&0xFF)!=PT_STKM &&
-				        (pmap[y+ry][x+rx]&0xFF)!=PT_STKM2 &&
-				        (pmap[y+ry][x+rx]&0xFF)!=0xFF)
-					parts[i].ctype = pmap[y+ry][x+rx]&0xFF;
+				if (x+rx>=0 && y+ry>=0 && x+rx<XRES && y+ry<YRES)
+				{
+					r = photons[y+ry][x+rx];
+					if (!r || (r>>8)>=NPART)
+						r = pmap[y+ry][x+rx];
+					if (!r || (r>>8)>=NPART)
+						continue;
+					if ((r&0xFF)!=PT_CLNE && (r&0xFF)!=PT_PCLN &&
+				        (r&0xFF)!=PT_BCLN && (r&0xFF)!=PT_STKM &&
+				        (r&0xFF)!=PT_STKM2 && (r&0xFF)<PT_NUM)
+					parts[i].ctype = r&0xFF;
+				}
 	}
 	else {
 		create_part(-1, x+rand()%3-1, y+rand()%3-1, parts[i].ctype);
diff --git a/src/elements/neut.c b/src/elements/neut.c
index 789a033b8..3207534b1 100644
--- a/src/elements/neut.c
+++ b/src/elements/neut.c
@@ -132,11 +132,5 @@ int update_NEUT(UPDATE_FUNC_ARGS) {
 				  ptypes[parts[r>>8].type-1].menusection==SC_POWDERS) && 15>(rand()%1000))
 				  parts[r>>8].type--;*/
 			}
-	r = pmap[y][x];
-	rt = r&0xFF;
-	if (rt==PT_CLNE || rt==PT_PCLN || rt==PT_BCLN) {
-		if (!parts[r>>8].ctype)
-			parts[r>>8].ctype = PT_PHOT;
-	}
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/src/elements/pcln.c b/src/elements/pcln.c
index e1c688e1e..5abe33fcc 100644
--- a/src/elements/pcln.c
+++ b/src/elements/pcln.c
@@ -27,18 +27,20 @@ int update_PCLN(UPDATE_FUNC_ARGS) {
 	if (!parts[i].ctype)
 		for (rx=-1; rx<2; rx++)
 			for (ry=-1; ry<2; ry++)
-				if (x+rx>=0 && y+ry>0 && x+rx<XRES && y+ry<YRES &&
-				        pmap[y+ry][x+rx] &&
-				        (pmap[y+ry][x+rx]&0xFF)!=PT_CLNE &&
-				        (pmap[y+ry][x+rx]&0xFF)!=PT_PCLN &&
-				        (pmap[y+ry][x+rx]&0xFF)!=PT_BCLN &&
-				        (pmap[y+ry][x+rx]&0xFF)!=PT_SPRK &&
-				        (pmap[y+ry][x+rx]&0xFF)!=PT_NSCN &&
-				        (pmap[y+ry][x+rx]&0xFF)!=PT_PSCN &&
-				        (pmap[y+ry][x+rx]&0xFF)!=PT_STKM &&
-				        (pmap[y+ry][x+rx]&0xFF)!=PT_STKM2 &&
-				        (pmap[y+ry][x+rx]&0xFF)!=0xFF)
-					parts[i].ctype = pmap[y+ry][x+rx]&0xFF;
+				if (x+rx>=0 && y+ry>=0 && x+rx<XRES && y+ry<YRES)
+				{
+					r = photons[y+ry][x+rx];
+					if (!r || (r>>8)>=NPART)
+						r = pmap[y+ry][x+rx];
+					if (!r || (r>>8)>=NPART)
+						continue;
+					if ((r&0xFF)!=PT_CLNE && (r&0xFF)!=PT_PCLN &&
+				        (r&0xFF)!=PT_BCLN &&  (r&0xFF)!=PT_SPRK &&
+				        (r&0xFF)!=PT_NSCN && (r&0xFF)!=PT_PSCN &&
+				        (r&0xFF)!=PT_STKM && (r&0xFF)!=PT_STKM2 &&
+				        (r&0xFF)<PT_NUM)
+					parts[i].ctype = r&0xFF;
+				}
 	if (parts[i].ctype && parts[i].life==10) {
 		if (parts[i].ctype==PT_PHOT) {//create photons a different way
 			for (rx=-1; rx<2; rx++) {
diff --git a/src/powder.c b/src/powder.c
index 2264f09f8..6aa43ce53 100644
--- a/src/powder.c
+++ b/src/powder.c
@@ -168,6 +168,10 @@ int try_move(int i, int x, int y, int nx, int ny)
 			if ((r & 0xFF) < PT_NUM && ptypes[r&0xFF].hconduct)
 				parts[i].temp = parts[r>>8].temp = restrict_flt((parts[r>>8].temp+parts[i].temp)/2, MIN_TEMP, MAX_TEMP);
 		}
+		if (parts[i].type==PT_NEUT && ((r&0xFF)==PT_CLNE || (r&0xFF)==PT_PCLN || (r&0xFF)==PT_BCLN)) {
+			if (!parts[r>>8].ctype)
+				parts[r>>8].ctype = PT_NEUT;
+		}
 		return 0;
 	}
 
@@ -250,7 +254,8 @@ int try_move(int i, int x, int y, int nx, int ny)
 
 		return 0;
 	}
-	if ((r&0xFF)==PT_CNCT)//stops CNCT being displaced by other particles
+
+	if ((pmap[ny][nx]&0xFF)==PT_CNCT)//stops CNCT being displaced by other particles
 		return 0;
 	if (parts[i].type==PT_CNCT && y<ny && (pmap[y+1][x]&0xFF)==PT_CNCT)//check below CNCT for another CNCT
 		return 0;