diff --git a/src/powder.c b/src/powder.c
index 2cb8e24b8..605964095 100644
--- a/src/powder.c
+++ b/src/powder.c
@@ -1320,8 +1320,12 @@ void update_particles_i(pixel *vid, int start, int inc)
 								for ( nnx=-1; nnx<2; nnx++)
 									for ( nny=-1; nny<2; nny++)//it will count itself as its own neighbor, which is needed, but will have 1 extra for delete check
 									{
-										gol2[((nx+nnx+XRES-3*CELL)%(XRES-2*CELL))+CELL][((ny+nny+YRES-3*CELL)%(YRES-2*CELL))+CELL][golnum] ++;
-										gol2[((nx+nnx+XRES-3*CELL)%(XRES-2*CELL))+CELL][((ny+nny+YRES-3*CELL)%(YRES-2*CELL))+CELL][0] ++;
+										rt = pmap[((ny+nny+YRES-3*CELL)%(YRES-2*CELL))+CELL][((nx+nnx+XRES-3*CELL)%(XRES-2*CELL))+CELL];
+										if (!rt || ptypes[rt&0xFF].properties&PROP_LIFE)
+										{
+											gol2[((nx+nnx+XRES-3*CELL)%(XRES-2*CELL))+CELL][((ny+nny+YRES-3*CELL)%(YRES-2*CELL))+CELL][golnum] ++;
+											gol2[((nx+nnx+XRES-3*CELL)%(XRES-2*CELL))+CELL][((ny+nny+YRES-3*CELL)%(YRES-2*CELL))+CELL][0] ++;
+										}
 									}
 							} else {
 								parts[r>>8].tmp --;