diff --git a/src/mapgen.h b/src/mapgen.h
index 0342fd46e..f673007b5 100644
--- a/src/mapgen.h
+++ b/src/mapgen.h
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@ with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc.,
 #define MG_LIGHT       0x10
 #define MG_DECORATIONS 0x20
 
+typedef u8 biome_t;  // copy from mg_biome.h to avoid an unnecessary include
+
 class Settings;
 class MMVManip;
 class INodeDefManager;
@@ -161,7 +163,7 @@ public:
 
 	u32 blockseed;
 	s16 *heightmap;
-	u8 *biomemap;
+	biome_t *biomemap;
 	v3s16 csize;
 
 	BiomeGen *biomegen;
diff --git a/src/mg_biome.cpp b/src/mg_biome.cpp
index dac0f7acc..df728af33 100644
--- a/src/mg_biome.cpp
+++ b/src/mg_biome.cpp
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ BiomeGenOriginal::BiomeGenOriginal(BiomeManager *biomemgr,
 
 	heatmap  = noise_heat->result;
 	humidmap = noise_humidity->result;
-	biomemap = new u8[m_csize.X * m_csize.Z];
+	biomemap = new biome_t[m_csize.X * m_csize.Z];
 }
 
 BiomeGenOriginal::~BiomeGenOriginal()
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ void BiomeGenOriginal::calcBiomeNoise(v3s16 pmin)
 }
 
 
-u8 *BiomeGenOriginal::getBiomes(s16 *heightmap)
+biome_t *BiomeGenOriginal::getBiomes(s16 *heightmap)
 {
 	for (s32 i = 0; i != m_csize.X * m_csize.Z; i++) {
 		Biome *biome = calcBiomeFromNoise(
diff --git a/src/mg_biome.h b/src/mg_biome.h
index 389b7664f..568d0b1ac 100644
--- a/src/mg_biome.h
+++ b/src/mg_biome.h
@@ -31,7 +31,9 @@ class BiomeManager;
 //// Biome
 ////
 
-#define BIOME_NONE ((u8)0)
+typedef u8 biome_t;
+
+#define BIOME_NONE ((biome_t)0)
 
 // TODO(hmmmm): Decide whether this is obsolete or will be used in the future
 enum BiomeType {
@@ -101,7 +103,7 @@ public:
 	// Gets all biomes in current chunk using each corresponding element of
 	// heightmap as the y position, then stores the results by biome index in
 	// biomemap (also returned)
-	virtual u8 *getBiomes(s16 *heightmap) = 0;
+	virtual biome_t *getBiomes(s16 *heightmap) = 0;
 
 	// Gets a single biome at the specified position, which must be contained
 	// in the region formed by m_pmin and (m_pmin + m_csize - 1).
@@ -111,7 +113,7 @@ public:
 	virtual Biome *getBiomeAtIndex(size_t index, s16 y) const = 0;
 
 	// Result of calcBiomes bulk computation.
-	u8 *biomemap;
+	biome_t *biomemap;
 
 protected:
 	BiomeManager *m_bmgr;
@@ -157,7 +159,7 @@ public:
 	Biome *calcBiomeAtPoint(v3s16 pos) const;
 	void calcBiomeNoise(v3s16 pmin);
 
-	u8 *getBiomes(s16 *heightmap);
+	biome_t *getBiomes(s16 *heightmap);
 	Biome *getBiomeAtPoint(v3s16 pos) const;
 	Biome *getBiomeAtIndex(size_t index, s16 y) const;
 
@@ -218,9 +220,6 @@ public:
 
 	virtual void clear();
 
-	// Looks for pos in the biome cache, and if non-existent, looks up by noise
-	u8 getBiomeAtPoint(v3s16 pos);
-
 private:
 	IGameDef *m_gamedef;