diff --git a/doc/lua_api.txt b/doc/lua_api.txt
index 62fe94b45..84769f8d8 100644
--- a/doc/lua_api.txt
+++ b/doc/lua_api.txt
@@ -1116,6 +1116,8 @@ minetest.get_perlin(seeddiff, octaves, persistence, scale)
 ^ Return world-specific perlin noise (int(worldseed)+seeddiff)
 minetest.get_voxel_manip()
 ^ Return voxel manipulator object
+minetest.get_mapgen_object(objectname)
+^ Return requested mapgen object if available (see Mapgen objects)
 minetest.clear_objects()
 ^ clear all objects in the environments
 minetest.line_of_sight(pos1,pos2,stepsize) ->true/false
@@ -1544,6 +1546,35 @@ methods:
   ^ To be used only by VoxelManip objects passed to a callback; otherwise, calculated lighting will be ignored
 - update_liquids():  Update liquid flow
 
+Mapgen objects
+---------------
+A mapgen object is a construct used in map generation.  Mapgen objects can be used by an on_generate 
+callback to speed up operations by avoiding unnecessary recalculations; these can be retrieved using the 
+minetest.get_mapgen_object() function.  If the requested Mapgen object is unavailable, or 
+get_mapgen_object() was called outside of an on_generate() callback, nil is returned.
+
+The following Mapgen objects are currently available:
+
+- voxelmanip
+    This returns four values; the VoxelManip object to be used, the voxel data, minimum emerge position, 
+and maximum emerged position.  All mapgens support this object.
+
+- heightmap
+    Returns an array containing the y coordinates of the ground levels of nodes in the most recently 
+generated chunk by the current mapgen.
+
+- biomemap
+    Returns an array containing the biome IDs of nodes in the most recently generated chunk by the 
+current mapgen.
+
+- heatmap
+    Returns an array containing the temperature values of nodes in the most recently generated chunk by 
+the current mapgen.
+
+- humiditymap
+    Returns an array containing the humidity values of nodes in the most recently generated chunk by the 
+current mapgen.
+
 Registered entities
 --------------------
 - Functions receive a "luaentity" as self:
diff --git a/src/emerge.cpp b/src/emerge.cpp
index aed9af7b5..e1e6c6574 100644
--- a/src/emerge.cpp
+++ b/src/emerge.cpp
@@ -144,6 +144,16 @@ void EmergeManager::initMapgens(MapgenParams *mgparams) {
 }
 
 
+Mapgen *EmergeManager::getCurrentMapgen() {
+	for (unsigned int i = 0; i != emergethread.size(); i++) {
+		if (emergethread[i]->IsSameThread())
+			return emergethread[i]->mapgen;
+	}
+	
+	return NULL;
+}
+
+
 bool EmergeManager::enqueueBlockEmerge(u16 peer_id, v3s16 p, bool allow_generate) {
 	std::map<v3s16, BlockEmergeData *>::const_iterator iter;
 	BlockEmergeData *bedata;
diff --git a/src/emerge.h b/src/emerge.h
index 084956932..d51177110 100644
--- a/src/emerge.h
+++ b/src/emerge.h
@@ -93,6 +93,7 @@ public:
 	~EmergeManager();
 
 	void initMapgens(MapgenParams *mgparams);
+	Mapgen *getCurrentMapgen();
 	Mapgen *createMapgen(std::string mgname, int mgid,
 						MapgenParams *mgparams);
 	MapgenParams *createMapgenParams(std::string mgname);
@@ -111,6 +112,7 @@ public:
 
 class EmergeThread : public SimpleThread
 {
+public:
 	Server *m_server;
 	ServerMap *map;
 	EmergeManager *emerge;
@@ -118,7 +120,6 @@ class EmergeThread : public SimpleThread
 	bool enable_mapgen_debug_info;
 	int id;
 	
-public:
 	Event qevent;
 	std::queue<v3s16> blockqueue;
 	
diff --git a/src/jthread/jthread.h b/src/jthread/jthread.h
index 9440a158d..cd78231e9 100644
--- a/src/jthread/jthread.h
+++ b/src/jthread/jthread.h
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ public:
 	virtual void *Thread() = 0;
 	bool IsRunning();
 	void *GetReturnValue();
+	bool IsSameThread();
 protected:
 	void ThreadStarted();
 private:
diff --git a/src/jthread/pthread/jthread.cpp b/src/jthread/pthread/jthread.cpp
index 978cac20a..4a5c736eb 100644
--- a/src/jthread/pthread/jthread.cpp
+++ b/src/jthread/pthread/jthread.cpp
@@ -148,6 +148,11 @@ void *JThread::GetReturnValue()
 	return val;
 }
 
+bool JThread::IsSameThread()
+{
+	return pthread_equal(pthread_self(), threadid);
+}
+
 void *JThread::TheThread(void *param)
 {
 	JThread *jthread;
diff --git a/src/jthread/win32/jthread.cpp b/src/jthread/win32/jthread.cpp
index 54b110bfd..c07425dca 100644
--- a/src/jthread/win32/jthread.cpp
+++ b/src/jthread/win32/jthread.cpp
@@ -141,6 +141,11 @@ void *JThread::GetReturnValue()
 	return val;
 }
 
+bool JThread::IsSameThread()
+{
+	return GetCurrentThreadId() == threadid;
+}
+
 #ifndef _WIN32_WCE
 UINT __stdcall JThread::TheThread(void *param)
 #else
diff --git a/src/mapgen.h b/src/mapgen.h
index 0ed64f85c..96a27ade7 100644
--- a/src/mapgen.h
+++ b/src/mapgen.h
@@ -93,8 +93,10 @@ public:
 	int id;
 	ManualMapVoxelManipulator *vm;
 	INodeDefManager *ndef;
+	
 	s16 *heightmap;
 	u8 *biomemap;
+	v3s16 csize;
 
 	Mapgen();
 	virtual ~Mapgen() {}
@@ -124,6 +126,14 @@ struct MapgenFactory {
 	virtual ~MapgenFactory() {}
 };
 
+enum MapgenObject {
+	MGOBJ_VMANIP,
+	MGOBJ_HEIGHTMAP,
+	MGOBJ_BIOMEMAP,
+	MGOBJ_HEATMAP,
+	MGOBJ_HUMIDMAP
+};
+
 enum OreType {
 	ORE_SCATTER,
 	ORE_SHEET,
diff --git a/src/mapgen_v6.h b/src/mapgen_v6.h
index f4ffd25f3..14736e3d0 100644
--- a/src/mapgen_v6.h
+++ b/src/mapgen_v6.h
@@ -84,7 +84,6 @@ public:
 	EmergeManager *emerge;
 
 	int ystride;
-	v3s16 csize;
 	u32 flags;
 
 	u32 blockseed;
diff --git a/src/mapgen_v7.h b/src/mapgen_v7.h
index 3bba9938c..6267350d6 100644
--- a/src/mapgen_v7.h
+++ b/src/mapgen_v7.h
@@ -58,7 +58,6 @@ public:
 	BiomeDefManager *bmgr;
 
 	int ystride;
-	v3s16 csize;
 	u32 flags;
 	bool lighting;
 	bool ridges;
diff --git a/src/script/lua_api/l_env.cpp b/src/script/lua_api/l_env.cpp
index 6f663646c..b5c40977e 100644
--- a/src/script/lua_api/l_env.cpp
+++ b/src/script/lua_api/l_env.cpp
@@ -35,11 +35,27 @@ with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc.,
 #include "lua_api/l_noise.h"
 #include "treegen.h"
 #include "pathfinder.h"
+#include "emerge.h"
+#include "mapgen_v7.h"
 
 
 #define GET_ENV_PTR ServerEnvironment* env =                                   \
 				dynamic_cast<ServerEnvironment*>(getEnv(L));                   \
 				if( env == NULL) return 0
+				
+struct EnumString ModApiEnvMod::es_MapgenObject[] =
+{
+	{MGOBJ_VMANIP,    "voxelmanip"},
+	{MGOBJ_HEIGHTMAP, "heightmap"},
+	{MGOBJ_BIOMEMAP,  "biomemap"},
+	{MGOBJ_HEATMAP,   "heatmap"},
+	{MGOBJ_HUMIDMAP,  "humiditymap"},
+	{0, NULL},
+};
+
+
+///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
 
 void LuaABM::trigger(ServerEnvironment *env, v3s16 p, MapNode n,
 		u32 active_object_count, u32 active_object_count_wider)
@@ -541,14 +557,101 @@ int ModApiEnvMod::l_get_voxel_manip(lua_State *L)
 	GET_ENV_PTR;
 
 	Map *map = &(env->getMap());
-	LuaVoxelManip *vm = new LuaVoxelManip(map);
+	LuaVoxelManip *o = new LuaVoxelManip(map);
 	
-	*(void **)(lua_newuserdata(L, sizeof(void *))) = vm;
+	*(void **)(lua_newuserdata(L, sizeof(void *))) = o;
 	luaL_getmetatable(L, "VoxelManip");
 	lua_setmetatable(L, -2);
 	return 1;
 }
 
+// minetest.get_mapgen_object(objectname)
+// returns the requested object used during map generation
+int ModApiEnvMod::l_get_mapgen_object(lua_State *L)
+{
+	const char *mgobjstr = lua_tostring(L, 1);
+	
+	int mgobjint;
+	if (!string_to_enum(es_MapgenObject, mgobjint, mgobjstr ? mgobjstr : ""))
+		return 0;
+		
+	enum MapgenObject mgobj = (MapgenObject)mgobjint;
+
+	EmergeManager *emerge = getServer(L)->getEmergeManager();
+	Mapgen *mg = emerge->getCurrentMapgen();
+	
+	size_t maplen = mg->csize.X * mg->csize.Z;
+	
+	int nargs = 1;
+	
+	switch (mgobj) {
+		case MGOBJ_VMANIP: {
+			ManualMapVoxelManipulator *vm = mg->vm;
+			
+			// VoxelManip object
+			LuaVoxelManip *o = new LuaVoxelManip(vm, false);
+			*(void **)(lua_newuserdata(L, sizeof(void *))) = o;
+			luaL_getmetatable(L, "VoxelManip");
+			lua_setmetatable(L, -2);
+			
+			// VoxelManip data
+			int volume = vm->m_area.getVolume();
+			lua_newtable(L);
+			for (int i = 0; i != volume; i++) {
+				lua_Number cid = vm->m_data[i].getContent();
+				lua_pushnumber(L, cid);
+				lua_rawseti(L, -2, i + 1);
+			}
+			
+			// emerged min pos
+			push_v3s16(L, vm->m_area.MinEdge);
+
+			// emerged max pos
+			push_v3s16(L, vm->m_area.MaxEdge);
+			
+			nargs = 4;
+			
+			break; }
+		case MGOBJ_HEIGHTMAP: {
+			if (!mg->heightmap)
+				return 0;
+			
+			lua_newtable(L);
+			for (size_t i = 0; i != maplen; i++) {
+				lua_pushinteger(L, mg->heightmap[i]);
+				lua_rawseti(L, -2, i + 1);
+			}
+			break; }
+		case MGOBJ_BIOMEMAP: {
+			if (!mg->heightmap)
+				return 0;
+			
+			lua_newtable(L);
+			for (size_t i = 0; i != maplen; i++) {
+				lua_pushinteger(L, mg->biomemap[i]);
+				lua_rawseti(L, -2, i + 1);
+			}
+			break; }
+		case MGOBJ_HEATMAP: { // Mapgen V7 specific objects
+		case MGOBJ_HUMIDMAP:
+			MapgenV7 *mgv7 = (MapgenV7 *)mg;
+
+			float *arr = (mgobj == MGOBJ_HEATMAP) ? 
+				mgv7->noise_heat->result : mgv7->noise_humidity->result;
+			if (!arr)
+				return 0;
+			
+			lua_newtable(L);
+			for (size_t i = 0; i != maplen; i++) {
+				lua_pushnumber(L, arr[i]);
+				lua_rawseti(L, -2, i + 1);
+			}
+			break; }
+	}
+	
+	return nargs;
+}
+
 // minetest.clear_objects()
 // clear all objects in the environment
 int ModApiEnvMod::l_clear_objects(lua_State *L)
@@ -695,6 +798,7 @@ bool ModApiEnvMod::Initialize(lua_State *L,int top)
 	retval &= API_FCT(get_perlin);
 	retval &= API_FCT(get_perlin_map);
 	retval &= API_FCT(get_voxel_manip);
+	retval &= API_FCT(get_mapgen_object);
 	retval &= API_FCT(clear_objects);
 	retval &= API_FCT(spawn_tree);
 	retval &= API_FCT(find_path);
diff --git a/src/script/lua_api/l_env.h b/src/script/lua_api/l_env.h
index 24700d27c..8f769e350 100644
--- a/src/script/lua_api/l_env.h
+++ b/src/script/lua_api/l_env.h
@@ -113,6 +113,10 @@ private:
 	// minetest.get_voxel_manip()
 	// returns world-specific voxel manipulator
 	static int l_get_voxel_manip(lua_State *L);
+	
+	// minetest.get_mapgen_object(objectname)
+	// returns the requested object used during map generation
+	static int l_get_mapgen_object(lua_State *L);
 
 	// minetest.clear_objects()
 	// clear all objects in the environment
@@ -127,7 +131,9 @@ private:
 	// minetest.find_path(pos1, pos2, searchdistance,
 	//     max_jump, max_drop, algorithm) -> table containing path
 	static int l_find_path(lua_State *L);
-
+	
+	static struct EnumString es_MapgenObject[];
+	
 public:
 	bool Initialize(lua_State *L, int top);
 };
diff --git a/src/script/lua_api/l_item.cpp b/src/script/lua_api/l_item.cpp
index c69562dda..4069c61ce 100644
--- a/src/script/lua_api/l_item.cpp
+++ b/src/script/lua_api/l_item.cpp
@@ -466,7 +466,7 @@ int ModApiItemMod::l_get_content_id(lua_State *L)
 	INodeDefManager *ndef = STACK_TO_SERVER(L)->getNodeDefManager();
 	content_t c = ndef->getId(name);
 	
-	lua_pushnumber(L, c);
+	lua_pushinteger(L, c);
 	return 1; /* number of results */
 }
 
diff --git a/src/script/lua_api/l_vmanip.cpp b/src/script/lua_api/l_vmanip.cpp
index e0397dfce..6743f40f9 100644
--- a/src/script/lua_api/l_vmanip.cpp
+++ b/src/script/lua_api/l_vmanip.cpp
@@ -33,7 +33,8 @@ with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc.,
 int LuaVoxelManip::gc_object(lua_State *L)
 {
 	LuaVoxelManip *o = *(LuaVoxelManip **)(lua_touserdata(L, 1));
-	delete o;
+	if (o->do_gc)
+		delete o;
 	
 	return 0;
 }
@@ -82,7 +83,6 @@ int LuaVoxelManip::l_write_chunk(lua_State *L)
 		vm->m_data[i].setContent(c);
 
 		lua_pop(L, 1);
-		
 	}
 
 	vm->blitBackAll(&o->modified_blocks);
@@ -184,6 +184,12 @@ int LuaVoxelManip::l_update_map(lua_State *L)
 	return 0;	
 }
 
+LuaVoxelManip::LuaVoxelManip(ManualMapVoxelManipulator *mmvm, bool dogc)
+{
+	this->vm    = mmvm;
+	this->do_gc = dogc;
+}
+
 LuaVoxelManip::LuaVoxelManip(Map *map)
 {
 	vm = new ManualMapVoxelManipulator(map);
diff --git a/src/script/lua_api/l_vmanip.h b/src/script/lua_api/l_vmanip.h
index 568f7104e..5a57d6bfa 100644
--- a/src/script/lua_api/l_vmanip.h
+++ b/src/script/lua_api/l_vmanip.h
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ class LuaVoxelManip
 private:
 	ManualMapVoxelManipulator *vm;
 	std::map<v3s16, MapBlock *> modified_blocks;
+	bool do_gc;
 
 	static const char className[];
 	static const luaL_reg methods[];
@@ -50,6 +51,7 @@ private:
 	static int l_set_lighting(lua_State *L);
 
 public:
+	LuaVoxelManip(ManualMapVoxelManipulator *mmvm, bool dogc);
 	LuaVoxelManip(Map *map);
 	~LuaVoxelManip();