diff --git a/src/network/networkprotocol.h b/src/network/networkprotocol.h
index a511d169b..5301cc91c 100644
--- a/src/network/networkprotocol.h
+++ b/src/network/networkprotocol.h
@@ -146,6 +146,8 @@ with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc.,
 	PROTOCOL VERSION 30:
 		New ContentFeatures serialization version
 		Add node and tile color and palette
+		Fix plantlike visual_scale being applied squared and add compatibility
+			with pre-30 clients by sending sqrt(visual_scale)
 */
 
 #define LATEST_PROTOCOL_VERSION 30
diff --git a/src/nodedef.cpp b/src/nodedef.cpp
index 0bb150267..c717b62b9 100644
--- a/src/nodedef.cpp
+++ b/src/nodedef.cpp
@@ -1611,6 +1611,10 @@ void ContentFeatures::serializeOld(std::ostream &os, u16 protocol_version) const
 			compatible_param_type_2 = CPT2_WALLMOUNTED;
 	}
 
+	float compatible_visual_scale = visual_scale;
+	if (protocol_version < 30 && drawtype == NDT_PLANTLIKE)
+		compatible_visual_scale = sqrt(visual_scale);
+
 	if (protocol_version == 13)
 	{
 		writeU8(os, 5); // version
@@ -1622,7 +1626,7 @@ void ContentFeatures::serializeOld(std::ostream &os, u16 protocol_version) const
 			writeS16(os, i->second);
 		}
 		writeU8(os, drawtype);
-		writeF1000(os, visual_scale);
+		writeF1000(os, compatible_visual_scale);
 		writeU8(os, 6);
 		for (u32 i = 0; i < 6; i++)
 			tiledef[i].serialize(os, protocol_version);
@@ -1670,7 +1674,7 @@ void ContentFeatures::serializeOld(std::ostream &os, u16 protocol_version) const
 			writeS16(os, i->second);
 		}
 		writeU8(os, drawtype);
-		writeF1000(os, visual_scale);
+		writeF1000(os, compatible_visual_scale);
 		writeU8(os, 6);
 		for (u32 i = 0; i < 6; i++)
 			tiledef[i].serialize(os, protocol_version);
@@ -1724,7 +1728,7 @@ void ContentFeatures::serializeOld(std::ostream &os, u16 protocol_version) const
 			writeS16(os, i->second);
 		}
 		writeU8(os, drawtype);
-		writeF1000(os, visual_scale);
+		writeF1000(os, compatible_visual_scale);
 		writeU8(os, 6);
 		for (u32 i = 0; i < 6; i++)
 			tiledef[i].serialize(os, protocol_version);