diff --git a/util/minetestmapper.py b/util/minetestmapper.py
index c7ec0774e..1914576e8 100755
--- a/util/minetestmapper.py
+++ b/util/minetestmapper.py
@@ -88,9 +88,19 @@ def int_to_hex4(i):
 def getBlockAsInteger(p):
     return p[2]*16777216 + p[1]*4096 + p[0]
 
-def getIntegerAsBlock(i):
-    return i%4096, int(i/4096)%4096, int(i/16777216)%4096
+def unsignedToSigned(i, max_positive):
+    if i < max_positive:
+        return i
+    else:
+        return i - 2*max_positive
 
+def getIntegerAsBlock(i):
+    x = unsignedToSigned(i % 4096, 2048)
+    i = int((i - x) / 4096)
+    y = unsignedToSigned(i % 4096, 2048)
+    i = int((i - y) / 4096)
+    z = unsignedToSigned(i % 4096, 2048)
+    return x,y,z
 
 def limit(i, l, h):
     if(i > h):