diff --git a/game_api.txt b/game_api.txt
index 2f0715f8..9e8d4963 100644
--- a/game_api.txt
+++ b/game_api.txt
@@ -421,7 +421,7 @@ Creates panes that automatically connect to each other
 ### Pane definition
 
 	{
-		textures = {"texture_Bottom_top", "texture_left_right", "texture_front_back"}, -- More tiles aren't supported
+		textures = {"texture for sides", (unused), "texture for top and bottom"}, -- More tiles aren't supported
 		groups = {group = rating}, -- Uses the known node groups, see [Known damage and digging time defining groups]
 		sounds = SoundSpec,        -- See [#Default sounds]
 		recipe = {{"","","","","","","","",""}}, -- Recipe field only
diff --git a/mods/xpanes/README.txt b/mods/xpanes/README.txt
index 72dd76e8..b72e19a8 100644
--- a/mods/xpanes/README.txt
+++ b/mods/xpanes/README.txt
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ Authors of source code
 ----------------------
 Originally by xyz (MIT)
 BlockMen (MIT)
+sofar (MIT)
 Various Minetest developers and contributors (MIT)
 
 Authors of media (textures)
diff --git a/mods/xpanes/init.lua b/mods/xpanes/init.lua
index 9189912e..dc7428fa 100644
--- a/mods/xpanes/init.lua
+++ b/mods/xpanes/init.lua
@@ -1,156 +1,146 @@
-xpanes = {}
 
-local function rshift(x, by)
-	return math.floor(x / 2 ^ by)
+local function is_pane(pos)
+	return minetest.get_item_group(minetest.get_node(pos).name, "pane") > 0
 end
 
-local directions = {
-	{x = 1, y = 0, z = 0},
-	{x = 0, y = 0, z = 1},
-	{x = -1, y = 0, z = 0},
-	{x = 0, y = 0, z = -1},
-}
+local function connects_dir(pos, name, dir)
+	local aside = vector.add(pos, minetest.facedir_to_dir(dir))
+	if is_pane(aside) then
+		return true
+	end
 
-local function update_pane(pos, name)
-	if not minetest.get_node(pos).name:find("^xpanes:"..name) then
+	local connects_to = minetest.registered_nodes[name].connects_to
+	if not connects_to then
+		return false
+	end
+	local list = minetest.find_nodes_in_area(aside, aside, connects_to)
+
+	if #list > 0 then
+		return true
+	end
+
+	return false
+end
+
+local function swap(pos, node, name, param2)
+	if node.name == name and node.param2 == param2 then
 		return
 	end
-	local sum = 0
-	for i, dir in pairs(directions) do
-		local node = minetest.get_node(vector.add(pos, dir))
-		local def = minetest.registered_nodes[node.name]
-		local pane_num = def and def.groups.pane or 0
-		if pane_num > 0 or not def or (def.walkable ~= false and
-				def.drawtype ~= "nodebox") then
-			sum = sum + 2 ^ (i - 1)
+
+	minetest.set_node(pos, {name = name, param2 = param2})
+end
+
+local function update_pane(pos)
+	if not is_pane(pos) then
+		return
+	end
+	local node = minetest.get_node(pos)
+	local name = node.name
+	if name:sub(-5) == "_flat" then
+		name = name:sub(1, -6)
+	end
+
+	local any = node.param2
+	local c = {}
+	local count = 0
+	for dir = 0, 3 do
+		c[dir] = connects_dir(pos, name, dir)
+		if c[dir] then
+			any = dir
+			count = count + 1
 		end
 	end
-	if sum == 0 then
-		sum = 15
-	end
-	minetest.set_node(pos, {name = "xpanes:"..name.."_"..sum})
-end
 
-local function update_nearby(pos, node)
-	node = node or minetest.get_node(pos)
-	local name = node.name
-	if not name or node.name:sub(1, 7) ~= "xpanes:" then
-		return
-	end
-	local underscore_pos = string.find(name, "_[^_]*$") or 0
-	local len = name:len()
-	local num = tonumber(name:sub(underscore_pos+1, len))
-	if not num or num < 1 or num > 15 then
-		name = name:sub(8)
+	if count == 0 then
+		swap(pos, node, name .. "_flat", any)
+	elseif count == 1 then
+		swap(pos, node, name .. "_flat", (any + 1) % 4)
+	elseif count == 2 then
+		if (c[0] and c[2]) or (c[1] and c[3]) then
+			swap(pos, node, name .. "_flat", (any + 1) % 4)
+		else
+			swap(pos, node, name, 0)
+		end
 	else
-		name = name:sub(8, underscore_pos - 1)
-	end
-	for i, dir in pairs(directions) do
-		update_pane(vector.add(pos, dir), name)
+		swap(pos, node, name, 0)
 	end
 end
 
-minetest.register_on_placenode(update_nearby)
-minetest.register_on_dignode(update_nearby)
+minetest.register_on_placenode(function(pos, node)
+	if minetest.get_item_group(node, "pane") then
+		update_pane(pos)
+	end
+	for i = 0, 3 do
+		local dir = minetest.facedir_to_dir(i)
+		update_pane(vector.add(pos, dir))
+	end
+end)
 
-local half_boxes = {
-	{0,     -0.5, -1/32, 0.5,  0.5, 1/32},
-	{-1/32, -0.5, 0,     1/32, 0.5, 0.5},
-	{-0.5,  -0.5, -1/32, 0,    0.5, 1/32},
-	{-1/32, -0.5, -0.5,  1/32, 0.5, 0}
-}
-
-local full_boxes = {
-	{-0.5,  -0.5, -1/32, 0.5,  0.5, 1/32},
-	{-1/32, -0.5, -0.5,  1/32, 0.5, 0.5}
-}
-
-local sb_half_boxes = {
-	{0,     -0.5, -0.06, 0.5,  0.5, 0.06},
-	{-0.06, -0.5, 0,     0.06, 0.5, 0.5},
-	{-0.5,  -0.5, -0.06, 0,    0.5, 0.06},
-	{-0.06, -0.5, -0.5,  0.06, 0.5, 0}
-}
-
-local sb_full_boxes = {
-	{-0.5,  -0.5, -0.06, 0.5,  0.5, 0.06},
-	{-0.06, -0.5, -0.5,  0.06, 0.5, 0.5}
-}
-
-local pane_def_fields = {
-	drawtype = "airlike",
-	paramtype = "light",
-	is_ground_content = false,
-	sunlight_propagates = true,
-	walkable = false,
-	pointable = false,
-	diggable = false,
-	buildable_to = true,
-	air_equivalent = true,
-}
+minetest.register_on_dignode(function(pos)
+	for i = 0, 3 do
+		local dir = minetest.facedir_to_dir(i)
+		update_pane(vector.add(pos, dir))
+	end
+end)
 
+xpanes = {}
 function xpanes.register_pane(name, def)
 	for i = 1, 15 do
-		local need = {}
-		local cnt = 0
-		for j = 1, 4 do
-			if rshift(i, j - 1) % 2 == 1 then
-				need[j] = true
-				cnt = cnt + 1
-			end
-		end
-		local take = {}
-		local take2 = {}
-		if need[1] == true and need[3] == true then
-			need[1] = nil
-			need[3] = nil
-			table.insert(take, full_boxes[1])
-			table.insert(take2, sb_full_boxes[1])
-		end
-		if need[2] == true and need[4] == true then
-			need[2] = nil
-			need[4] = nil
-			table.insert(take, full_boxes[2])
-			table.insert(take2, sb_full_boxes[2])
-		end
-		for k in pairs(need) do
-			table.insert(take, half_boxes[k])
-			table.insert(take2, sb_half_boxes[k])
-		end
-		local texture = def.textures[1]
-		if cnt == 1 then
-			texture = def.textures[1].."^"..def.textures[2]
-		end
-		minetest.register_node(":xpanes:"..name.."_"..i, {
-			drawtype = "nodebox",
-			tiles = {def.textures[3], def.textures[3], texture},
-			paramtype = "light",
-			groups = def.groups,
-			drop = "xpanes:"..name,
-			sounds = def.sounds,
-			node_box = {
-				type = "fixed",
-				fixed = take
-			},
-			selection_box = {
-				type = "fixed",
-				fixed = take2
-			}
-		})
+		minetest.register_alias("xpanes:" .. name .. "_" .. i, "xpanes:" .. name .. "_flat")
 	end
 
-	for k, v in pairs(pane_def_fields) do
-		def[k] = def[k] or v
-	end
+	local flatgroups = table.copy(def.groups)
+	flatgroups.pane = 1
+	minetest.register_node(":xpanes:" .. name .. "_flat", {
+		description = def.description,
+		drawtype = "nodebox",
+		paramtype = "light",
+		is_ground_content = false,
+		sunlight_propagates = true,
+		inventory_image = def.inventory_image,
+		wield_image = def.wield_image,
+		paramtype2 = "facedir",
+		tiles = {def.textures[3], def.textures[3], def.textures[1]},
+		groups = flatgroups,
+		drop = "xpanes:" .. name .. "_flat",
+		sounds = def.sounds,
+		node_box = {
+			type = "fixed",
+			fixed = {{-1/2, -1/2, -1/32, 1/2, 1/2, 1/32}},
+		},
+		selection_box = {
+			type = "fixed",
+			fixed = {{-1/2, -1/2, -1/32, 1/2, 1/2, 1/32}},
+		},
+		connect_sides = { "left", "right" },
+	})
 
-	def.on_construct = function(pos)
-		update_pane(pos, name)
-	end
-
-	minetest.register_node(":xpanes:"..name, def)
+	local groups = table.copy(def.groups)
+	groups.pane = 1
+	groups.not_in_creative_inventory = 1
+	minetest.register_node(":xpanes:" .. name, {
+		drawtype = "nodebox",
+		paramtype = "light",
+		is_ground_content = false,
+		sunlight_propagates = true,
+		description = def.description,
+		tiles = {def.textures[3], def.textures[3], def.textures[1]},
+		groups = groups,
+		drop = "xpanes:" .. name .. "_flat",
+		sounds = def.sounds,
+		node_box = {
+			type = "connected",
+			fixed = {{-1/32, -1/2, -1/32, 1/32, 1/2, 1/32}},
+			connect_front = {{-1/32, -1/2, -1/2, 1/32, 1/2, -1/32}},
+			connect_left = {{-1/2, -1/2, -1/32, -1/32, 1/2, 1/32}},
+			connect_back = {{-1/32, -1/2, 1/32, 1/32, 1/2, 1/2}},
+			connect_right = {{1/32, -1/2, -1/32, 1/2, 1/2, 1/32}},
+		},
+		connects_to = {"group:pane", "group:stone", "group:glass", "group:wood", "group:tree"},
+	})
 
 	minetest.register_craft({
-		output = "xpanes:"..name.." 16",
+		output = "xpanes:" .. name .. "_flat 16",
 		recipe = def.recipe
 	})
 end
@@ -161,7 +151,7 @@ xpanes.register_pane("pane", {
 	inventory_image = "default_glass.png",
 	wield_image = "default_glass.png",
 	sounds = default.node_sound_glass_defaults(),
-	groups = {snappy=2, cracky=3, oddly_breakable_by_hand=3, pane=1},
+	groups = {snappy=2, cracky=3, oddly_breakable_by_hand=3},
 	recipe = {
 		{"default:glass", "default:glass", "default:glass"},
 		{"default:glass", "default:glass", "default:glass"}
@@ -173,7 +163,7 @@ xpanes.register_pane("bar", {
 	textures = {"xpanes_bar.png","xpanes_bar.png","xpanes_space.png"},
 	inventory_image = "xpanes_bar.png",
 	wield_image = "xpanes_bar.png",
-	groups = {cracky=2, pane=1},
+	groups = {cracky=2},
 	sounds = default.node_sound_stone_defaults(),
 	recipe = {
 		{"default:steel_ingot", "default:steel_ingot", "default:steel_ingot"},
@@ -181,3 +171,14 @@ xpanes.register_pane("bar", {
 	}
 })
 
+minetest.register_lbm({
+	name = "xpanes:gen2",
+	nodenames = {"group:pane"},
+	action = function(pos, node)
+		update_pane(pos)
+		for i = 0, 3 do
+			local dir = minetest.facedir_to_dir(i)
+			update_pane(vector.add(pos, dir))
+		end
+	end
+})
diff --git a/mods/xpanes/license.txt b/mods/xpanes/license.txt
index ef25be79..66c6fbfa 100644
--- a/mods/xpanes/license.txt
+++ b/mods/xpanes/license.txt
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ License of source code
 The MIT License (MIT)
 Copyright (C) 2014-2016 xyz
 Copyright (C) 2014-2016 BlockMen
+Copyright (C) 2016 Auke Kok <sofar@foo-projects.org>
 Copyright (C) 2014-2016 Various Minetest developers and contributors
 
 Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of this