diff --git a/worldedit_brush/init.lua b/worldedit_brush/init.lua
index 67d2a40..fb48b61 100644
--- a/worldedit_brush/init.lua
+++ b/worldedit_brush/init.lua
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ local brush_on_use = function(itemstack, placer)
 	worldedit.marker_update(name)
 
 	assert(cmddef.require_pos < 2)
-	local parsed = {cmddef.parse(meta:get_string("params"))}
+	local parsed = {cmddef.parse(meta:get_string("params"), name)}
 	if not table.remove(parsed, 1) then return false end -- shouldn't happen
 
 	-- discard success messages
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ worldedit.register_command("brush", {
 			end
 
 			-- Try parsing command params so we can give the user feedback
-			local ok, err = cmddef.parse(params)
+			local ok, err = cmddef.parse(params, name)
 			if not ok then
 				err = err or S("invalid usage")
 				return false, S("Error with command: @1", err)
diff --git a/worldedit_commands/cuboid.lua b/worldedit_commands/cuboid.lua
index b269112..95141b5 100644
--- a/worldedit_commands/cuboid.lua
+++ b/worldedit_commands/cuboid.lua
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ worldedit.register_command("cubeapply", {
 	description = S("Select a cube with side length <size> around position 1 and run <command> on region"),
 	privs = {worldedit=true},
 	require_pos = 1,
-	parse = function(param)
+	parse = function(param, playername)
 		local found, _, sidex, sidey, sidez, cmd, args =
 			param:find("^(%d+)%s+(%d+)%s+(%d+)%s+([^%s]+)%s*(.*)$")
 		if found == nil then
@@ -241,7 +241,7 @@ worldedit.register_command("cubeapply", {
 				minetest.colorize("#00ffff", "//"..cmd))
 		end
 		-- run parsing of target command
-		local parsed = {cmddef.parse(args)}
+		local parsed = {cmddef.parse(args, playername)}
 		if not table.remove(parsed, 1) then
 			return false, parsed[1]
 		end
diff --git a/worldedit_commands/init.lua b/worldedit_commands/init.lua
index 7b5cd15..403faf0 100644
--- a/worldedit_commands/init.lua
+++ b/worldedit_commands/init.lua
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ local function chatcommand_handler(cmd_name, name, param)
 		end
 	end
 
-	local parsed = {def.parse(param)}
+	local parsed = {def.parse(param, name)}
 	local success = table.remove(parsed, 1)
 	if not success then
 		worldedit.player_notify(name, parsed[1] or S("invalid usage"), "error")
diff --git a/worldedit_commands/manipulations.lua b/worldedit_commands/manipulations.lua
index 2a6d36b..3d979f7 100644
--- a/worldedit_commands/manipulations.lua
+++ b/worldedit_commands/manipulations.lua
@@ -42,10 +42,10 @@ worldedit.register_command("set", {
 	category = S("Node manipulation"),
 	privs = {worldedit=true},
 	require_pos = 2,
-	parse = function(param)
-		local node = worldedit.normalize_nodename(param)
+	parse = function(param, player)
+		local node, err = worldedit.normalize_nodename(param, player)
 		if not node then
-			return false, S("invalid node name: @1", param)
+			return false, err
 		end
 		return true, node
 	end,
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ worldedit.register_command("mix", {
 	category = S("Node manipulation"),
 	privs = {worldedit=true},
 	require_pos = 2,
-	parse = function(param)
+	parse = function(param, playername)
 		local nodes = {}
 		for nodename in param:gmatch("[^%s]+") do
 			if tonumber(nodename) ~= nil and #nodes > 0 then
@@ -93,9 +93,9 @@ worldedit.register_command("mix", {
 					nodes[#nodes + 1] = last_node
 				end
 			else
-				local node = worldedit.normalize_nodename(nodename)
+				local node, err = worldedit.normalize_nodename(nodename, playername)
 				if not node then
-					return false, S("invalid node name: @1", nodename)
+					return false, err
 				end
 				nodes[#nodes + 1] = node
 			end
@@ -113,18 +113,18 @@ worldedit.register_command("mix", {
 	end,
 })
 
-local check_replace = function(param)
+local check_replace = function(param, playername)
 	local found, _, searchnode, replacenode = param:find("^([^%s]+)%s+(.+)$")
 	if found == nil then
 		return false
 	end
-	local newsearchnode = worldedit.normalize_nodename(searchnode)
+	local newsearchnode, err = worldedit.normalize_nodename(searchnode, playername)
 	if not newsearchnode then
-		return false, S("invalid search node name: @1", searchnode)
+		return false, err
 	end
-	local newreplacenode = worldedit.normalize_nodename(replacenode)
+	local newreplacenode, err = worldedit.normalize_nodename(replacenode, playername)
 	if not newreplacenode then
-		return false, S("invalid replace node name: @1", replacenode)
+		return false, err
 	end
 	return true, newsearchnode, newreplacenode
 end
@@ -318,10 +318,10 @@ worldedit.register_command("suppress", {
 	category = S("Node manipulation"),
 	privs = {worldedit=true},
 	require_pos = 2,
-	parse = function(param)
-		local node = worldedit.normalize_nodename(param)
+	parse = function(param, playername)
+		local node, err = worldedit.normalize_nodename(param, playername)
 		if not node then
-			return false, S("invalid node name: @1", param)
+			return false, err
 		end
 		return true, node
 	end,
@@ -338,10 +338,10 @@ worldedit.register_command("highlight", {
 	category = S("Node manipulation"),
 	privs = {worldedit=true},
 	require_pos = 2,
-	parse = function(param)
-		local node = worldedit.normalize_nodename(param)
+	parse = function(param, playername)
+		local node, err = worldedit.normalize_nodename(param, playername)
 		if not node then
-			return false, S("invalid node name: @1", param)
+			return false, err
 		end
 		return true, node
 	end,
diff --git a/worldedit_commands/nodename.lua b/worldedit_commands/nodename.lua
index ebf80e0..c4131bb 100644
--- a/worldedit_commands/nodename.lua
+++ b/worldedit_commands/nodename.lua
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+local S = minetest.get_translator("worldedit_commands")
+
 -- Strips any kind of escape codes (translation, colors) from a string
 -- https://github.com/minetest/minetest/blob/53dd7819277c53954d1298dfffa5287c306db8d0/src/util/string.cpp#L777
 local function strip_escapes(input)
@@ -32,11 +34,34 @@ end
 
 local description_cache = nil
 
--- normalizes node "description" `nodename`, returning a string (or nil)
-worldedit.normalize_nodename = function(nodename)
+-- normalizes node "description" `nodename`. Return a string (or nil), with the second return value being the error message if the first value is nil.
+-- playername contain the name of the player. It may be nil, in which case it won’t detect the wielded item when appropriate
+worldedit.normalize_nodename = function(nodename, playername)
 	nodename = nodename:gsub("^%s*(.-)%s*$", "%1") -- strip spaces
 	if nodename == "" then return nil end
 
+	if nodename == "wielded" or nodename == "w" then
+		if not playername then
+			return nil, S("no player executing command")
+		end
+
+		local player = minetest.get_player_by_name(playername)
+		if not player then
+			return nil, S("no player found: @1", playername)
+		end
+
+		local wielded = player:get_wielded_item()
+		if not wielded then
+			return nil, S("no wielded item: @1", playername)
+		end
+		
+		if minetest.registered_nodes[wielded:get_name()] then
+			return wielded:get_name()
+		else
+			return nil, S("not a node: @1", wielded:get_name())
+		end
+	end
+
 	local fullname = ItemStack({name=nodename}):get_name() -- resolve aliases
 	if minetest.registered_nodes[fullname] or fullname == "air" then -- full name
 		return fullname
@@ -76,10 +101,15 @@ worldedit.normalize_nodename = function(nodename)
 	for key, value in pairs(description_cache) do
 		if value:find(nodename, 1, true) ~= nil then
 			if match ~= nil then
-				return nil
+				return nil, S("invalid node name: @1", nodename)
 			end
 			match = key -- substring description match (only if no ambiguities)
 		end
 	end
-	return match
-end
+
+	if match then
+		return match
+	end
+
+	return nil, S("invalid node name: @1", nodename)
+end
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/worldedit_commands/primitives.lua b/worldedit_commands/primitives.lua
index d36a403..2502670 100644
--- a/worldedit_commands/primitives.lua
+++ b/worldedit_commands/primitives.lua
@@ -1,14 +1,14 @@
 local S = minetest.get_translator("worldedit_commands")
 
 
-local check_cube = function(param)
+local check_cube = function(param, playername)
 	local found, _, w, h, l, nodename = param:find("^(%d+)%s+(%d+)%s+(%d+)%s+(.+)$")
 	if found == nil then
 		return false
 	end
-	local node = worldedit.normalize_nodename(nodename)
+	local node, err = worldedit.normalize_nodename(nodename, playername)
 	if not node then
-		return false, S("invalid node name: @1", nodename)
+		return false, err
 	end
 	return true, tonumber(w), tonumber(h), tonumber(l), node
 end
@@ -45,14 +45,14 @@ worldedit.register_command("cube", {
 	end,
 })
 
-local check_sphere = function(param)
+local check_sphere = function(param, playername)
 	local found, _, radius, nodename = param:find("^(%d+)%s+(.+)$")
 	if found == nil then
 		return false
 	end
-	local node = worldedit.normalize_nodename(nodename)
+	local node, err = worldedit.normalize_nodename(nodename, playername)
 	if not node then
-		return false, S("invalid node name: @1", nodename)
+		return false, err
 	end
 	return true, tonumber(radius), node
 end
@@ -89,14 +89,14 @@ worldedit.register_command("sphere", {
 	end,
 })
 
-local check_dome = function(param)
+local check_dome = function(param, playername)
 	local found, _, radius, nodename = param:find("^(%d+)%s+(.+)$")
 	if found == nil then
 		return false
 	end
-	local node = worldedit.normalize_nodename(nodename)
+	local node, err = worldedit.normalize_nodename(nodename, playername)
 	if not node then
-		return false, S("invalid node name: @1", nodename)
+		return false, err
 	end
 	return true, tonumber(radius), node
 end
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ worldedit.register_command("dome", {
 	end,
 })
 
-local check_cylinder = function(param)
+local check_cylinder = function(param, playername)
 	-- two radii
 	local found, _, axis, length, radius1, radius2, nodename = param:find("^([xyz%?])%s+([+-]?%d+)%s+(%d+)%s+(%d+)%s+(.+)$")
 	if found == nil then
@@ -144,9 +144,9 @@ local check_cylinder = function(param)
 	if found == nil then
 		return false
 	end
-	local node = worldedit.normalize_nodename(nodename)
+	local node, err = worldedit.normalize_nodename(nodename, playername)
 	if not node then
-		return false, S("invalid node name: @1", nodename)
+		return false, err
 	end
 	return true, axis, tonumber(length), tonumber(radius1), tonumber(radius2), node
 end
@@ -195,14 +195,14 @@ worldedit.register_command("cylinder", {
 	end,
 })
 
-local check_pyramid = function(param)
+local check_pyramid = function(param, playername)
 	local found, _, axis, height, nodename = param:find("^([xyz%?])%s+([+-]?%d+)%s+(.+)$")
 	if found == nil then
 		return false
 	end
-	local node = worldedit.normalize_nodename(nodename)
+	local node, err = worldedit.normalize_nodename(nodename, playername)
 	if not node then
-		return false, S("invalid node name: @1", nodename)
+		return false, err
 	end
 	return true, axis, tonumber(height), node
 end
@@ -255,14 +255,14 @@ worldedit.register_command("spiral", {
 	category = S("Shapes"),
 	privs = {worldedit=true},
 	require_pos = 1,
-	parse = function(param)
+	parse = function(param, playername)
 		local found, _, length, height, space, nodename = param:find("^(%d+)%s+(%d+)%s+(%d+)%s+(.+)$")
 		if found == nil then
 			return false
 		end
-		local node = worldedit.normalize_nodename(nodename)
+		local node, err = worldedit.normalize_nodename(nodename, playername)
 		if not node then
-			return false, S("invalid node name: @1", nodename)
+			return false, err
 		end
 		return true, tonumber(length), tonumber(height), tonumber(space), node
 	end,