diff --git a/src/logic/scripting/lua/libs/libworld.cpp b/src/logic/scripting/lua/libs/libworld.cpp
index 5db150b0..362d08c7 100644
--- a/src/logic/scripting/lua/libs/libworld.cpp
+++ b/src/logic/scripting/lua/libs/libworld.cpp
@@ -126,11 +126,21 @@ static int l_get_chunk_data(lua::State* L) {
     int x = static_cast<int>(lua::tointeger(L, 1));
     int z = static_cast<int>(lua::tointeger(L, 2));
     const auto& chunk = level->chunks->getChunk(x, z);
+
+    std::vector<ubyte> chunkData;
     if (chunk == nullptr) {
-        lua::pushnil(L);
-        return 0;
+        auto& regions = level->getWorld()->wfile->getRegions();
+        auto voxelData = regions.getVoxels(x, z);
+        if (voxelData == nullptr) {
+            return 0;
+        }
+        static util::Buffer<ubyte> rleBuffer(CHUNK_DATA_LEN * 2);
+        auto metadata = regions.getBlocksData(x, z);
+        chunkData =
+            compressed_chunks::encode(voxelData.get(), metadata, rleBuffer);
+    } else {
+        chunkData = compressed_chunks::encode(*chunk);
     }
-    auto chunkData = compressed_chunks::encode(*chunk);
     return lua::newuserdata<lua::LuaBytearray>(L, std::move(chunkData));
 }
 
diff --git a/src/voxels/compressed_chunks.cpp b/src/voxels/compressed_chunks.cpp
index 64000a79..24cc02dd 100644
--- a/src/voxels/compressed_chunks.cpp
+++ b/src/voxels/compressed_chunks.cpp
@@ -2,28 +2,24 @@
 
 #include "coders/rle.hpp"
 #include "coders/gzip.hpp"
-#include "coders/byte_utils.hpp"
+
 #include "files/WorldFiles.hpp"
-#include "voxels/Chunk.hpp"
 
 inline constexpr int HAS_VOXELS = 0x1;
 inline constexpr int HAS_METADATA = 0x2;
 
-std::vector<ubyte> compressed_chunks::encode(const Chunk& chunk) {
-    auto data = chunk.encode();
-
-    /// world.get_chunk_data is only available in the main Lua state
-    static util::Buffer<ubyte> rleBuffer;
-    if (rleBuffer.size() < CHUNK_DATA_LEN * 2) {
-        rleBuffer = util::Buffer<ubyte>(CHUNK_DATA_LEN * 2);
-    }
+std::vector<ubyte> compressed_chunks::encode(
+    const ubyte* data,
+    const BlocksMetadata& metadata,
+    util::Buffer<ubyte>& rleBuffer
+) {
     size_t rleCompressedSize =
-        extrle::encode16(data.get(), CHUNK_DATA_LEN, rleBuffer.data());
+        extrle::encode16(data, CHUNK_DATA_LEN, rleBuffer.data());
 
     const auto gzipCompressedData = gzip::compress(
         rleBuffer.data(), rleCompressedSize
     );
-    auto metadataBytes = chunk.blocksMetadata.serialize();
+    auto metadataBytes = metadata.serialize();
 
     ByteBuilder builder(2 + 8 + gzipCompressedData.size() + metadataBytes.size());
     builder.put(HAS_VOXELS | HAS_METADATA); // flags
@@ -35,6 +31,14 @@ std::vector<ubyte> compressed_chunks::encode(const Chunk& chunk) {
     return builder.build();
 }
 
+std::vector<ubyte> compressed_chunks::encode(const Chunk& chunk) {
+    auto data = chunk.encode();
+
+    /// world.get_chunk_data is only available in the main Lua state
+    static util::Buffer<ubyte> rleBuffer(CHUNK_DATA_LEN * 2);
+    return encode(data.get(), chunk.blocksMetadata, rleBuffer);
+}
+
 static void read_voxel_data(ByteReader& reader, util::Buffer<ubyte>& dst) {
     size_t gzipCompressedSize = reader.getInt32();
         
diff --git a/src/voxels/compressed_chunks.hpp b/src/voxels/compressed_chunks.hpp
index 2181669c..dd00bc66 100644
--- a/src/voxels/compressed_chunks.hpp
+++ b/src/voxels/compressed_chunks.hpp
@@ -1,13 +1,19 @@
 #pragma once
 
 #include "typedefs.hpp"
+#include "Chunk.hpp"
+#include "coders/byte_utils.hpp"
 
 #include <vector>
 
-class Chunk;
 class WorldRegions;
 
 namespace compressed_chunks {
+    std::vector<ubyte> encode(
+        const ubyte* voxelData,
+        const BlocksMetadata& metadata,
+        util::Buffer<ubyte>& rleBuffer
+    );
     std::vector<ubyte> encode(const Chunk& chunk);
     void decode(Chunk& chunk, const ubyte* src, size_t size);
     void save(int x, int z, std::vector<ubyte> bytes, WorldRegions& regions);