diff --git a/src/main/java/noppes/npcs/NPCSpawning.java b/src/main/java/noppes/npcs/NPCSpawning.java
index 8b97c0307..ed633c8f7 100644
--- a/src/main/java/noppes/npcs/NPCSpawning.java
+++ b/src/main/java/noppes/npcs/NPCSpawning.java
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ public class NPCSpawning {
     private static Set<ChunkCoordIntPair> eligibleChunksForSpawning = Sets.newHashSet();
     private static final byte CHUNK_SPAWN_RADIUS = 7;
     private static final int SPAWN_ATTEMPTS_PER_CHUNK = 3;
+    private static final int NATURAL_CAP_PER_256_CHUNKS = 70;
     private static final long RUNTIME_SPAWN_TICK_INTERVAL = 20L;
     private static final int RUNTIME_SPAWN_CYCLE_TICKS = 400;
     private static final String NATURAL_SPAWN_ID_TAG = "CNPCNaturalSpawnId";
@@ -76,8 +77,8 @@ public class NPCSpawning {
                 }
             }
         }
-        int cap = eligibleChunksForSpawning.size();
-        int npcCount = countNPCs(world);
+        int cap = getScaledNaturalCap(eligibleChunksForSpawning.size());
+        int npcCount = countNaturalSpawnedNPCs(world);
         if (npcCount >= cap) {
             return;
         }
@@ -155,17 +156,24 @@ public class NPCSpawning {
         return result;
     }
 
-    public static int countNPCs(World world) {
+    private static int countNaturalSpawnedNPCs(World world) {
         int count = 0;
         List<Entity> list = world.loadedEntityList;
         for (Entity entity : list) {
-            if (entity instanceof EntityNPCInterface) {
+            if (entity instanceof EntityNPCInterface && !entity.isDead && entity.getEntityData().hasKey(NATURAL_SPAWN_ID_TAG)) {
                 count++;
             }
         }
         return count;
     }
 
+    private static int getScaledNaturalCap(int eligibleChunkCount) {
+        if (eligibleChunkCount <= 0) {
+            return 0;
+        }
+        return Math.max(1, NATURAL_CAP_PER_256_CHUNKS * eligibleChunkCount / 256);
+    }
+
     protected static ChunkPosition getChunk(World world, int x, int z) {
         Chunk chunk = world.getChunkFromChunkCoords(x, z);
         int k = x * 16 + world.rand.nextInt(16);
@@ -188,14 +196,14 @@ public class NPCSpawning {
                 }
             }
         }
-        return chunkSet.size();
+        return getScaledNaturalCap(chunkSet.size());
     }
 
     private static HashMap<Integer, Integer> getNaturalSpawnEntryCounts(World world) {
         HashMap<Integer, Integer> counts = new HashMap<Integer, Integer>();
         List<Entity> list = world.loadedEntityList;
         for (Entity entity : list) {
-            if (entity == null || entity.isDead) {
+            if (entity == null || entity.isDead || !(entity instanceof EntityNPCInterface)) {
                 continue;
             }
             NBTTagCompound entityData = entity.getEntityData();
@@ -223,6 +231,10 @@ public class NPCSpawning {
             return false;
         }
         long tickDelta = world.getWorldInfo().getWorldTotalTime() - lastSpawnTick;
+        if (tickDelta < 0) {
+            SPAWN_COOLDOWNS.remove(key);
+            return false;
+        }
         return tickDelta < data.cooldownTicks;
     }
 
@@ -288,7 +300,7 @@ public class NPCSpawning {
 
     public static void performWorldGenSpawning(World world, int x, int z, Random rand) {
         int cap = getCap(world);
-        int npcCount = countNPCs(world);
+        int npcCount = countNaturalSpawnedNPCs(world);
         if (npcCount >= cap) {
             return;
         }
@@ -379,6 +391,7 @@ public class NPCSpawning {
                     npc.stats.canDespawn = true;
                     npc.stats.playerSetCanDespawn = true;
                 }
+                npc.syncDespawnPersistence();
                 npc.ais.returnToStart = false;
                 npc.ais.startPos = new int[]{x, y, z};
                 npc.updateAI = true;
diff --git a/src/main/java/noppes/npcs/ServerEventsHandler.java b/src/main/java/noppes/npcs/ServerEventsHandler.java
index 0f9fa1d3e..43d78e6eb 100644
--- a/src/main/java/noppes/npcs/ServerEventsHandler.java
+++ b/src/main/java/noppes/npcs/ServerEventsHandler.java
@@ -530,7 +530,7 @@ public class ServerEventsHandler {
 
     @SubscribeEvent
     public void populateChunk(PopulateChunkEvent.Post event) {
-        NPCSpawning.performWorldGenSpawning(event.world, event.chunkX, event.chunkZ, event.rand);
+        NPCSpawning.performWorldGenSpawning(event.world, event.chunkX << 4, event.chunkZ << 4, event.rand);
     }
 
     @SubscribeEvent
diff --git a/src/main/java/noppes/npcs/entity/EntityNPCInterface.java b/src/main/java/noppes/npcs/entity/EntityNPCInterface.java
index 7a978eb89..a3dcfb84c 100644
--- a/src/main/java/noppes/npcs/entity/EntityNPCInterface.java
+++ b/src/main/java/noppes/npcs/entity/EntityNPCInterface.java
@@ -255,7 +255,7 @@ public abstract class EntityNPCInterface extends EntityCreature implements IEnti
             setFaction(faction.id);
             setSize(1, 1);
             this.updateTasks();
-            this.func_110163_bv();
+            this.syncDespawnPersistence();
 
             if (!this.isRemote() && this.wrappedNPC == null) {
                 this.wrappedNPC = new ScriptNpc<>(this);
@@ -1203,7 +1203,7 @@ public abstract class EntityNPCInterface extends EntityCreature implements IEnti
         this.getEntityAttribute(SharedMonsterAttributes.followRange).setBaseValue(ConfigMain.NpcNavRange);
 
         this.updateTasks();
-        this.func_110163_bv();
+        this.syncDespawnPersistence();
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -1404,6 +1404,26 @@ public abstract class EntityNPCInterface extends EntityCreature implements IEnti
         field_20062_v += d1 * 0.25D;
     }
 
+    @Override
+    protected void despawnEntity() {
+        syncDespawnPersistence();
+        super.despawnEntity();
+    }
+
+    public void syncDespawnPersistence() {
+        if (stats == null) {
+            if (!this.persistenceRequired) {
+                this.func_110163_bv();
+            }
+            return;
+        }
+        if (stats.canDespawn) {
+            this.persistenceRequired = false;
+        } else if (!this.persistenceRequired) {
+            this.func_110163_bv();
+        }
+    }
+
     @Override
     protected boolean canDespawn() {
         return stats.canDespawn;
diff --git a/src/main/java/noppes/npcs/scripted/entity/ScriptNpc.java b/src/main/java/noppes/npcs/scripted/entity/ScriptNpc.java
index 25734b7e4..c362d72c6 100644
--- a/src/main/java/noppes/npcs/scripted/entity/ScriptNpc.java
+++ b/src/main/java/noppes/npcs/scripted/entity/ScriptNpc.java
@@ -1109,6 +1109,7 @@ public class ScriptNpc<T extends EntityNPCInterface> extends ScriptLiving<T> imp
     public void setNaturallyDespawns(boolean canDespawn) {
         npc.stats.canDespawn = canDespawn;
         npc.stats.playerSetCanDespawn = canDespawn;
+        npc.syncDespawnPersistence();
     }
 
     public boolean spawnedFromSoulStone() {
diff --git a/src/main/resources/META-INF/customnpcs_at.cfg b/src/main/resources/META-INF/customnpcs_at.cfg
index dbcb46481..a41eb23c9 100644
--- a/src/main/resources/META-INF/customnpcs_at.cfg
+++ b/src/main/resources/META-INF/customnpcs_at.cfg
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ public net.minecraft.client.renderer.entity.RenderPlayer func_77043_a(Lnet/minec
 #EntityLivingBase
 public net.minecraft.entity.EntityLivingBase func_82166_i()I # getArmSwingAnimationEnd
 public net.minecraft.entity.EntityLivingBase field_70703_bu # isJumping
+#EntityLiving
+public net.minecraft.entity.EntityLiving field_82179_bU # persistenceRequired
 # Minecraft
 public net.minecraft.client.Minecraft field_147126_aw # mcMusicTicker
 # MusicTicker