diff --git a/src/CNStructs.hpp b/src/CNStructs.hpp
index 28b4954..2233635 100644
--- a/src/CNStructs.hpp
+++ b/src/CNStructs.hpp
@@ -32,6 +32,9 @@
 #define MAPNUM(x) ((x) & 0xffffffff)
 #define PLAYERID(x) ((x) >> 32)
 
+// macro for chunk position type
+#define CHUNKPOS std::tuple<int, int, uint64_t>
+
 // TODO: rewrite U16toU8 & U8toU16 to not use codecvt
 
 std::string U16toU8(char16_t* src);
diff --git a/src/ChunkManager.cpp b/src/ChunkManager.cpp
index e5c11d7..45a9b38 100644
--- a/src/ChunkManager.cpp
+++ b/src/ChunkManager.cpp
@@ -4,11 +4,11 @@
 #include "settings.hpp"
 #include "MobManager.hpp"
 
-std::map<std::tuple<int, int, uint64_t>, Chunk*> ChunkManager::chunks;
+std::map<CHUNKPOS, Chunk*> ChunkManager::chunks;
 
 void ChunkManager::init() {} // stubbed
 
-void ChunkManager::newChunk(std::tuple<int, int, uint64_t> pos) {
+void ChunkManager::newChunk(CHUNKPOS pos) {
     Chunk *chunk = new Chunk();
 
     chunk->players = std::set<CNSocket*>();
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ void ChunkManager::newChunk(std::tuple<int, int, uint64_t> pos) {
     chunks[pos] = chunk;
 }
 
-void ChunkManager::populateNewChunk(Chunk* chunk, std::tuple<int, int, uint64_t> pos) {// add the new chunk to every player and mob that's near it
+void ChunkManager::populateNewChunk(Chunk* chunk, CHUNKPOS pos) {// add the new chunk to every player and mob that's near it
     for (Chunk *c : grabChunks(pos)) {
         if (c == chunk)
             continue;
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ void ChunkManager::populateNewChunk(Chunk* chunk, std::tuple<int, int, uint64_t>
 }
 
 void ChunkManager::addNPC(int posX, int posY, uint64_t instanceID, int32_t id) {
-    std::tuple<int, int, uint64_t> pos = grabChunk(posX, posY, instanceID);
+    CHUNKPOS pos = grabChunk(posX, posY, instanceID);
 
     bool newChunkUsed = false;
 
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ void ChunkManager::addNPC(int posX, int posY, uint64_t instanceID, int32_t id) {
 }
 
 void ChunkManager::addPlayer(int posX, int posY, uint64_t instanceID, CNSocket* sock) {
-    std::tuple<int, int, uint64_t> pos = grabChunk(posX, posY, instanceID);
+    CHUNKPOS pos = grabChunk(posX, posY, instanceID);
 
     bool newChunkUsed = false;
 
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ void ChunkManager::addPlayer(int posX, int posY, uint64_t instanceID, CNSocket*
         populateNewChunk(chunk, pos);
 }
 
-bool ChunkManager::removePlayer(std::tuple<int, int, uint64_t> chunkPos, CNSocket* sock) {
+bool ChunkManager::removePlayer(CHUNKPOS chunkPos, CNSocket* sock) {
     if (!checkChunk(chunkPos))
         return false; // do nothing if chunk doesn't even exist
 
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ bool ChunkManager::removePlayer(std::tuple<int, int, uint64_t> chunkPos, CNSocke
     return false;
 }
 
-bool ChunkManager::removeNPC(std::tuple<int, int, uint64_t> chunkPos, int32_t id) {
+bool ChunkManager::removeNPC(CHUNKPOS chunkPos, int32_t id) {
     if (!checkChunk(chunkPos))
         return false; // do nothing if chunk doesn't even exist
 
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ bool ChunkManager::removeNPC(std::tuple<int, int, uint64_t> chunkPos, int32_t id
     return false;
 }
 
-void ChunkManager::destroyChunk(std::tuple<int, int, uint64_t> chunkPos) {
+void ChunkManager::destroyChunk(CHUNKPOS chunkPos) {
     if (!checkChunk(chunkPos))
         return; // chunk doesn't exist, we don't need to do anything
 
@@ -158,15 +158,15 @@ void ChunkManager::destroyChunk(std::tuple<int, int, uint64_t> chunkPos) {
     delete chunk;
 }
 
-bool ChunkManager::checkChunk(std::tuple<int, int, uint64_t> chunk) {
+bool ChunkManager::checkChunk(CHUNKPOS chunk) {
     return chunks.find(chunk) != chunks.end();
 }
 
-std::tuple<int, int, uint64_t> ChunkManager::grabChunk(int posX, int posY, uint64_t instanceID) {
+CHUNKPOS ChunkManager::grabChunk(int posX, int posY, uint64_t instanceID) {
     return std::make_tuple(posX / (settings::VIEWDISTANCE / 3), posY / (settings::VIEWDISTANCE / 3), instanceID);
 }
 
-std::vector<Chunk*> ChunkManager::grabChunks(std::tuple<int, int, uint64_t> chunk) {
+std::vector<Chunk*> ChunkManager::grabChunks(CHUNKPOS chunk) {
     std::vector<Chunk*> chnks;
     chnks.reserve(9);
 
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ std::vector<Chunk*> ChunkManager::grabChunks(std::tuple<int, int, uint64_t> chun
     // grabs surrounding chunks if they exist
     for (int i = -1; i < 2; i++) {
         for (int z = -1; z < 2; z++) {
-            std::tuple<int, int, uint64_t> pos = std::make_tuple(x+i, y+z, inst);
+            CHUNKPOS pos = std::make_tuple(x+i, y+z, inst);
 
             // if chunk exists, add it to the vector
             if (checkChunk(pos))
@@ -214,8 +214,8 @@ std::vector<Chunk*> ChunkManager::getDeltaChunks(std::vector<Chunk*> from, std::
 /*
  * inefficient algorithm to get all chunks from a specific instance
  */
-std::vector<std::tuple<int, int, uint64_t>> ChunkManager::getChunksInMap(uint64_t mapNum) {
-    std::vector<std::tuple<int, int, uint64_t>> chnks;
+std::vector<CHUNKPOS> ChunkManager::getChunksInMap(uint64_t mapNum) {
+    std::vector<CHUNKPOS> chnks;
 
     for (auto it = ChunkManager::chunks.begin(); it != ChunkManager::chunks.end(); it++) {
         if (std::get<2>(it->first) == mapNum) {
@@ -240,10 +240,10 @@ bool ChunkManager::inPopulatedChunks(int posX, int posY, uint64_t instanceID) {
 
 void ChunkManager::createInstance(uint64_t instanceID) {
 
-    std::vector<std::tuple<int, int, uint64_t>> templateChunks = ChunkManager::getChunksInMap(MAPNUM(instanceID)); // base instance chunks
+    std::vector<CHUNKPOS> templateChunks = ChunkManager::getChunksInMap(MAPNUM(instanceID)); // base instance chunks
     if (ChunkManager::getChunksInMap(instanceID).size() == 0) { // only instantiate if the instance doesn't exist already
         std::cout << "Creating instance " << instanceID << std::endl;
-        for (std::tuple<int, int, uint64_t> &coords : templateChunks) {
+        for (CHUNKPOS &coords : templateChunks) {
             for (int npcID : chunks[coords]->NPCs) {
                 // make a copy of each NPC in the template chunks and put them in the new instance
                 int newID = NPCManager::nextId++;
@@ -268,9 +268,9 @@ void ChunkManager::createInstance(uint64_t instanceID) {
 
 void ChunkManager::destroyInstance(uint64_t instanceID) {
     
-    std::vector<std::tuple<int, int, uint64_t>> instanceChunks = ChunkManager::getChunksInMap(instanceID);
+    std::vector<CHUNKPOS> instanceChunks = ChunkManager::getChunksInMap(instanceID);
     std::cout << "Deleting instance " << instanceID << " (" << instanceChunks.size() << " chunks)" << std::endl;
-    for (std::tuple<int, int, uint64_t>& coords : instanceChunks) {
+    for (CHUNKPOS& coords : instanceChunks) {
         destroyChunk(coords);
     }
 }
@@ -279,9 +279,9 @@ void ChunkManager::destroyInstanceIfEmpty(uint64_t instanceID) {
     if (PLAYERID(instanceID) == 0)
         return; // don't clean up overworld/IZ chunks
 
-    std::vector<std::tuple<int, int, uint64_t>> sourceChunkCoords = getChunksInMap(instanceID);
+    std::vector<CHUNKPOS> sourceChunkCoords = getChunksInMap(instanceID);
 
-    for (std::tuple<int, int, uint64_t>& coords : sourceChunkCoords) {
+    for (CHUNKPOS& coords : sourceChunkCoords) {
         Chunk* chunk = chunks[coords];
 
         if (chunk->players.size() > 0)
diff --git a/src/ChunkManager.hpp b/src/ChunkManager.hpp
index 2c5e986..68349bc 100644
--- a/src/ChunkManager.hpp
+++ b/src/ChunkManager.hpp
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #pragma once
 
 #include "CNProtocol.hpp"
+#include "CNStructs.hpp"
 
 #include <utility>
 #include <vector>
@@ -24,20 +25,20 @@ namespace ChunkManager {
     void init();
     void cleanup();
 
-    extern std::map<std::tuple<int, int, uint64_t>, Chunk*> chunks;
+    extern std::map<CHUNKPOS, Chunk*> chunks;
 
-    void newChunk(std::tuple<int, int, uint64_t> pos);
-    void populateNewChunk(Chunk* chunk, std::tuple<int, int, uint64_t> pos);
+    void newChunk(CHUNKPOS pos);
+    void populateNewChunk(Chunk* chunk, CHUNKPOS pos);
     void addNPC(int posX, int posY, uint64_t instanceID, int32_t id);
     void addPlayer(int posX, int posY, uint64_t instanceID, CNSocket* sock);
-    bool removePlayer(std::tuple<int, int, uint64_t> chunkPos, CNSocket* sock);
-    bool removeNPC(std::tuple<int, int, uint64_t> chunkPos, int32_t id);
-    bool checkChunk(std::tuple<int, int, uint64_t> chunk);
-    void destroyChunk(std::tuple<int, int, uint64_t> chunkPos);
-    std::tuple<int, int, uint64_t> grabChunk(int posX, int posY, uint64_t instanceID);
-    std::vector<Chunk*> grabChunks(std::tuple<int, int, uint64_t> chunkPos);
+    bool removePlayer(CHUNKPOS chunkPos, CNSocket* sock);
+    bool removeNPC(CHUNKPOS chunkPos, int32_t id);
+    bool checkChunk(CHUNKPOS chunk);
+    void destroyChunk(CHUNKPOS chunkPos);
+    CHUNKPOS grabChunk(int posX, int posY, uint64_t instanceID);
+    std::vector<Chunk*> grabChunks(CHUNKPOS chunkPos);
     std::vector<Chunk*> getDeltaChunks(std::vector<Chunk*> from, std::vector<Chunk*> to);
-    std::vector<std::tuple<int, int, uint64_t>> getChunksInMap(uint64_t mapNum);
+    std::vector<CHUNKPOS> getChunksInMap(uint64_t mapNum);
     bool inPopulatedChunks(int posX, int posY, uint64_t instanceID);
 
     void createInstance(uint64_t);
diff --git a/src/NPC.hpp b/src/NPC.hpp
index 384fc15..3d38028 100644
--- a/src/NPC.hpp
+++ b/src/NPC.hpp
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ public:
     sNPCAppearanceData appearanceData;
     NPCClass npcClass;
     uint64_t instanceID;
-    std::tuple<int, int, uint64_t> chunkPos;
+    CHUNKPOS chunkPos;
     std::vector<Chunk*> currentChunks;
 
     BaseNPC() {};
diff --git a/src/NPCManager.cpp b/src/NPCManager.cpp
index d049d17..162cb87 100644
--- a/src/NPCManager.cpp
+++ b/src/NPCManager.cpp
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ void NPCManager::updateNPCPosition(int32_t id, int X, int Y, int Z) {
     npc->appearanceData.iY = Y;
     npc->appearanceData.iZ = Z;
 
-    std::tuple<int, int, uint64_t> newPos = ChunkManager::grabChunk(X, Y, npc->instanceID);
+    CHUNKPOS newPos = ChunkManager::grabChunk(X, Y, npc->instanceID);
 
     // nothing to be done (but we should also update currentChunks to add/remove stale chunks)
     if (newPos == npc->chunkPos) {
diff --git a/src/PlayerManager.cpp b/src/PlayerManager.cpp
index e04386b..27d6413 100644
--- a/src/PlayerManager.cpp
+++ b/src/PlayerManager.cpp
@@ -175,6 +175,9 @@ void PlayerManager::addPlayerToChunks(std::vector<Chunk*> chunks, CNSocket* sock
 
         // add players
         for (CNSocket* otherSock : chunk->players) {
+            if (sock == otherSock)
+                continue;
+
             Player *otherPlr = players[otherSock].plr;
             Player *plr = players[sock].plr;
 
@@ -226,13 +229,14 @@ void PlayerManager::updatePlayerPosition(CNSocket* sock, int X, int Y, int Z) {
 
 void PlayerManager::updatePlayerChunk(CNSocket* sock, int X, int Y, uint64_t instanceID) {
     PlayerView& view = players[sock];
-    std::tuple<int, int, uint64_t> newPos = ChunkManager::grabChunk(X, Y, view.plr->instanceID);
+    CHUNKPOS newPos = ChunkManager::grabChunk(X, Y, view.plr->instanceID);
 
     // nothing to be done
     if (newPos == view.chunkPos)
         return;
 
     // add player to chunk
+    ChunkManager::addPlayer(X, Y, view.plr->instanceID, sock);
     std::vector<Chunk*> allChunks = ChunkManager::grabChunks(newPos);
 
     Chunk *chunk = nullptr;
@@ -249,7 +253,6 @@ void PlayerManager::updatePlayerChunk(CNSocket* sock, int X, int Y, uint64_t ins
 
     view.chunkPos = newPos;
     view.currentChunks = allChunks;
-    ChunkManager::addPlayer(X, Y, view.plr->instanceID, sock); // takes care of adding the player to the chunk if it exists or not
 }
 
 void PlayerManager::sendPlayerTo(CNSocket* sock, int X, int Y, int Z, uint64_t I) {
diff --git a/src/PlayerManager.hpp b/src/PlayerManager.hpp
index 6214988..fe24c28 100644
--- a/src/PlayerManager.hpp
+++ b/src/PlayerManager.hpp
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 struct WarpLocation;
 
 struct PlayerView {
-    std::tuple<int, int, uint64_t> chunkPos;
+    CHUNKPOS chunkPos;
     std::vector<Chunk*> currentChunks;
     Player *plr;
     time_t lastHeartbeat;