diff --git a/mods/ENTITIES/mcl_entity_invs/init.lua b/mods/ENTITIES/mcl_entity_invs/init.lua
index 35af491e1..601ec2019 100644
--- a/mods/ENTITIES/mcl_entity_invs/init.lua
+++ b/mods/ENTITIES/mcl_entity_invs/init.lua
@@ -35,7 +35,9 @@ function mcl_entity_invs.load_inv(ent,size)
 		mcl_log("load_inv 3")
 		inv =  minetest.create_detached_inventory(ent._inv_id, inv_callbacks)
 		inv:set_size("main", size)
-		if ent._items then
+		if ent._mcl_entity_invs_load_items then
+			inv:set_list("main",ent:_mcl_entity_invs_load_items())
+		elseif ent._items then
 			inv:set_list("main",ent._items)
 		end
 	else
@@ -46,9 +48,14 @@ end
 
 function mcl_entity_invs.save_inv(ent)
 	if ent._inv then
-		ent._items = {}
+		local items = {}
 		for i,it in ipairs(ent._inv:get_list("main")) do
-			ent._items[i] = it:to_string()
+			items[i] = it:to_string()
+		end
+		if ent._mcl_entity_invs_save_items then
+			ent:_mcl_entity_invs_save_items(items)
+		else
+			ent._items = items
 		end
 		minetest.remove_detached_inventory(ent._inv_id)
 		ent._inv = nil
diff --git a/mods/ENTITIES/mcl_minecarts/carts.lua b/mods/ENTITIES/mcl_minecarts/carts.lua
index 9d7be5b74..bd86676f8 100644
--- a/mods/ENTITIES/mcl_minecarts/carts.lua
+++ b/mods/ENTITIES/mcl_minecarts/carts.lua
@@ -143,6 +143,16 @@ function DEFAULT_CART_DEF:get_staticdata()
 	return minetest.serialize({uuid = self._staticdata.uuid, seq=self._seq})
 end
 
+function DEFAULT_CART_DEF:_mcl_entity_invs_load_items()
+	local staticdata = self._staticdata
+	return staticdata.inventory or {}
+end
+function DEFAULT_CART_DEF:_mcl_entity_invs_save_items(items)
+	local staticdata = self._staticdata
+	print("Saving entity inventory items="..dump(items))
+	staticdata.inventory = table.copy(items)
+end
+
 function DEFAULT_CART_DEF:add_node_watch(pos)
 	local staticdata = self._staticdata
 	local watches = staticdata.node_watches or {}
@@ -246,7 +256,6 @@ function DEFAULT_CART_DEF:on_step(dtime)
 	end
 
 	mod.update_cart_orientation(self)
-
 end
 function mod.kill_cart(staticdata)
 	local pos