diff --git a/mods/PLAYER/mcl_playerplus/init.lua b/mods/PLAYER/mcl_playerplus/init.lua
index bf5143271..c6c83dd9a 100644
--- a/mods/PLAYER/mcl_playerplus/init.lua
+++ b/mods/PLAYER/mcl_playerplus/init.lua
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ mcl_playerplus = {
 }
 
 local player_velocity_old = {x=0, y=0, z=0}
+local player_position_old = {x=0, y=0, z=0}
 local get_connected_players = minetest.get_connected_players
 local dir_to_yaw = minetest.dir_to_yaw
 local get_item_group = minetest.get_item_group
@@ -286,18 +287,20 @@ minetest.register_globalstep(function(dtime)
 
 		if elytra.active then
 			mcl_player.player_set_animation(player, "fly")
-			local slowdown_mult = 0.2 -- amount of vel to take per sec
-			local speedup_mult = 10 -- amount of speed to add based on look dir
+			local slowdown_mult = 1 -- amount of vel to take per sec
+			local fall_speed = 40 -- amount to fall down per sec in nodes
+			local speedup_mult = 15 -- amount of speed to add based on look dir
 			local max_speed = 120
 			local direction = player:get_look_dir()
-			local v = player:get_velocity()
+			local player_vel = player:get_velocity()
 			local direction_mult = clamp(-direction.y*2, -0.5, 0.5)
-			local speed_mult = clamp(elytra.speed + direction_mult * speedup_mult * dtime, -max_speed, max_speed)
-			speed_mult = speed_mult - slowdown_mult * speed_mult * dtime -- slow down
+
+			local speed_mult = elytra.speed + direction_mult * speedup_mult * dtime
+			speed_mult = speed_mult - slowdown_mult * dtime -- slow down
 			speed_mult = math.max(speed_mult, -1)
 			speed_mult = math.min(speed_mult, max_speed)
-			elytra.speed = speed_mult
-			vel = direction
+			elytra.speed = speed_mult -- set the speed so you can keep track of it and add to it
+			new_vel = direction -- use the facing direction as a base
 
 			playerphysics.add_physics_factor(player, "gravity", "mcl_playerplus:elytra", 0.1)
 			if elytra.rocketing > 0 then
@@ -323,18 +326,20 @@ minetest.register_globalstep(function(dtime)
 				playerphysics.remove_physics_factor(player, "gravity", "mcl_playerplus:elytra")
 			end
 
-			vel = vector.multiply(vel, speed_mult)
-			vel = {
-				x = clamp(vel.x, -max_speed, max_speed),
-				y = clamp(vel.y, -max_speed, max_speed),
-				z = clamp(vel.z, -max_speed, max_speed)}
+			new_vel = vector.multiply(new_vel, speed_mult)
+			new_vel = {
+				x = clamp(new_vel.x, -max_speed, max_speed),
+				y = clamp(new_vel.y, -max_speed, max_speed),
+				z = clamp(new_vel.z, -max_speed, max_speed)}
 
 			-- slow the player down so less spongy movement by applying half the inverse vel
 			-- NOTE: do not set this higher than about 0.7 or the game will get the wrong vel and it will be broken
-			v = vector.multiply(v, -0.4)
-			player:add_velocity(v)
-			vel.y = vel.y - (200 / math.max(speed_mult+1, 1)) * dtime
-			player:add_velocity(vel)
+			-- this is far from ideal, but there's no good way to set_velocity on the player
+			player_vel = vector.multiply(player_vel, -0.4)
+			player:add_velocity(player_vel)
+			new_vel.y = new_vel.y - (400 / math.max(speed_mult, 2)) * dtime
+			new_vel.y = new_vel.y - fall_speed * dtime
+			player:add_velocity(new_vel)
 		end
 
 		if wielded_def and wielded_def._mcl_toollike_wield then
@@ -350,6 +355,7 @@ minetest.register_globalstep(function(dtime)
 		end
 
 		player_velocity_old = player:get_velocity() or player:get_player_velocity()
+		player_position_old = player:get_pos()
 
 
 		-- controls right and left arms pitch when shooting a bow or blocking