diff --git a/mods/ITEMS/mcl_portals/portal_nether.lua b/mods/ITEMS/mcl_portals/portal_nether.lua
index 46025619c..0d93e11d1 100644
--- a/mods/ITEMS/mcl_portals/portal_nether.lua
+++ b/mods/ITEMS/mcl_portals/portal_nether.lua
@@ -204,37 +204,52 @@ local function get_target(p)
 	end
 end
 
--- Destroy portal if pos (portal frame or portal node) got destroyed
+-- Destroy a nether portal.  Connected portal nodes are searched and removed
+-- using 'bulk_set_node'.  This function is called from 'after_destruct' of
+-- nether portal nodes.  The flag 'destroying_portal' is used to avoid this
+-- function being called recursively through callbacks in 'bulk_set_node'.
+local destroying_portal = false
 local function destroy_nether_portal(pos, node)
-	if not node then return end
-	local nn, orientation = node.name, node.param2
-	local obsidian = nn == OBSIDIAN
-
-	local function check_remove(pos, orientation)
-		local node = get_node(pos)
-		if node and (node.name == PORTAL and (orientation == nil or (node.param2 == orientation))) then
-			minetest.remove_node(pos)
-			remove_exit(pos)
-		end
-	end
-	if obsidian then -- check each of 6 sides of it and destroy every portal:
-		check_remove({x = pos.x - 1, y = pos.y, z = pos.z}, 0)
-		check_remove({x = pos.x + 1, y = pos.y, z = pos.z}, 0)
-		check_remove({x = pos.x, y = pos.y, z = pos.z - 1}, 1)
-		check_remove({x = pos.x, y = pos.y, z = pos.z + 1}, 1)
-		check_remove({x = pos.x, y = pos.y - 1, z = pos.z})
-		check_remove({x = pos.x, y = pos.y + 1, z = pos.z})
+	if destroying_portal then
 		return
 	end
-	if orientation == 0 then
-		check_remove({x = pos.x - 1, y = pos.y, z = pos.z}, 0)
-		check_remove({x = pos.x + 1, y = pos.y, z = pos.z}, 0)
-	else
-		check_remove({x = pos.x, y = pos.y, z = pos.z - 1}, 1)
-		check_remove({x = pos.x, y = pos.y, z = pos.z + 1}, 1)
+	destroying_portal = true
+
+	local orientation = node.param2
+	local checked_tab = { [minetest.hash_node_position(pos)] = true }
+	local nodes = { pos }
+
+	local function check_remove(pos)
+		local h = minetest.hash_node_position(pos)
+		if checked_tab[h] then
+			return
+		end
+
+		local node = minetest.get_node(pos)
+		if node and node.name == PORTAL and (orientation == nil or node.param2 == orientation) then
+			table.insert(nodes, pos)
+			checked_tab[h] = true
+		end
 	end
-	check_remove({x = pos.x, y = pos.y - 1, z = pos.z})
-	check_remove({x = pos.x, y = pos.y + 1, z = pos.z})
+
+	local i = 1
+	while i <= #nodes do
+		pos = nodes[i]
+		if orientation == 0 then
+			check_remove({x = pos.x - 1, y = pos.y, z = pos.z})
+			check_remove({x = pos.x + 1, y = pos.y, z = pos.z})
+		else
+			check_remove({x = pos.x, y = pos.y, z = pos.z - 1})
+			check_remove({x = pos.x, y = pos.y, z = pos.z + 1})
+		end
+		check_remove({x = pos.x, y = pos.y - 1, z = pos.z})
+		check_remove({x = pos.x, y = pos.y + 1, z = pos.z})
+		remove_exit(pos)
+		i = i + 1
+	end
+
+	minetest.bulk_set_node(nodes, { name = "air" })
+	destroying_portal = false
 end
 
 local on_rotate
@@ -817,7 +832,23 @@ local usagehelp = S("To open a Nether portal, place an upright frame of obsidian
 minetest.override_item(OBSIDIAN, {
 	_doc_items_longdesc = longdesc,
 	_doc_items_usagehelp = usagehelp,
-	after_destruct = destroy_nether_portal,
+	after_destruct = function(pos, node)
+		local function check_remove(pos, orientation)
+			local node = get_node(pos)
+			if node and node.name == PORTAL then
+				minetest.remove_node(pos)
+			end
+		end
+
+		-- check each of 6 sides of it and destroy every portal
+		check_remove({x = pos.x - 1, y = pos.y, z = pos.z})
+		check_remove({x = pos.x + 1, y = pos.y, z = pos.z})
+		check_remove({x = pos.x, y = pos.y, z = pos.z - 1})
+		check_remove({x = pos.x, y = pos.y, z = pos.z + 1})
+		check_remove({x = pos.x, y = pos.y - 1, z = pos.z})
+		check_remove({x = pos.x, y = pos.y + 1, z = pos.z})
+	end,
+
 	_on_ignite = function(user, pointed_thing)
 		local x, y, z = pointed_thing.under.x, pointed_thing.under.y, pointed_thing.under.z
 		-- Check empty spaces around obsidian and light all frames found: