diff --git a/mods/bg_api/wrappers.lua b/mods/bg_api/wrappers.lua
index c22e6fc..437adce 100644
--- a/mods/bg_api/wrappers.lua
+++ b/mods/bg_api/wrappers.lua
@@ -34,28 +34,40 @@ end
 
 local events = blockgame.events.namespace("api")
 
-function blockgame.register_node (name, def, modname)
-	-- TODO: take full name and then extract modname and base name from that, that'll probably be easier to maintain.
-	-- (if no modname is provided, still assume it like what is being done currently.)
-	local modname = modname or minetest.get_current_modname()
-	local full_name = modname .. ":" .. name
+function blockgame.register_node (fullname, def)
+	-- make sure the right names are used in the right contexts, by manually extracting them here.
+	-- this makes `blockgame.register_node` more flexible/reliable.
+	local modname
+	local basename
 
-	def.description = def.description or capitalize(name)
+	local colon_pos = string.find(fullname, ":")
+	if colon_pos then
+		modname = string.sub(fullname, 1, colon_pos - 1)
+		basename = string.sub(fullname, colon_pos + 1)
+	else
+		modname = minetest.get_current_modname()
+		basename = fullname
+		fullname = modname .. ":" .. basename
+	end
+
+	def.description = def.description or capitalize(basename)
 	def.tiles = def.tiles or {
-		modname .. "_" .. name .. ".png",
+		modname .. "_" .. basename .. ".png",
 	}
 
 	events.broadcast("before_register_node", {
-		name = name,
+		name = fullname,
 		def = def,
 		mod = modname,
+		basename = basename
 	})
 
-	minetest.register_node(full_name, def)
+	minetest.register_node(fullname, def)
 
 	events.broadcast("after_register_node", {
-		name = name,
+		name = fullname,
 		def = def,
 		mod = modname,
+		basename = basename
 	})
 end