diff --git a/examples/voxels.js b/examples/voxels.js
index 623b0b5882..4ca5d46ff7 100644
--- a/examples/voxels.js
+++ b/examples/voxels.js
@@ -231,7 +231,6 @@ function grabLowestJointY() {
 }
 
 
-
 function addTerrainBlock() {
     var baseLocation = getTerrainAlignedLocation(Vec3.sum(MyAvatar.position, {x:8, y:8, z:8}));
     if (baseLocation.y > MyAvatar.position.y) {
@@ -247,10 +246,26 @@ function addTerrainBlock() {
         baseLocation = getTerrainAlignedLocation(facingPosition);
         alreadyThere = lookupTerrainForLocation(baseLocation);
         if (alreadyThere) {
-            return;
+            return null;
         }
     }
 
+    var polyVoxID = addTerrainBlockNearLocation(baseLocation);
+
+    if (polyVoxID) {
+        var AvatarPositionInVoxelCoords = Entities.worldCoordsToVoxelCoords(polyVoxID, MyAvatar.position);
+        // TODO -- how to find the avatar's feet?
+        var topY = Math.round(AvatarPositionInVoxelCoords.y) - 4;
+        Entities.setVoxelsInCuboid(polyVoxID, {x:0, y:0, z:0}, {x:16, y:topY, z:16}, 255);
+    }
+}
+
+function addTerrainBlockNearLocation(baseLocation) {
+    var alreadyThere = lookupTerrainForLocation(baseLocation);
+    if (alreadyThere) {
+        return null;
+    }
+
     var polyVoxID = Entities.addEntity({
         type: "PolyVox",
         name: "terrain",
@@ -263,12 +278,6 @@ function addTerrainBlock() {
         zTextureURL: "http://headache.hungry.com/~seth/hifi/dirt.jpeg"
     });
 
-    var AvatarPositionInVoxelCoords = Entities.worldCoordsToVoxelCoords(polyVoxID, MyAvatar.position);
-    // TODO -- how to find the avatar's feet?
-    var topY = Math.round(AvatarPositionInVoxelCoords.y) - 4;
-    Entities.setVoxelsInCuboid(polyVoxID, {x:0, y:0, z:0}, {x:16, y:topY, z:16}, 255);
-
-
     //////////
     // stitch together the terrain with x/y/z NeighorID properties
     //////////
@@ -324,7 +333,7 @@ function addTerrainBlock() {
     properties.zPNeighborID = lookupTerrainForLocation(Vec3.sum(baseLocation, {x:0, y:0, z:16}));
     Entities.editEntity(polyVoxID, properties);
 
-    return true;
+    return polyVoxID;
 }