diff --git a/core/src/main/java/com/shatteredpixel/shatteredpixeldungeon/Dungeon.java b/core/src/main/java/com/shatteredpixel/shatteredpixeldungeon/Dungeon.java
index e7ec9c8fd..bc3da6236 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/com/shatteredpixel/shatteredpixeldungeon/Dungeon.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/com/shatteredpixel/shatteredpixeldungeon/Dungeon.java
@@ -1079,24 +1079,22 @@ public class Dungeon {
 		return PathFinder.getStep( ch.pos, to, findPassable(ch, pass, visible, chars) );
 
 	}
-	
+
 	public static int flee( Char ch, int from, boolean[] pass, boolean[] visible, boolean chars ) {
 		boolean[] passable = findPassable(ch, pass, visible, false, true);
 		passable[ch.pos] = true;
 
-		//only consider other chars impassable if our retreat step may collide with them
-		if (chars) {
-			for (Char c : Actor.chars()) {
-				if (c.pos == from || Dungeon.level.adjacent(c.pos, ch.pos)) {
-					passable[c.pos] = false;
-				}
-			}
-		}
-
 		//chars affected by terror have a shorter lookahead and can't approach the fear source
 		boolean canApproachFromPos = ch.buff(Terror.class) == null && ch.buff(Dread.class) == null;
-		return PathFinder.getStepBack( ch.pos, from, canApproachFromPos ? 8 : 4, passable, canApproachFromPos );
-		
+		int step = PathFinder.getStepBack( ch.pos, from, canApproachFromPos ? 8 : 4, passable, canApproachFromPos );
+
+		//only consider chars impassable if our retreat step runs into them
+		while (step != -1 && Actor.findChar(step) != null && chars){
+			passable[step] = false;
+			step = PathFinder.getStepBack( ch.pos, from, canApproachFromPos ? 8 : 4, passable, canApproachFromPos );
+		}
+		return step;
+
 	}
 
 }