diff --git a/code/controllers/subsystem/minimum_spawns.dm b/code/controllers/subsystem/minimum_spawns.dm
index b859a2e058..ea419ce921 100644
--- a/code/controllers/subsystem/minimum_spawns.dm
+++ b/code/controllers/subsystem/minimum_spawns.dm
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 SUBSYSTEM_DEF(min_spawns)
-	name = "Minimum Spawns"
+	name = "Minimum Spawns" // it should be more like "failsafe spawns" or "backup spawns" or something
 	init_order = INIT_ORDER_DEFAULT
 	flags = SS_BACKGROUND
 	wait = 2
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ GLOBAL_LIST_INIT(minimum_lavaland_spawns, list(
 	/mob/living/simple_animal/hostile/megafauna/bubblegum
 ))
 
-GLOBAL_LIST_INIT(minimum_snow_spawns, list(
+GLOBAL_LIST_INIT(minimum_snow_surface_spawns, list(
 	/obj/structure/spawner/ice_moon,
 	/obj/structure/spawner/ice_moon/polarbear
 ))
@@ -35,15 +35,14 @@ GLOBAL_LIST_INIT(minimum_snow_under_spawns, list(
 // step 5: snaxi support - done?
 
 /datum/controller/subsystem/min_spawns/Initialize(start_timeofday)
-	if(SSmapping.config.map_name == "Snow Taxi") //todo: recognizing maps that aren't lavaland mining but are also not snaxi
-		active_spawns = GLOB.minimum_snow_spawns
+	if(SSmapping.levels_by_trait(ZTRAIT_LAVA_RUINS)) //todo: recognizing maps that aren't lavaland mining but are also not snaxi
+		active_spawns = GLOB.minimum_lavaland_spawns
+	else if(SSmapping.levels_by_trait(ZTRAIT_ICE_RUINS))
+		active_spawns = GLOB.minimum_snow_surface_spawns
 		active_spawns_2 = GLOB.minimum_snow_under_spawns
 		snaxi_snowflake_check = TRUE
-	else
-		active_spawns = GLOB.minimum_lavaland_spawns
-	if(!active_spawns)
-		flags = SS_NO_FIRE
-		return ..()
+	if(!active_spawns && !active_spawns_2)
+		return ..() // call it a day i guess
 	// borrowing this from auxbase code - see code\modules\mining\aux_base.dm
 	if(snaxi_snowflake_check)
 		for(var/z_level in SSmapping.levels_by_trait(ZTRAIT_ICE_RUINS))
@@ -71,7 +70,7 @@ GLOBAL_LIST_INIT(minimum_snow_under_spawns, list(
 					continue
 				valid_mining_turfs_2.Add(TT)	
 	else
-		for(var/z_level in SSmapping.levels_by_trait(ZTRAIT_MINING))
+		for(var/z_level in SSmapping.levels_by_trait(ZTRAIT_LAVA_RUINS))
 			for(var/turf/TT in Z_TURFS(z_level))
 				if(!isarea(TT.loc))
 					continue
@@ -84,13 +83,14 @@ GLOBAL_LIST_INIT(minimum_snow_under_spawns, list(
 					continue
 				valid_mining_turfs.Add(TT)
 	if(!valid_mining_turfs)
-		flags = SS_NO_FIRE
-		return ..() 
+		return ..() // call it a day i guess
+	// if we're at this point we might as well fucking hit it
+	where_we_droppin_boys()
 	return ..()
 
-
-/datum/controller/subsystem/min_spawns/fire(resumed)
-	if(active_spawns.len)
+/datum/controller/subsystem/min_spawns/proc/where_we_droppin_boys()
+	while(active_spawns.len)
+		CHECK_TICK
 		var/turf/RT = pick_n_take(valid_mining_turfs) //Pick a random mining Z-level turf
 		var/MS_tospawn = pick_n_take(active_spawns)
 		for(var/mob/living/simple_animal/hostile/H in urange(70,RT)) //prevents mob clumps
@@ -100,16 +100,17 @@ GLOBAL_LIST_INIT(minimum_snow_under_spawns, list(
 			if((ispath(MS_tospawn, /obj/structure/spawner) || istype(H, /obj/structure/spawner)) && get_dist(src, H) <= 35)
 				active_spawns.Add(MS_tospawn)
 				return //let's at least /try/ to space these out?
-			for(var/obj/structure/spawner/LT in urange(70,RT)) //prevents tendril/mega clumps
-				if((ispath(MS_tospawn, /mob/living/simple_animal/hostile/megafauna)) && get_dist(src, LT) <= 70)
-					active_spawns.Add(MS_tospawn)
-					return //let's try not to dump megas too close to each other?	
-				if((ispath(MS_tospawn, /obj/structure/spawner)) && get_dist(src, LT) <= 35)
-					active_spawns.Add(MS_tospawn)
-					return //let's at least /try/ to space these out?
+		for(var/obj/structure/spawner/LT in urange(70,RT)) //prevents tendril/mega clumps
+			if((ispath(MS_tospawn, /mob/living/simple_animal/hostile/megafauna)) && get_dist(src, LT) <= 70)
+				active_spawns.Add(MS_tospawn)
+				return //let's try not to dump megas too close to each other?	
+			if((ispath(MS_tospawn, /obj/structure/spawner)) && get_dist(src, LT) <= 35)
+				active_spawns.Add(MS_tospawn)
+				return //let's at least /try/ to space these out?
 			// man the overhead on this is gonna SUCK
 		new MS_tospawn(RT)
-	if(active_spawns_2.len)
+	while(active_spawns_2.len)
+		CHECK_TICK
 		var/turf/RT = pick_n_take(valid_mining_turfs_2) //Pick a random mining Z-level turf
 		var/MS2_tospawn = pick_n_take(active_spawns_2)
 		for(var/mob/living/simple_animal/hostile/H in urange(70,RT)) //prevents mob clumps
@@ -119,14 +120,12 @@ GLOBAL_LIST_INIT(minimum_snow_under_spawns, list(
 			if((ispath(MS2_tospawn, /obj/structure/spawner) || istype(H, /obj/structure/spawner)) && get_dist(src, H) <= 35)
 				active_spawns_2.Add(MS2_tospawn)
 				return //let's at least /try/ to space these out?
-			for(var/obj/structure/spawner/LT in urange(70,RT)) //prevents tendril/mega clumps
-				if((ispath(MS2_tospawn, /mob/living/simple_animal/hostile/megafauna)) && get_dist(src, LT) <= 70)
-					active_spawns_2.Add(MS2_tospawn)
-					return //let's try not to dump megas too close to each other?	
-				if((ispath(MS2_tospawn, /obj/structure/spawner)) && get_dist(src, LT) <= 35)
-					active_spawns.Add(MS2_tospawn)
-					return //let's at least /try/ to space these out?
+		for(var/obj/structure/spawner/LT in urange(70,RT)) //prevents tendril/mega clumps
+			if((ispath(MS2_tospawn, /mob/living/simple_animal/hostile/megafauna)) && get_dist(src, LT) <= 70)
+				active_spawns_2.Add(MS2_tospawn)
+				return //let's try not to dump megas too close to each other?	
+			if((ispath(MS2_tospawn, /obj/structure/spawner)) && get_dist(src, LT) <= 35)
+				active_spawns.Add(MS2_tospawn)
+				return //let's at least /try/ to space these out?
 			// man the overhead on this is gonna SUCK
 		new MS2_tospawn(RT)
-	if(!active_spawns.len && !active_spawns_2.len)
-		flags = SS_NO_FIRE