diff --git a/config.lua b/config.lua
index 09da124..8fed351 100644
--- a/config.lua
+++ b/config.lua
@@ -14,6 +14,9 @@
 --       Set this only if you need to force-mute an NPC or something like that.
 yl_speak_up.enable_staff_based_editing = true
 
+-- enable/disable special mobs in the yl_speak_up-namespace (mobs_redo based)
+yl_speak_up.enable_yl_mobs = true
+
 -- Do the NPCs talk right after they spawned?
 
 yl_speak_up.talk_after_spawn = true
diff --git a/functions.lua b/functions.lua
index 23d1b3b..569d6be 100644
--- a/functions.lua
+++ b/functions.lua
@@ -393,15 +393,29 @@ end
 
 function yl_speak_up.talk(self, clicker)
 
-    if not clicker and not clicker:is_player() then
-        return
-    end
-    if not self then
-        return
-    end
-    if not self.yl_speak_up or not self.yl_speak_up.id then
-        return
-    end
+	if not clicker and not clicker:is_player() then
+		return
+	end
+	if not self then
+		return
+	end
+
+	-- initialize the mob if necessary; this happens at the time of first talk, not at spawn time!
+	if(not(self.yl_speak_up) or not(self.yl_speak_up.id)) then
+		local m_id = yl_speak_up.number_of_npcs + 1
+		yl_speak_up.number_of_npcs = m_id
+		yl_speak_up.modstorage:set_int("amount", m_id)
+
+		self.yl_speak_up = {
+			talk = true,
+			id = m_id,
+			textures = self.textures
+		}
+	end
+
+        -- create a detached inventory for the npc and load its inventory
+        yl_speak_up.load_npc_inventory("n_"..tostring(self.yl_speak_up.id))
+
 
     local npc_id = self.yl_speak_up.id
     local n_id = "n_" .. npc_id
diff --git a/init.lua b/init.lua
index 9cb0aa8..607a482 100644
--- a/init.lua
+++ b/init.lua
@@ -36,8 +36,6 @@ dofile(modpath .. "command_npc_talk_privs.lua")
 dofile(modpath .. "add_generic_dialogs.lua")
 -- the actual command to add or remove generic npc dialogs
 dofile(modpath .. "command_npc_talk_generic.lua")
--- react to right-click etc.
-dofile(modpath .. "interface_mobs_api.lua")
 -- handle on_player_receive_fields and showing of formspecs
 dofile(modpath .. "show_fs.lua")
 -- general decoration part for main formspec, trade window etc.
@@ -113,8 +111,13 @@ dofile(modpath .. "register_node_punch.lua")
 if(yl_speak_up.enable_staff_based_editing) then
 	dofile(modpath .. "tools.lua")
 end
--- the actual mobs, using mobs_redo
-dofile(modpath .. "mobs.lua")
+-- mobs registered as yl_speak_up-mobs (based on mobs_redo)
+if(yl_speak_up.enable_yl_mobs) then
+	-- react to right-click etc.
+	dofile(modpath .. "interface_mobs_api.lua")
+	-- the actual mobs, using mobs_redo
+	dofile(modpath .. "mobs.lua")
+end
 --dofile(modpath .. "debug.lua")
 
 minetest.mkdir(yl_speak_up.worldpath..yl_speak_up.path)
diff --git a/interface_mobs_api.lua b/interface_mobs_api.lua
index 1c5cd33..0ac7a84 100644
--- a/interface_mobs_api.lua
+++ b/interface_mobs_api.lua
@@ -30,12 +30,14 @@ end
 function yl_speak_up.on_spawn(self)
     --Let's assign an ID
 
+    -- TODO make this global mute available
     local m_talk = yl_speak_up.talk_after_spawn or true
     local m_id = yl_speak_up.number_of_npcs + 1
 
     yl_speak_up.number_of_npcs = m_id
     yl_speak_up.modstorage:set_int("amount", m_id)
 
+    -- TODO currently. mob_table doesn't really do anything
     yl_speak_up.mob_table[m_id] = "yl_speak_up:test_npc"
 
     self.yl_speak_up = {
@@ -60,11 +62,11 @@ function yl_speak_up.on_spawn(self)
 end
 
 function yl_speak_up.after_activate(self, staticdata, def, dtime)
-    minetest.log(
-        "action",
-        "[MOD] yl_speak_up: NPC with ID n_" ..
-            self.yl_speak_up.id .. " activated at " .. minetest.pos_to_string(self.object:get_pos(), 0)
-    )
+--    minetest.log(
+--        "action",
+--        "[MOD] yl_speak_up: NPC with ID n_" ..
+--            self.yl_speak_up.id .. " activated at " .. minetest.pos_to_string(self.object:get_pos(), 0)
+--    )
 
     if yl_speak_up.status == 2 then
         self.object:remove()
@@ -89,7 +91,4 @@ function yl_speak_up.after_activate(self, staticdata, def, dtime)
     end
 
     yl_speak_up.update_nametag(self)
-
-    -- create a detached inventory for the npc and load its inventory
-    yl_speak_up.load_npc_inventory("n_"..tostring(self.yl_speak_up.id))
 end