diff --git a/add_generic_dialogs.lua b/add_generic_dialogs.lua
index 9cd639c..6e3a539 100644
--- a/add_generic_dialogs.lua
+++ b/add_generic_dialogs.lua
@@ -26,11 +26,6 @@ yl_speak_up.calculate_available_generic_dialogs = function(current_n_id, player)
 
 	-- cache the properties of the NPC
 	local properties = yl_speak_up.get_npc_properties(pname)
-	if(not(properties)) then
-		properties = {}
-	else
-		properties = properties.properties
-	end
 
 	-- Let's go through all the options and see if we need to display them to the user
 	-- check all options: option key (n_id), option value/data (list of preconditions)
diff --git a/exec_apply_effects.lua b/exec_apply_effects.lua
index ab78e91..b1bf210 100644
--- a/exec_apply_effects.lua
+++ b/exec_apply_effects.lua
@@ -504,8 +504,9 @@ yl_speak_up.execute_effect = function(player, n_id, o_id, r)
 	-- "the value of a property of the NPC (for generic NPC)", -- property
 	elseif(r.r_type == "property") then
 		local pname = player:get_player_name()
-		local property_data = yl_speak_up.get_npc_properties(pname)
-		if(not(property_data)) then
+		-- get the properties of the NPC
+		local properties = yl_speak_up.get_npc_properties(pname)
+		if(not(properties)) then
 			yl_speak_up.debug_msg(player, n_id, o_id, tostring(r.r_id).." "..
 				"property: Failed to access properties of NPC "..tostring(n_id))
 			return false
@@ -515,7 +516,7 @@ yl_speak_up.execute_effect = function(player, n_id, o_id, r)
 				"property: No name of property given")
 			return false
 		end
-		local var_val = property_data.properties[r.r_value]
+		local var_val = properties[r.r_value]
 		-- set the value of the variable
 		local new_value = yl_speak_up.execute_effect_get_new_value(r, var_val, nil)
 		local res = yl_speak_up.set_npc_property(pname, r.r_value, new_value, "effect")
diff --git a/exec_eval_preconditions.lua b/exec_eval_preconditions.lua
index 091e203..e31ce72 100644
--- a/exec_eval_preconditions.lua
+++ b/exec_eval_preconditions.lua
@@ -59,11 +59,6 @@ yl_speak_up.eval_all_preconditions = function(player, prereq, o_id, other_option
 	-- we need to be fast and efficient here - and the properties stay fixed for the NPC
 	-- during this call, so we can cache them
 	local properties = yl_speak_up.get_npc_properties(pname)
-	if(not(properties)) then
-		properties = {}
-	else
-		properties = properties.properties
-	end
 
 	for k, p in pairs(prereq) do
 		yl_speak_up.debug_msg(player, n_id, o_id, "..checking "..
@@ -252,12 +247,6 @@ yl_speak_up.eval_precondition = function(player, n_id, p, other_options_true_or_
 		if(not(properties)) then
 			local pname = player:get_player_name()
 			properties = yl_speak_up.get_npc_properties(pname)
-			-- if there are no properties: return false
-			if(not(properties)) then
-				properties = {}
-			else
-				properties = properties.properties
-			end
 		end
 		return yl_speak_up.eval_precondition_with_operator(p, properties[p.p_value])
 
diff --git a/fs_properties.lua b/fs_properties.lua
index 80871a8..5891ec3 100644
--- a/fs_properties.lua
+++ b/fs_properties.lua
@@ -3,22 +3,35 @@
 -- This is used when an NPC doesn't have a specific dialog but still wants to
 -- make use of a (or some) generic dialog(es)
 
+-- helper function:
+-- get one property value of the NPC
+yl_speak_up.get_one_npc_property = function(pname, property_name)
+	if(not(pname)) then
+		return nil
+	end
+	-- get just the property data
+	return yl_speak_up.get_npc_properties(pname, false)[property_name]
+end
+
+
 -- helper function;
 -- adds "normal" properties of the npc with a self.<property_name> prefix as well
-yl_speak_up.get_npc_properties = function(pname)
+-- if long_version is not set, a table containing all properties is returned;
+-- if long_version *is* set, a table containing the table above plus additional entries is returned
+yl_speak_up.get_npc_properties_long_version = function(pname, long_version)
 	if(not(pname) or not(yl_speak_up.speak_to[pname])) then
-		return
+		return {}
 	end
 	local obj = yl_speak_up.speak_to[pname].obj
 	if(not(obj)) then
-		return
+		return {}
 	end
 	local entity = obj:get_luaentity()
 	if(not(entity)) then
-		return
+		return {}
 	end
 	if(not(entity.yl_speak_up)) then
-		return
+		return {}
 	end
 	local properties = entity.yl_speak_up.properties
 	if(not(properties)) then
@@ -33,6 +46,10 @@ yl_speak_up.get_npc_properties = function(pname)
 		end
 	end
 	properties["self.name"] = tostring(entity.name)
+	if(not(long_version)) then
+		return properties
+	end
+	-- the long version contains additional information
 	local prop_names = {}
 	for k, v in pairs(properties) do
 		table.insert(prop_names, k)
@@ -42,11 +59,19 @@ yl_speak_up.get_npc_properties = function(pname)
 end
 
 
+-- most of the time we don't need object, entity or a list of the names of properties;
+-- this returns just the properties themshelves
+yl_speak_up.get_npc_properties = function(pname)
+	return yl_speak_up.get_npc_properties_long_version(pname, false)
+end
+
+
 yl_speak_up.set_npc_property = function(pname, property_name, property_value, reason)
 	if(not(pname) or not(property_name) or property_name == "") then
 		return "No player name or property name given. Cannot load property data."
 	end
-	local property_data = yl_speak_up.get_npc_properties(pname)
+	-- here we want a table with additional information
+	local property_data = yl_speak_up.get_npc_properties_long_version(pname, true)
 	if(not(property_data)) then
 		return "Failed to load property data of NPC."
 	end
@@ -119,7 +144,8 @@ yl_speak_up.get_fs_properties = function(pname, selected)
 		return ""
 	end
 
-	local property_data = yl_speak_up.get_npc_properties(pname)
+	-- we want the long version with additional information
+	local property_data = yl_speak_up.get_npc_properties_long_version(pname, true)
 	if(not(property_data)) then
 		-- something went wrong - there really is nothing useful we can do
 		-- if the NPC we want to interact with doesn't exist or is broken