diff --git a/builtin/game/item.lua b/builtin/game/item.lua
index 4d68f1136..4f6962e5e 100644
--- a/builtin/game/item.lua
+++ b/builtin/game/item.lua
@@ -739,16 +739,13 @@ core.noneitemdef_default = {  -- This is used for the hand and unknown items
 -- get_node implementation
 --
 
-local get_node_raw = core.get_node_raw
-core.get_node_raw = nil
-
 function core.get_node(pos)
-	local content, param1, param2 = get_node_raw(pos.x, pos.y, pos.z)
+	local content, param1, param2 = core.get_node_raw(pos.x, pos.y, pos.z)
 	return {name = core.get_name_from_content_id(content), param1 = param1, param2 = param2}
 end
 
 function core.get_node_or_nil(pos)
-	local content, param1, param2, pos_ok = get_node_raw(pos.x, pos.y, pos.z)
+	local content, param1, param2, pos_ok = core.get_node_raw(pos.x, pos.y, pos.z)
 	return pos_ok and
 			{name = core.get_name_from_content_id(content), param1 = param1, param2 = param2}
 			or nil
diff --git a/doc/lua_api.md b/doc/lua_api.md
index ca3a5fee7..7e38e36ee 100644
--- a/doc/lua_api.md
+++ b/doc/lua_api.md
@@ -6481,6 +6481,11 @@ Environment access
 * `core.get_node_or_nil(pos)`
     * Same as `get_node` but returns `nil` for unloaded areas.
     * Note that even loaded areas can contain "ignore" nodes.
+* `core.get_node_raw(x, y, z)`
+    * Low-level API returning numbers, not tables
+    * Returns `content_id`, `param1`, `param2`, and `pos_ok`
+    * The `content_id` can be mapped to a node name via `core.get_name_from_content_id`
+    * If `pos_ok` is false, the node is not yet loaded and the `content_id` is that of "ignore" nodes
 * `core.get_node_light(pos[, timeofday])`
     * Gets the light value at the given position. Note that the light value
       "inside" the node at the given position is returned, so you usually want