diff --git a/games/peasant/peasant4.s b/games/peasant/peasant4.s
index a38b422b..8caa0e05 100644
--- a/games/peasant/peasant4.s
+++ b/games/peasant/peasant4.s
@@ -199,9 +199,11 @@ not_kerrek:
 
 	;======================
 	; init ned
-	; FIXME: make random
+	;	randomly waits 126-64 frames
 
-	lda	#64
+	jsr	random16
+	and	#$3f
+;	lda	#64
 	sta	NED_STATUS
 
 
@@ -230,17 +232,6 @@ game_loop:
 
 	inc	FRAME
 
-	;====================
-	; update ned
-
-	lda	NED_STATUS
-	beq	leave_ned_alone
-	cmp	#129
-	bcs	leave_ned_alone
-
-	inc	NED_STATUS
-
-leave_ned_alone:
 
 	;=====================
 	; check keyboard
@@ -264,22 +255,8 @@ leave_ned_alone:
 	cmp	#LOCATION_WAVY_TREE
 	bne	not_at_wavy_tree
 
-	lda	NED_STATUS
-	bpl	ned_not_out
+	jsr	handle_ned
 
-	lda	#25
-	sta	CURSOR_X
-	lda	#88
-	sta	CURSOR_Y
-
-	lda	#<ned3_sprite
-	sta	INL
-	lda	#>ned3_sprite
-	sta	INH
-
-	jsr	hgr_draw_sprite
-
-ned_not_out:
 not_at_wavy_tree:
 
 	;==========================================
@@ -403,6 +380,104 @@ level_over:
 	rts
 
 
+	;======================
+	; handle ned
+	;======================
+handle_ned:
+
+	;====================
+	; update ned status
+
+	; if 0 or 128, do nothing
+
+	lda	NED_STATUS
+	beq	leave_ned_alone
+	cmp	#128
+	beq	leave_ned_alone
+
+	inc	NED_STATUS
+
+leave_ned_alone:
+
+	lda	NED_STATUS		; check status
+	beq	ned_erase_bg		; special case, erase if just hit 0
+
+	cmp	#125
+	bcc	no_draw_ned		;  blt, don't draw
+
+	cmp	#128			; don't erase if fully out
+	beq	no_draw_ned
+
+	; erase by copying from background
+ned_erase_bg:
+	lda	#81
+	sta	SAVED_Y1
+	lda	#114
+	sta	SAVED_Y2
+
+	lda	#25
+	ldx	#30
+	jsr	hgr_partial_restore
+
+	; 125,255 draw ned1 sprite
+	; 126,254 draw ned2 sprite
+	; 127 draw ned3 sprite
+	lda	NED_STATUS
+	cmp	#127
+	beq	draw_ned_out
+
+	cmp	#125
+	beq	draw_ned_hands
+	cmp	#255
+	beq	draw_ned_hands
+
+	cmp	#126
+	beq	draw_ned_half
+	cmp	#254
+	beq	draw_ned_half
+
+	bne	no_draw_ned		; not out so don't draw
+
+draw_ned_hands:
+	lda	#28
+	sta	CURSOR_X
+	lda	#96
+	sta	CURSOR_Y
+
+	lda	#<ned1_sprite
+	sta	INL
+	lda	#>ned1_sprite
+	jmp	draw_ned_common
+
+draw_ned_half:
+	lda	#28
+	sta	CURSOR_X
+	lda	#81
+	sta	CURSOR_Y
+
+	lda	#<ned2_sprite
+	sta	INL
+	lda	#>ned2_sprite
+	jmp	draw_ned_common
+
+draw_ned_out:
+	lda	#25
+	sta	CURSOR_X
+	lda	#88
+	sta	CURSOR_Y
+
+	lda	#<ned3_sprite
+	sta	INL
+	lda	#>ned3_sprite
+draw_ned_common:
+
+	sta	INH
+
+	jsr	hgr_draw_sprite
+
+no_draw_ned:
+	rts
+
 
 .include "peasant_common.s"
 .include "move_peasant.s"
diff --git a/games/peasant/peasant4_actions.s b/games/peasant/peasant4_actions.s
index 96d05102..4e8ede0d 100644
--- a/games/peasant/peasant4_actions.s
+++ b/games/peasant/peasant4_actions.s
@@ -535,7 +535,7 @@ ned_tree_talk_ned_out:
 
 	; scare him away
 
-	lda	#0
+	lda	#253
 	sta	NED_STATUS
 	; FIXME: do we need to re-draw?
 
@@ -555,7 +555,7 @@ ned_tree_talk_at_out:
 
 	; scare him away
 
-	lda	#0
+	lda	#253
 	sta	NED_STATUS
 	; FIXME: do we need to re-draw?