diff --git a/core/src/main/java/com/seibel/distanthorizons/core/file/fullDatafile/FullDataFileHandler.java b/core/src/main/java/com/seibel/distanthorizons/core/file/fullDatafile/FullDataFileHandler.java
index 968eb6a00..ba2f457ef 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/com/seibel/distanthorizons/core/file/fullDatafile/FullDataFileHandler.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/com/seibel/distanthorizons/core/file/fullDatafile/FullDataFileHandler.java
@@ -389,15 +389,18 @@ public class FullDataFileHandler implements IFullDataSourceProvider
 		
 		// read in the existing data
 		final ArrayList<CompletableFuture<Void>> loadDataFutures = new ArrayList<>(existingFiles.size());
-		for (FullDataMetaFile existingFile : existingFiles)
+		for (int i = 0; i < existingFiles.size(); i++)
 		{
-			loadDataFutures.add(existingFile.getOrLoadCachedDataSourceAsync()
-					.exceptionally((ex) -> /*Ignore file read errors*/null)
-					.thenAccept((existingFullDataSource) ->
+			FullDataMetaFile existingFile = existingFiles.get(i);
+			
+			CompletableFuture<Void> loadFileFuture = existingFile.getOrLoadCachedDataSourceAsync()
+					.handle((existingFullDataSource, ex) ->
 					{
-						if (existingFullDataSource == null)
+						if (existingFullDataSource == null || ex != null)
 						{
-							return;
+							// Ignore file read errors
+							//LOGGER.warn(recipientFullDataSource.getSectionPos()+" sample from, file read error for file "+existingFile.pos+": "+ex.getMessage(), ex);
+							return null;
 						}
 						
 						if (showFullDataFileSampling)
@@ -407,12 +410,18 @@ public class FullDataFileHandler implements IFullDataSourceProvider
 									0.2, 32f));
 						}
 						
-						//LOGGER.info("Merging data from {} into {}", data.getSectionPos(), pos);
 						recipientFullDataSource.sampleFrom(existingFullDataSource);
-					})
-			);
+						
+						// hopefully clearing the cached data source immediately after we are done with it will help the garbage collector a bit
+						existingFile.clearCachedDataSource();
+						
+						return null; // TODO remove the need to un-necessarily return null
+					});
+			
+			loadDataFutures.add(loadFileFuture);
 		}
-		return CompletableFuture.allOf(loadDataFutures.toArray(new CompletableFuture[0])).thenApply(voidObj -> recipientFullDataSource);
+		return CompletableFuture.allOf(loadDataFutures.toArray(new CompletableFuture[0]))
+				.thenApply(voidObj -> recipientFullDataSource);
 	}
 	
 	protected void makeFiles(ArrayList<DhSectionPos> posList, ArrayList<FullDataMetaFile> output)
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/com/seibel/distanthorizons/core/file/fullDatafile/FullDataMetaFile.java b/core/src/main/java/com/seibel/distanthorizons/core/file/fullDatafile/FullDataMetaFile.java
index aa14da933..785fedce9 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/com/seibel/distanthorizons/core/file/fullDatafile/FullDataMetaFile.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/com/seibel/distanthorizons/core/file/fullDatafile/FullDataMetaFile.java
@@ -161,6 +161,20 @@ public class FullDataMetaFile extends AbstractMetaDataContainerFile implements I
 		return this.cachedFullDataSourceRef.get(); 
 	}
 	
+	/** @return if any data was cleared */
+	public boolean clearCachedDataSource()
+	{
+		boolean dataExists = this.cachedFullDataSourceRef.get() != null;
+		if (dataExists)
+		{
+			this.cachedFullDataSourceRef.close();
+			this.cachedFullDataSourceRef.clear();	
+		}
+		
+		return dataExists;
+	}
+	
+	
 	
 	public CompletableFuture<IFullDataSource> getOrLoadCachedDataSourceAsync()
 	{
@@ -606,6 +620,77 @@ public class FullDataMetaFile extends AbstractMetaDataContainerFile implements I
 		return completionFuture;
 	}
 	
+	/*
+	
+	private void applyWriteQueueAndSave(IFullDataSource fullDataSourceToUpdate)
+	{
+		boolean dataChanged = this.applyWriteQueueToFullDataSource(fullDataSourceToUpdate);
+		this.needsUpdate = false;
+		
+		// attempt to promote the data source
+		if (fullDataSourceToUpdate instanceof IIncompleteFullDataSource)
+		{
+			IFullDataSource newSource = ((IIncompleteFullDataSource) fullDataSourceToUpdate).tryPromotingToCompleteDataSource();
+			dataChanged |= (newSource != fullDataSourceToUpdate);
+			fullDataSourceToUpdate = newSource;
+		}
+		
+		
+		// the provider may need to modify other files based on this data source changing
+		IFullDataSourceProvider.DataFileUpdateResult dataFileUpdateResult = this.fullDataSourceProvider.onDataFileUpdateAsync(fullDataSourceToUpdate, this, dataChanged);
+		IFullDataSource fullDataSource = dataFileUpdateResult.fullDataSource;
+		boolean dataSourceChanged = dataFileUpdateResult.dataSourceChanged;
+		
+		
+		// only save to file if something was changed
+		if (dataSourceChanged)
+		{
+			this.writeDataSource(fullDataSource);
+		}
+		
+		// keep track of non-null data sources
+		if (fullDataSource != null)
+		{
+			new DataObjTracker(fullDataSource);
+			new DataObjSoftTracker(this, fullDataSource);
+		}
+		
+		
+		boolean showFullDataFileStatus = Config.Client.Advanced.Debugging.DebugWireframe.showFullDataFileStatus.get();
+		boolean showFullDataFileSampling = Config.Client.Advanced.Debugging.DebugWireframe.showFullDataFileSampling.get();
+		if (showFullDataFileStatus || showFullDataFileSampling)
+		{
+			Color color;
+			if (this.pos.getDetailLevel() == DhSectionPos.SECTION_MINIMUM_DETAIL_LEVEL)
+			{
+				color = Color.GREEN;
+			}
+			else
+			{
+				color = Color.GREEN.darker().darker();
+			}
+			
+			DebugRenderer.makeParticle(new DebugRenderer.BoxParticle(
+					new DebugRenderer.Box(this.pos, 64f, 72f, 0.03f, color),
+					0.2, 32f));
+		}
+		
+		
+		// save the updated data source
+		this.cachedFullDataSourceRef = new DataSourceReferenceTracker.FullDataSourceSoftRef(this, fullDataSource);
+		
+		
+		if (this.needsUpdate)
+		{
+			// another update was requested while this update was being processed
+			this.getOrLoadCachedDataSourceAsync();
+		}
+	}
+	
+	 */
+	
+	
+	
 	/** @return true if the queue was not empty and chunk data was applied to this meta file's {@link IFullDataSource}. */
 	private boolean applyWriteQueueToFullDataSource(IFullDataSource fullDataSource)
 	{