diff --git a/data.c b/data.c
index f91090f..7800436 100755
--- a/data.c
+++ b/data.c
@@ -2398,7 +2398,7 @@ void initobjects(void) {
 	addflag(lastot->flags, F_ONEPERCELL, B_TRUE, NA, NA, NULL);
 	addflag(lastot->flags, F_IMPORTANT, B_TRUE, NA, NA, NULL);
 
-	addot(OT_TREEDOWN, "hollow tree leading down", "A huge hollow tree containing an ascending staircase.", MT_DRAGONWOOD, 3000, OC_DFEATURE, SZ_HUGE);
+	addot(OT_TREEDOWN, "hollow tree leading down", "A huge hollow tree containing a descending staircase.", MT_DRAGONWOOD, 3000, OC_DFEATURE, SZ_HUGE);
 	addflag(lastot->flags, F_GLYPH, C_WOOD, '>', NA, NULL);
 	addflag(lastot->flags, F_STAIRS, B_TRUE, NA, NA, NULL);
 	addflag(lastot->flags, F_CLIMBABLE, D_DOWN, NA, NA, "hollow tree");
diff --git a/map.c b/map.c
index 99c1ac8..a39ff95 100755
--- a/map.c
+++ b/map.c
@@ -4717,14 +4717,21 @@ void createmap(map_t *map, int depth, region_t *region, map_t *parentmap, int ex
 
 	//if (gamemode == GM_GAMESTARTED) checkallflags(player->cell->map); // debugging
 
-	// did we come from a previous map in the same region?
 	if (parentmap && (exitdir != D_NONE)) {
-		if ((parentmap->region->id == map->region->id) ||
-		   (map->region->rtype->majorbranch)) {
-			if (db) dblog("  linking to parentmap %s in dir %s", parentmap->name, getdirname(diropposite(exitdir)));
+		if (parentmap->region->id == map->region->id) {
+                        // we came from a previous map in the same region
+			if (db) dblog("  linking to same region parentmap %s in dir %s", parentmap->name, getdirname(diropposite(exitdir)));
+                        // ONLY change parent map's nextmap if it's 
+                        // in the same region.
 			parentmap->nextmap[exitdir] = map->id;
-			assert(exitdir >= 0);
 			map->nextmap[diropposite(exitdir)] = parentmap->id;
+                } else if (map->region->rtype->majorbranch) {
+                        // we just arrived at the first map of a new region
+			if (db) dblog("  linking to diff region parentmap %s in dir %s", parentmap->name, getdirname(diropposite(exitdir)));
+			map->nextmap[diropposite(exitdir)] = parentmap->id;
+                        // don't update parent map's nextmap[] since we
+                        // want it to go to maps of the parent's
+                        // region.
 		}
 	}
 	//if (gamemode == GM_GAMESTARTED) checkallflags(player->cell->map); // debugging