diff --git a/docs/plugins/channel-safely.rst b/docs/plugins/channel-safely.rst
index b6957b95e..1a2866920 100644
--- a/docs/plugins/channel-safely.rst
+++ b/docs/plugins/channel-safely.rst
@@ -58,6 +58,8 @@ Features
 --------
 
 :require-vision:    Toggle whether the dwarves need vision of a tile before channeling to it can be deemed unsafe. (default: enabled)
+:risk-averse:       Toggles whether to use cave-in prevention. Designations are activated in stages
+                    and their priorities along edges are modified. (default: enabled)
 :monitoring:        Toggle whether to monitor the conditions of active digs. (default: disabled)
 :resurrect:         Toggle whether to resurrect units involved in cave-ins, and if monitor is enabled
                     units who die while digging. (default: disabled)
diff --git a/plugins/channel-safely/channel-manager.cpp b/plugins/channel-safely/channel-manager.cpp
index e6c7ea671..df3bcad71 100644
--- a/plugins/channel-safely/channel-manager.cpp
+++ b/plugins/channel-safely/channel-manager.cpp
@@ -57,8 +57,97 @@ void ChannelManager::manage_group(const Group &group, bool set_marker_mode, bool
     if (!set_marker_mode) {
         marker_mode = has_any_groups_above(groups, group);
     }
-    for (auto &designation: group) {
-        manage_one(designation, true, marker_mode);
+    // cavein prevention
+    bool cavein_possible = false;
+    uint8_t least_access = 100;
+    std::unordered_map<df::coord, uint8_t> cavein_candidates;
+    if (!marker_mode) {
+        /* To prevent cave-ins we're looking at accessibility of tiles with open space below them
+         * If it has space below, it has somewhere to fall
+         * Accessibility tells us how close to a cave-in a tile is, low values are at risk of cave-ins
+         * To count access, we find a random miner dwarf and count how many tile neighbours they can path to
+         * */
+        // find a dwarf to path from
+        df::coord miner_pos = find_dwarf(*group.begin())->pos;
+
+        // Analyze designations
+        for (const auto &pos: group) {
+            df::coord below(pos);
+            below.z--;
+            const auto below_ttype = *Maps::getTileType(below);
+            // we can skip designations already queued for insta-digging
+            if (CSP::dignow_queue.count(pos)) continue;
+            if (DFHack::isOpenTerrain(below_ttype) || DFHack::isFloorTerrain(below_ttype)) {
+                // the tile below is not solid earth
+                // we're counting accessibility then dealing with 0 access
+                DEBUG(manager).print("analysis: cave-in condition found\n");
+                INFO(manager).print("(%d) checking accessibility of (" COORD ") from (" COORD ")\n", cavein_possible,COORDARGS(pos),COORDARGS(miner_pos));
+                auto access = count_accessibility(miner_pos, pos);
+                if (access == 0) {
+                    TRACE(groups).print(" has 0 access\n");
+                    if (config.insta_dig) {
+                        manage_one(pos, true, false);
+                        dig_now(DFHack::Core::getInstance().getConsole(), pos);
+                        mark_done(pos);
+                    } else {
+                        // todo: engage dig management, swap channel designations for dig
+                    }
+                } else {
+                    WARN(manager).print(" has %d access\n", access);
+                    cavein_possible = config.riskaverse;
+                    cavein_candidates.emplace(pos, access);
+                    least_access = min(access, least_access);
+                }
+            } else if (config.insta_dig && isEntombed(miner_pos, pos)) {
+                manage_one(pos, true, false);
+                dig_now(DFHack::Core::getInstance().getConsole(), pos);
+                mark_done(pos);
+            }
+        }
+        DEBUG(manager).print("cavein possible(%d)\n"
+                           "%zu candidates\n"
+                           "least access %d\n", cavein_possible, cavein_candidates.size(), least_access);
+    }
+    // managing designations
+    if (!group.empty()) {
+        DEBUG(manager).print("managing group #%d\n", groups.debugGIndex(*group.begin()));
+    }
+    for (auto &pos: group) {
+        // if no cave-in is possible [or we don't check for], we'll just execute normally and move on
+        if (!cavein_possible) {
+            TRACE(manager).print("cave-in evaluated false\n");
+            assert(manage_one(pos, true, marker_mode));
+            continue;
+        }
+        // cavein is only possible if marker_mode is false
+        const static uint8_t MAX = 84; //arbitrary number that indicates the value has changed
+        if (CSP::dignow_queue.count(pos) || (cavein_candidates.count(pos) &&
+            least_access < MAX && cavein_candidates[pos] <= least_access+2)) {
+
+            TRACE(manager).print("cave-in evaluated true and either of dignow or (%d <= %d)\n", cavein_candidates[pos], least_access+2);
+            // we want to dig the cavein candidates first
+            df::coord local(pos);
+            local.x %= 16;
+            local.y %= 16;
+            auto block = Maps::ensureTileBlock(pos);
+            for (df::block_square_event* event: block->block_events) {
+                if (auto evT = virtual_cast<df::block_square_event_designation_priorityst>(event)) {
+                    // we want to let the user keep some designations free of being managed
+                    auto b = max(0, cavein_candidates[pos] - least_access);
+                    auto v = 1000 + (b * 1700);
+                    DEBUG(manager).print("(" COORD ") 1000+1000(%d) -> %d {least-access: %d}\n",COORDARGS(pos), b, v, least_access);
+                    evT->priority[Coord(local)] = v;
+                }
+            }
+            assert(manage_one(pos, true, false));
+            continue;
+        }
+        if (cavein_candidates.count(pos)) {
+            DEBUG(manager).print("cave-in evaluated true and no dignow and (%d > %d)\n", cavein_candidates[pos], least_access + 2);
+        } else {
+            DEBUG(manager).print("cave-in evaluated true and no dignow and pos is not a candidate\n");
+        }
+        assert(manage_one(pos, true, true));
     }
     INFO(manager).print("manage_group() is done\n");
 }