diff --git a/plugins/ruby/README b/plugins/ruby/README
index 9246fec88..d35c34bbe 100644
--- a/plugins/ruby/README
+++ b/plugins/ruby/README
@@ -125,9 +125,9 @@ DFHack callbacks
 
 The plugin interfaces with dfhack 'onupdate' hook.
 To register ruby code to be run every graphic frame, use:
- handle = df.onupdate_register { puts 'i love flooding the console' }
+ handle = df.onupdate_register('log') { puts 'i love flooding the console' }
 You can also rate-limit when your callback is called to a number of game ticks:
- handle = df.onupdate_register(10) { puts '10 more in-game ticks elapsed' }
+ handle = df.onupdate_register('myname', 10) { puts '10 more in-game ticks elapsed' }
 In this case, the callback is called immediately, and then every X in-game
 ticks (advances only when the game is unpaused).
 To stop being called, use:
diff --git a/plugins/ruby/ruby.rb b/plugins/ruby/ruby.rb
index ab095e8d8..4fcb5543a 100644
--- a/plugins/ruby/ruby.rb
+++ b/plugins/ruby/ruby.rb
@@ -24,8 +24,9 @@ end
 
 module DFHack
     class OnupdateCallback
-        attr_accessor :callback, :timelimit, :minyear, :minyeartick
-        def initialize(cb, tl, initdelay=0)
+        attr_accessor :callback, :timelimit, :minyear, :minyeartick, :description
+        def initialize(descr, cb, tl, initdelay=0)
+            @description = descr
             @callback = cb
             @ticklimit = tl
             @minyear = (tl ? df.cur_year : 0)
@@ -34,22 +35,21 @@ module DFHack
 
         # run callback if timedout
         def check_run(year, yeartick, yearlen)
-            if !@ticklimit
-                @callback.call
-            else
-                if year > @minyear or (year == @minyear and yeartick >= @minyeartick)
-                    @minyear = year
-                    @minyeartick = yeartick + @ticklimit
-                    if @minyeartick > yearlen
-                        @minyear += 1
-                        @minyeartick -= yearlen
-                    end
-                    @callback.call
+            if @ticklimit
+                return unless year > @minyear or (year == @minyear and yeartick >= @minyeartick)
+                @minyear = year
+                @minyeartick = yeartick + @ticklimit
+                if @minyeartick > yearlen
+                    @minyear += 1
+                    @minyeartick -= yearlen
                 end
             end
+            # t0 = Time.now
+            @callback.call
+            # dt = Time.now - t0 ; puts "rb cb #@description took #{'%.02f' % dt}s" if dt > 0.1
         rescue
             df.onupdate_unregister self
-            puts_err "onupdate cb #$!", $!.backtrace
+            puts_err "onupdate #@description unregistered: #$!", $!.backtrace
         end
 
         def <=>(o)
@@ -61,10 +61,11 @@ module DFHack
         attr_accessor :onupdate_list, :onstatechange_list
 
         # register a callback to be called every gframe or more
-        # ex: DFHack.onupdate_register { DFHack.world.units[0].counters.job_counter = 0 }
-        def onupdate_register(ticklimit=nil, initialtickdelay=0, &b)
+        # ex: DFHack.onupdate_register('fastdwarf') { DFHack.world.units[0].counters.job_counter = 0 }
+        def onupdate_register(descr, ticklimit=nil, initialtickdelay=0, &b)
+            raise ArgumentError, 'need a description as 1st arg' unless descr.kind_of?(::String)
             @onupdate_list ||= []
-            @onupdate_list << OnupdateCallback.new(b, ticklimit, initialtickdelay)
+            @onupdate_list << OnupdateCallback.new(descr, b, ticklimit, initialtickdelay)
             DFHack.onupdate_active = true
             if onext = @onupdate_list.sort.first
                 DFHack.onupdate_minyear = onext.minyear
@@ -73,8 +74,9 @@ module DFHack
             @onupdate_list.last
         end
 
-        # delete the callback for onupdate ; use the value returned by onupdate_register
+        # delete the callback for onupdate ; use the value returned by onupdate_register or the description
         def onupdate_unregister(b)
+            b = @onupdate_list.find { |bb| bb.description == b } if b.kind_of?(String)
             @onupdate_list.delete b
             if @onupdate_list.empty?
                 DFHack.onupdate_active = false
diff --git a/scripts/autofarm.rb b/scripts/autofarm.rb
index 098466745..c89cb9ff4 100644
--- a/scripts/autofarm.rb
+++ b/scripts/autofarm.rb
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ class AutoFarm
 		@lastcounts = Hash.new(0)
 	end
 	
-	def setthreshold (id, v)
+	def setthreshold(id, v)
 		if df.world.raws.plants.all.find { |r| r.id == id }
 			@thresholds[id] = v.to_i
 		else
@@ -13,11 +13,11 @@ class AutoFarm
 		end
 	end
 	
-	def setdefault (v)
+	def setdefault(v)
 		@thresholds.default = v.to_i
 	end
 	
-	def is_plantable (plant)
+	def is_plantable(plant)
 		season = df.cur_season
 		harvest = df.cur_season_tick + plant.growdur * 10
 		will_finish =  harvest < 10080
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ class AutoFarm
 		return plantable
 	end
 	
-	def set_farms ( plants, farms)
+	def set_farms( plants, farms)
 		return if farms.length == 0
 		if plants.length == 0
 			plants = [-1]
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ class AutoFarm
 			if (!i.flags.dump && !i.flags.forbid && !i.flags.garbage_collect &&
 				!i.flags.hostile && !i.flags.on_fire && !i.flags.rotten &&
 				!i.flags.trader && !i.flags.in_building && !i.flags.construction &&
-				!i.flags.artifact1 && plantable.has_key? (i.mat_index))
+				!i.flags.artifact1 && plantable.has_key?(i.mat_index))
 				counts[i.mat_index] = counts[i.mat_index] + i.stack_size
 			end
 		}
@@ -95,13 +95,13 @@ class AutoFarm
 			end
 		}
 		
-		set_farms (plants_s, farms_s)
-		set_farms (plants_u, farms_u)
+		set_farms(plants_s, farms_s)
+		set_farms(plants_u, farms_u)
 		
 	end
 	
 	def start
-		@onupdate = df.onupdate_register (100) { process }
+		@onupdate = df.onupdate_register('autofarm', 100) { process }
 		@running = true
 	end
 	
diff --git a/scripts/autounsuspend.rb b/scripts/autounsuspend.rb
index 45dd8df4d..c7fe20748 100644
--- a/scripts/autounsuspend.rb
+++ b/scripts/autounsuspend.rb
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ class AutoUnsuspend
 	end
 	
 	def start
-		@onupdate = df.onupdate_register (5) { process }
+		@onupdate = df.onupdate_register('autounsuspend', 5) { process }
 		@running = true
 	end
 	
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ class AutoUnsuspend
 	end
 	
 	def status
-		stat = @running ? "Running." : "Loaded."
+		@running ? 'Running.' : 'Stopped.'
 	end
 		
 end	
@@ -53,6 +53,6 @@ else
     if $AutoUnsuspend
         puts $AutoUnsuspend.status
     else
-        puts "AI not started"
+        puts 'Not loaded.'
     end
 end
diff --git a/scripts/magmasource.rb b/scripts/magmasource.rb
index e97080834..c20199c2a 100644
--- a/scripts/magmasource.rb
+++ b/scripts/magmasource.rb
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ $magma_sources ||= []
 
 case $script_args[0]
 when 'here'
-    $magma_onupdate ||= df.onupdate_register(12) {
+    $magma_onupdate ||= df.onupdate_register('magmasource', 12) {
         # called every 12 game ticks (100x a dwarf day)
         if $magma_sources.empty?
             df.onupdate_unregister($magma_onupdate)
diff --git a/scripts/slayrace.rb b/scripts/slayrace.rb
index 749d0189b..ca50020f7 100644
--- a/scripts/slayrace.rb
+++ b/scripts/slayrace.rb
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ slayit = lambda { |u|
 	else
 		# it's getting hot around here
 		# !!WARNING!! do not call on a magma-safe creature
-		ouh = df.onupdate_register(1) {
+		ouh = df.onupdate_register("slayrace ensure #{u.id}", 1) {
 			if u.flags1.dead
 				df.onupdate_unregister(ouh)
 			else
diff --git a/scripts/superdwarf.rb b/scripts/superdwarf.rb
index 6277db97f..eac9802fa 100644
--- a/scripts/superdwarf.rb
+++ b/scripts/superdwarf.rb
@@ -8,12 +8,12 @@ when 'add'
 	if u = df.unit_find
 		$superdwarf_ids |= [u.id]
 
-		if df.gamemode == :ADVENTURE
+		if df.gamemode == :ADVENTURE and not df.respond_to?(:cur_year_tick_advmode)
 			onupdate_delay = nil
 		else
 			onupdate_delay = 1
 		end
-		$superdwarf_onupdate ||= df.onupdate_register(onupdate_delay) {
+		$superdwarf_onupdate ||= df.onupdate_register('superdwarf', onupdate_delay) {
 			if $superdwarf_ids.empty?
 				df.onupdate_unregister($superdwarf_onupdate)
 				$superdwarf_onupdate = nil