diff --git a/data/ai/micro_ais/cas/ca_messenger_move.lua b/data/ai/micro_ais/cas/ca_messenger_move.lua
index 7f616691b91..c7eee242c62 100644
--- a/data/ai/micro_ais/cas/ca_messenger_move.lua
+++ b/data/ai/micro_ais/cas/ca_messenger_move.lua
@@ -21,21 +21,34 @@ function ca_messenger_move:execution(ai, cfg, self)
     local messenger = wesnoth.get_units{ id = cfg.id, formula = '$this_unit.moves > 0' }[1]
 
     local x, y = messenger_next_waypoint(messenger, cfg, self)
+
     if (messenger.x ~= x) or (messenger.y ~= y) then
-        x, y = wesnoth.find_vacant_tile( x, y, messenger)
+        local wp = AH.get_closest_location(
+            { x, y },
+            { { "not", { { "filter", { { "not", { side = wesnoth.current.side } } } } } } },
+            messenger
+        )
+        x, y = wp[1], wp[2]
     end
-    local next_hop = AH.next_hop(messenger, x, y)
+
+    local next_hop = AH.next_hop(messenger, x, y, { ignore_own_units = true } )
     if (not next_hop) then next_hop = { messenger.x, messenger.y } end
 
     -- Compare this to the "ideal path"
     local path, cost = wesnoth.find_path(messenger, x, y, { ignore_units = 'yes' })
-    local opt_hop, opt_cost = {messenger.x, messenger.y}, 0
+    local opt_hop, opt_cost = { messenger.x, messenger.y }, 0
     for i, p in ipairs(path) do
         local sub_path, sub_cost = wesnoth.find_path(messenger, p[1], p[2])
-            if sub_cost > messenger.moves then
+        if sub_cost > messenger.moves then
             break
         else
             local unit_in_way = wesnoth.get_unit(p[1], p[2])
+
+            if unit_in_way and (unit_in_way.side == messenger.side) then
+                local reach = AH.get_reachable_unocc(unit_in_way)
+                if (reach:size() > 1) then unit_in_way = nil end
+            end
+
             if not unit_in_way then
                 opt_hop, nh_cost = p, sub_cost
             end
@@ -45,11 +58,24 @@ function ca_messenger_move:execution(ai, cfg, self)
     --print(next_hop[1], next_hop[2], opt_hop[1], opt_hop[2])
     -- Now compare how long it would take from the end of both of these options
     local x1, y1 = messenger.x, messenger.y
+
+    local unit_in_way = wesnoth.get_unit(next_hop[1], next_hop[2])
+    if (unit_in_way == messenger) then unit_in_way = nil end
+    if unit_in_way then wesnoth.extract_unit(unit_in_way) end
+
     wesnoth.put_unit(next_hop[1], next_hop[2], messenger)
     local tmp, cost1 = wesnoth.find_path(messenger, x, y, {ignore_units = 'yes'})
+
+    local unit_in_way2 = wesnoth.get_unit(opt_hop[1], opt_hop[2])
+    if (unit_in_way2 == messenger) then unit_in_way2 = nil end
+    if unit_in_way2 then wesnoth.extract_unit(unit_in_way2) end
+
     wesnoth.put_unit(opt_hop[1], opt_hop[2], messenger)
     local tmp, cost2 = wesnoth.find_path(messenger, x, y, {ignore_units = 'yes'})
+
     wesnoth.put_unit(x1, y1, messenger)
+    if unit_in_way then wesnoth.put_unit(unit_in_way) end
+    if unit_in_way2 then wesnoth.put_unit(unit_in_way2) end
     --print(cost1, cost2)
 
     -- If cost2 is significantly less, that means that the other path might overall be faster
@@ -58,6 +84,10 @@ function ca_messenger_move:execution(ai, cfg, self)
     --print(next_hop[1], next_hop[2])
 
     if next_hop and ((next_hop[1] ~= messenger.x) or (next_hop[2] ~= messenger.y)) then
+        local unit_in_way = wesnoth.get_unit(next_hop[1], next_hop[2])
+        if unit_in_way then AH.move_unit_out_of_way(ai, unit_in_way) end
+        if (not messenger) or (not messenger.valid) then return end
+
         AH.checked_move(ai, messenger, next_hop[1], next_hop[2])
     else
         AH.checked_stopunit_moves(ai, messenger)