diff --git a/AI/VCAI/VCAI.cpp b/AI/VCAI/VCAI.cpp
index dd8309f29..5edea5f1a 100644
--- a/AI/VCAI/VCAI.cpp
+++ b/AI/VCAI/VCAI.cpp
@@ -1464,10 +1464,26 @@ void VCAI::wander(HeroPtr h)
 			return false;
 		});
 
-		vstd::copy_if(visitableObjs, std::back_inserter(dests), [&](ObjectIdRef obj) -> bool
+		int pass = 0;
+		while(!dests.size() && pass < 3)
 		{
-			return isGoodForVisit(obj, h, *sm);
-		});
+			if(pass < 2) // optimization - first check objects in current sector; then in sectors around
+			{
+				auto objs = sm->getNearbyObjs(h, pass);
+				vstd::copy_if(objs, std::back_inserter(dests), [&](ObjectIdRef obj) -> bool
+				{
+					return isGoodForVisit(obj, h, *sm);
+				});
+			}
+			else // we only check full objects list if for some reason there are no objects in closest sectors
+			{
+				vstd::copy_if(visitableObjs, std::back_inserter(dests), [&](ObjectIdRef obj) -> bool
+				{
+					return isGoodForVisit(obj, h, *sm);
+				});
+			}
+			pass++;
+		}
 
 		vstd::erase_if(dests, [&](ObjectIdRef obj) -> bool
 		{
@@ -3435,3 +3451,19 @@ TerrainTile* SectorMap::getTile(crint3 pos) const
 	//still we cached this array to avoid any checks
 	return visibleTiles->operator[](pos.x)[pos.y][pos.z];
 }
+
+std::vector<const CGObjectInstance *> SectorMap::getNearbyObjs(HeroPtr h, bool sectorsAround)
+{
+	const Sector *heroSector = &infoOnSectors[retreiveTile(h->visitablePos())];
+	if(sectorsAround)
+	{
+		std::vector<const CGObjectInstance *> ret;
+		for(auto embarkPoint : heroSector->embarkmentPoints)
+		{
+			const Sector *embarkSector = &infoOnSectors[retreiveTile(embarkPoint)];
+			range::copy(embarkSector->visitableObjs, std::back_inserter(ret));
+		}
+		return ret;
+	}
+	return heroSector->visitableObjs;
+}
diff --git a/AI/VCAI/VCAI.h b/AI/VCAI/VCAI.h
index d42a4ccb5..b35662d2a 100644
--- a/AI/VCAI/VCAI.h
+++ b/AI/VCAI/VCAI.h
@@ -106,6 +106,7 @@ struct SectorMap
 	bool markIfBlocked(ui8 &sec, crint3 pos);
 	unsigned char &retreiveTile(crint3 pos);
 	TerrainTile* getTile(crint3 pos) const;
+	std::vector<const CGObjectInstance *> getNearbyObjs(HeroPtr h, bool sectorsAround);
 
 	void makeParentBFS(crint3 source);