diff --git a/nodes/core/logic/17-split.html b/nodes/core/logic/17-split.html
index c11a351eb..8cc79ac5c 100644
--- a/nodes/core/logic/17-split.html
+++ b/nodes/core/logic/17-split.html
@@ -27,15 +27,13 @@
 </script>
 
 <script type="text/x-red" data-help-name="split">
-    <p>A function that splits the <code>msg.payload</code> in various ways to create multiple messages out.</p>
-    <p><ul>
-        <li>splits an <b>array</b> into individual messages, one element per message.</li>
-        <li>splits a <b>string</b> on a character - default is <code>""</code>, split on every character. A typical
-        use would be <code>\n</code> to split on line breaks. Split is actually a regex value so use <code>\.</code> to
-        split on a full stop .</li>
-        <li>splits an <b>object</b> into individual messages, promoting each property value to the <code>msg.payload</code>,
-        and saving each property key name as <code>msg.parts.key</code>.
-    </ul></p>
+    <p>A function that splits <code>msg.payload</code> into multiple messages.</p>
+    <p>The behaviour is determined by the type of <code>msg.payload</code>:</p>
+    <ul>
+        <li><b>string</b> - a message is sent for each part of the string after it is split using the specified character, by default a newline (<code>\n</code>).
+        <li><b>array</b> - a message is sent for each element of the array</li>
+        <li><b>object</b> - a message is sent for each key/value pair of the object. <code>msg.parts.key</code> is set to the key of the property.</li>
+    </ul>
 </script>
 
 <script type="text/javascript">
diff --git a/nodes/core/logic/17-split.js b/nodes/core/logic/17-split.js
index 48d6314a2..ab4cd4437 100644
--- a/nodes/core/logic/17-split.js
+++ b/nodes/core/logic/17-split.js
@@ -19,8 +19,7 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
 
     function SplitNode(n) {
         RED.nodes.createNode(this,n);
-        this.splt = n.splt || "";
-        this.split = new RegExp(this.splt);
+        this.splt = (n.splt || "\\n").replace(/\\n/,"\n").replace(/\\r/,"\r").replace(/\\t/,"\t").replace(/\\e/,"\e").replace(/\\f/,"\f").replace(/\\0/,"\0");
         var node = this;
         this.on("input", function(msg) {
             if (msg.hasOwnProperty("payload")) {
@@ -29,7 +28,7 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
                 else { msg.parts = {}; }
                 msg.parts.id = msg._msgid;  // use the existing _msgid by default.
                 if (typeof msg.payload === "string") { // Split String into array
-                    a = msg.payload.split(node.split);
+                    a = msg.payload.split(node.splt);
                     msg.parts.ch = node.splt; // pass the split char to other end for rejoin
                     msg.parts.type = "string";
                 }
@@ -68,59 +67,43 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
 
     function JoinNode(n) {
         RED.nodes.createNode(this,n);
+        this.mode = n.mode||"auto";
         this.property = n.property||"payload";
         this.propertyType = n.propertyType||"msg";
         this.key = n.key||"topic";
-        this.timer = Number(n.timeout || 0);
+        this.timer = (this.mode === "auto") ? 0 : Number(n.timeout || 0);
         this.timerr = n.timerr || "send";
         this.count = Number(n.count || 0);
-        this.joiner = n.joiner;
+        this.joiner = (n.joiner||"").replace(/\\n/g,"\n").replace(/\\r/g,"\r").replace(/\\t/g,"\t").replace(/\\e/g,"\e").replace(/\\f/g,"\f").replace(/\\0/g,"\0");
         this.build = n.build || "array";
         var node = this;
         var inflight = {};
-        var misc = (this.build === "array") ? [] : {};
-        var tout;
 
-        // if array came from a string then reassemble it and send it
-        var sendIt = function(m) {
-            if (inflight[m.parts.id].ch !== undefined) { // if it was a string - rejoin it using the split char
-                var jc = (node.joiner || inflight[m.parts.id].ch).replace(/\\n/,"\n").replace(/\\r/,"\r").replace(/\\t/,"\t").replace(/\\e/,"\e").replace(/\\f/,"\c").replace(/\\0/,"\0");
-                m.payload = inflight[m.parts.id].a.join(jc);
-            } else { // leave it as an array
-                m.payload = inflight[m.parts.id].a;
-            }
-            m._msgid = m.parts.id;
-            clearTimeout(inflight[m.parts.id].timeout); // unset any timer
-            delete inflight[m.parts.id];    // remove from the keep track object
-            if (m.parts.hasOwnProperty("parts")) {
-                m.parts = m.parts.parts;    // pop existing parts
-            }
-            else { delete m.parts; }        // remove the parts flags
-            node.send(m);
-        }
+        var completeSend = function(partId) {
+            var group = inflight[partId];
+            clearTimeout(group.timeout);
+            delete inflight[partId];
 
-        // check all elements of the array are strings (or claim to be).
-        var onlyString = function(a) {  // check if the array is all strings
-            for (var i = 0; i < a.length; i++) {
-                if (typeof a[i] !== "string") { return false; }
+            if (group.type === 'string') {
+                group.msg.payload = group.payload.join(group.joinChar);
+            } else {
+                group.msg.payload = group.payload;
             }
-            return true;
-        }
-
-        // send array of misc message that arrived. (convert to string if all were strings and need joining)
-        var sendMisc = function(m) {
-            if (tout) { clearTimeout(tout); tout = null; }
-            m.payload = misc;
-            if (node.joiner && onlyString(misc)) { // if the array is all strings and there is a join char set
-                m.payload = misc.join(node.joiner.replace(/\\n/,"\n").replace(/\\r/,"\r").replace(/\\t/,"\t").replace(/\\e/,"\e").replace(/\\f/,"\c").replace(/\\0/,"\0"));
+            if (group.msg.hasOwnProperty('parts') && group.msg.parts.hasOwnProperty('parts')) {
+                group.msg.parts = group.msg.parts;
+            } else {
+                delete group.msg.parts;
             }
-            if (node.build === "array") { misc = []; }
-            else if (node.build === "object") { misc = {}; }
-            node.send(m);
+            node.send(group.msg);
         }
 
         this.on("input", function(msg) {
+try {
             var property;
+            if (node.mode === 'auto' && (!msg.hasOwnProperty("parts")||!msg.parts.hasOwnProperty("id"))) {
+                // TODO: log warning - no msg.parts in auto mode, ignoring
+                return;
+            }
             if (node.propertyType == "full") {
                 property = msg;
             } else {
@@ -131,85 +114,95 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
                     return;
                 }
             }
-            if (msg.hasOwnProperty("parts")) {
-                // only act if it has parts
-                var count = node.count || msg.parts.count || 1;
-                if (msg.parts.hasOwnProperty("index")) {
-                    // it's a numbered part (from a split node)
-                    if (!inflight[msg.parts.id]) {
-                        // New message - create new empty array of correct size
-                        if (msg.parts.type === "object") {
-                            inflight[msg.parts.id] = {i:0, a:{}, c:msg.parts.count, ch:msg.parts.ch, t:msg.parts.type};
-                        } else {
-                            // it's an array or string
-                            inflight[msg.parts.id] = {i:0, a:new Array(msg.parts.count), ch:msg.parts.ch, t:msg.parts.type};
-                        }
-                        if (node.timer !== 0) { // If there is a timer to set start it now
-                            inflight[msg.parts.id].timeout = setTimeout(function() {
-                                if (node.timerr === "send") { sendIt(msg); }
-                                else if (node.timerr === "error") { node.error("Incomplete",msg); }
-                                delete inflight[msg.parts.id];
-                            }, node.timer);
-                        }
-                    }
-                    if (msg.parts.type === "object") {
-                        // Add to the tracking array
-                        inflight[msg.parts.id].a[msg.parts.key] = property;
-                        inflight[msg.parts.id].i = Object.keys(inflight[msg.parts.id].a).length;
-                    } else {
-                        // it's an array or string
-                        // Add to the tracking array
-                        inflight[msg.parts.id].a[msg.parts.index] = property;
-                        // Increment the count
-                        inflight[msg.parts.id].i += 1;
-                    }
-                    if (inflight[msg.parts.id].i >= count) {
-                        // All arrived - send
-                        sendIt(msg);
-                    }
-                } // otherwise ignore it
-                if (msg.hasOwnProperty("complete")) { // if set then send right away anyway...
-                    delete(msg.complete);
-                    sendIt(msg);
-                }
+
+            var partId;
+            var payloadType;
+            var propertyKey;
+            var targetCount;
+            var joinChar;
+            var propertyIndex;
+            if (node.mode === "auto") {
+                // Use msg.parts to identify all of the group information
+                partId = msg.parts.id;
+                payloadType = msg.parts.type;
+                targetCount = msg.parts.count;
+                joinChar = msg.parts.ch;
+                propertyKey = msg.parts.key;
+                propertyIndex = msg.parts.index;
             } else {
-                // The case for any messages arriving without parts - ie random messages you want to join.
-                var l;
-                if (node.build === "array" || node.build === "string") {
-                    // simple case of build the array
-                    // Add the payload to an array
-                    misc.push(property);
-                    l = misc.length;
-                } else {
-                    // OK so let's build an object
-                    if (msg.hasOwnProperty(node.key) && msg[node.key] !== "") {
-                        misc[msg[node.key]] = property;
-                    }
-                    l = Object.keys(misc).length;
+                // Use the node configuration to identify all of the group information
+                partId = "_";
+                payloadType = node.build;
+                targetCount = node.count;
+                joinChar = node.joiner;
+                if (targetCount === 0 && msg.hasOwnProperty('parts')) {
+                    targetCount = msg.parts.count || 0;
                 }
-                if (l >= node.count) {
-                    // if it's long enough send it
-                    sendMisc(msg);
-                } else if (msg.hasOwnProperty("complete")) {
-                    // if set then send right away anyway...
-                    delete(msg.complete);
-                    sendMisc(msg);
-                } else if ((node.timer !== 0) && !tout) {
-                    // if not start the timer if there is one.
-                    tout = setTimeout(function() {
-                        if (node.timerr === "send") { sendMisc(msg); }
-                        else if (node.timerr === "error") { node.error("Timeout",msg); }
-                        if (node.build === "array") { misc = []; }
-                        else if (node.build === "object") { misc = {}; }
-                    }, node.timer);
+                if (node.build === 'object') {
+                    propertyKey = RED.util.getMessageProperty(msg,node.key);
                 }
             }
+            if (payloadType === 'object' && (propertyKey === null || propertyKey === undefined || propertyKey === "")) {
+                //TODO: log error - no key property found for object
+                return;
+            }
+            if (!inflight.hasOwnProperty(partId)) {
+                if (payloadType === 'object') {
+                    inflight[partId] = {
+                        currentCount:0,
+                        payload:{},
+                        targetCount:targetCount,
+                        type:"object",
+                        msg:msg
+                    };
+                } else {
+                    inflight[partId] = {
+                        currentCount:0,
+                        payload:[],
+                        targetCount:targetCount,
+                        type:payloadType,
+                        joinChar: joinChar,
+                        msg:msg
+                    };
+                    if (payloadType === 'string') {
+                        inflight[partId].joinChar = joinChar;
+                    }
+                }
+                if (node.timer > 0) {
+                    inflight[partId].timeout = setTimeout(function() {
+                        completeSend(partId)
+                    }, node.timer)
+                }
+            }
+
+            var group = inflight[partId];
+            if (payloadType === 'object') {
+                group.payload[propertyKey] = property;
+                group.currentCount = Object.keys(group.payload).length;
+            } else {
+                if (!isNaN(propertyIndex)) {
+                    group.payload[propertyIndex] = property;
+                } else {
+                    group.payload.push(property);
+                }
+                group.currentCount++;
+            }
+            // TODO: currently reuse the last received - add option to pick first received
+            group.msg = msg;
+            if (group.currentCount === group.targetCount || msg.hasOwnProperty('complete')) {
+                delete msg.complete;
+                completeSend(partId);
+            }
+} catch(err) {
+    console.log(err.stack);
+}
         });
 
         this.on("close", function() {
-            if (tout) { clearTimeout(tout); }
             for (var i in inflight) {
-                if (inflight[i].timeout) { clearTimeout(inflight[i].timeout); }
+                if (inflight.hasOwnProperty(i)) {
+                    clearTimeout(inflight[i].timeout);
+                }
             }
         });
     }