diff --git a/include/worldgen.h b/include/worldgen.h
index b062d47..2aa8c26 100644
--- a/include/worldgen.h
+++ b/include/worldgen.h
@@ -28,6 +28,6 @@ uint8_t getTerrainAt (int x, int y, int z, ChunkAnchor anchor);
 uint8_t getBlockAt (int x, int y, int z);
 
 extern uint8_t chunk_section[4096];
-void buildChunkSection (int x, int y, int z);
+uint8_t buildChunkSection (int cx, int cy, int cz);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/packets.c b/src/packets.c
index c45ca83..ad7764f 100644
--- a/src/packets.c
+++ b/src/packets.c
@@ -320,11 +320,11 @@ int sc_chunkDataAndUpdateLight (int client_fd, int _x, int _z) {
     // block palette as varint buffer
     send_all(client_fd, network_block_palette, sizeof(network_block_palette));
     // chunk section buffer
-    buildChunkSection(x, y, z);
+    uint8_t biome = buildChunkSection(x, y, z);
     send_all(client_fd, chunk_section, 4096);
     // biome data
     writeByte(client_fd, 0); // bits per entry
-    writeByte(client_fd, W_plains); // biome palette
+    writeByte(client_fd, biome); // biome palette
     // yield to idle task
     task_yield();
   }
diff --git a/src/worldgen.c b/src/worldgen.c
index fd362fe..3a66901 100644
--- a/src/worldgen.c
+++ b/src/worldgen.c
@@ -326,7 +326,9 @@ uint8_t getBlockAt (int x, int y, int z) {
 uint8_t chunk_section[4096];
 ChunkAnchor chunk_anchors[256 / (CHUNK_SIZE * CHUNK_SIZE)];
 
-void buildChunkSection (int cx, int cy, int cz) {
+// Builds a 16x16x16 chunk of blocks and writes it to `chunk_section`
+// Returns the biome at the origin corner of the chunk
+uint8_t buildChunkSection (int cx, int cy, int cz) {
 
   // Precompute the hashes and anchors for each minichunk
   int anchor_index = 0;
@@ -383,4 +385,6 @@ void buildChunkSection (int cx, int cy, int cz) {
     }
   }
 
+  return chunk_anchors[0].biome;
+
 }