diff --git a/Source/missiles.cpp b/Source/missiles.cpp
index 8dccbae79..71f4acb07 100644
--- a/Source/missiles.cpp
+++ b/Source/missiles.cpp
@@ -3156,30 +3156,18 @@ void MI_HorkSpawn(Missile &missile)
 	CheckMissileCol(missile, 0, 0, false, missile.position.tile, false);
 	if (missile._mirange <= 0) {
 		missile._miDelFlag = true;
-		for (int i = 0; i < 2; i++) {
-			int k = CrawlNum[i];
-			int ck = k + 2;
-			for (auto j = static_cast<uint8_t>(CrawlTable[k]); j > 0; j--, ck += 2) {
-				Point target = missile.position.tile + Displacement { CrawlTable[ck - 1], CrawlTable[ck] };
-				if (!InDungeonBounds(target))
-					continue;
-
-				if (nSolidTable[dPiece[target.x][target.y]])
-					continue;
-				if (dMonster[target.x][target.y] != 0)
-					continue;
-				if (dPlayer[target.x][target.y] != 0)
-					continue;
-				if (dObject[target.x][target.y] != 0)
-					continue;
-
-				auto md = static_cast<Direction>(missile.var1);
-				int monsterId = AddMonster(target, md, 1, true);
-				if (monsterId != -1)
-					M_StartStand(Monsters[monsterId], md);
 
-				i = 6;
-				break;
+		std::optional<Point> spawnPosition = FindClosestValidPosition(
+		    [](Point target) {
+			    return !IsTileOccupied(target);
+		    },
+		    missile.position.tile, 0, 1);
+
+		if (spawnPosition) {
+			auto facing = static_cast<Direction>(missile.var1);
+			int monsterId = AddMonster(*spawnPosition, facing, 1, true);
+			if (monsterId != -1) {
+				M_StartStand(Monsters[monsterId], facing);
 			}
 		}
 	} else {
diff --git a/Source/path.cpp b/Source/path.cpp
index a0eff10cb..37abffe09 100644
--- a/Source/path.cpp
+++ b/Source/path.cpp
@@ -316,6 +316,28 @@ bool IsTileWalkable(Point position, bool ignoreDoors)
 	return !IsTileSolid(position);
 }
 
+bool IsTileOccupied(Point position)
+{
+	if (!InDungeonBounds(position)) {
+		return true; // OOB positions are considered occupied.
+	}
+
+	if (IsTileSolid(position)) {
+		return true;
+	}
+	if (dMonster[position.x][position.y] != 0) {
+		return true;
+	}
+	if (dPlayer[position.x][position.y] != 0) {
+		return true;
+	}
+	if (dObject[position.x][position.y] != 0) {
+		return true;
+	}
+
+	return false;
+}
+
 int FindPath(const std::function<bool(Point)> &posOk, Point startPosition, Point destinationPosition, int8_t path[MAX_PATH_LENGTH])
 {
 	/**
diff --git a/Source/path.h b/Source/path.h
index 9ccd806e5..e0838fd1b 100644
--- a/Source/path.h
+++ b/Source/path.h
@@ -35,6 +35,11 @@ bool IsTileSolid(Point position);
  */
 bool IsTileWalkable(Point position, bool ignoreDoors = false);
 
+/**
+ * @brief Checks if the position contains an object, player, monster, or solid dungeon piece
+*/
+bool IsTileOccupied(Point position);
+
 /**
  * @brief Find the shortest path from startPosition to destinationPosition, using PosOk(Point) to check that each step is a valid position.
  * Store the step directions (corresponds to an index in PathDirs) in path, which must have room for 24 steps