diff --git a/forge-ai/src/main/java/forge/ai/AiBlockController.java b/forge-ai/src/main/java/forge/ai/AiBlockController.java
index 2cc35874742..e45b2954f73 100644
--- a/forge-ai/src/main/java/forge/ai/AiBlockController.java
+++ b/forge-ai/src/main/java/forge/ai/AiBlockController.java
@@ -927,23 +927,6 @@ public class AiBlockController {
         return first;
     }
     
-    /**
-     * Decide if a creature is going to be used as a blocker (is only used for AnimateAi so far)
-     * @param ai controller of creature 
-     * @param blocker creature to be evaluated (must NOT already be in combat)
-     * @return creature will be a blocker
-     */
-    public static boolean shouldThisBlock(final Player ai, Card blocker) {
-        AiBlockController aiBlk = new AiBlockController(ai);
-        Combat combat = ai.getGame().getCombat();
-        aiBlk.assignBlockers(combat, blocker, null);
-        if (combat.getAllBlockers().isEmpty()) {
-            return false;
-        } else {
-            combat.removeFromCombat(blocker);
-            return true;
-        }
-    }
     /**
      * Check if an attacker can be blocked profitably (ie. kill attacker)
      * @param ai controller of attacking creature
diff --git a/forge-ai/src/main/java/forge/ai/ComputerUtilCard.java b/forge-ai/src/main/java/forge/ai/ComputerUtilCard.java
index 9c0dd2780f4..b5678271901 100644
--- a/forge-ai/src/main/java/forge/ai/ComputerUtilCard.java
+++ b/forge-ai/src/main/java/forge/ai/ComputerUtilCard.java
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import forge.game.Game;
 import forge.game.ability.AbilityUtils;
 import forge.game.card.*;
 import forge.game.combat.Combat;
+import forge.game.combat.CombatUtil;
 import forge.game.phase.PhaseHandler;
 import forge.game.phase.PhaseType;
 import forge.game.player.Player;
@@ -627,12 +628,51 @@ public class ComputerUtilCard {
         aiAtk.declareAttackers(combat);
         return combat.isAttacking(card);
     }
+    
+    /**
+     * Extension of doesCreatureAttackAI() for "virtual" creatures that do not actually exist on the battlefield yet
+     * such as unanimated manlands.
+     * @param ai controller of creature 
+     * @param card creature to be evaluated
+     * @return creature will be attack
+     */
     public static boolean doesSpecifiedCreatureAttackAI(final Player ai, final Card card) {
         AiAttackController aiAtk = new AiAttackController(ai, card);
         Combat combat = new Combat(ai);
         aiAtk.declareAttackers(combat);
         return combat.isAttacking(card);
     }
+    
+    /**
+     * Decide if a creature is going to be used as a blocker.
+     * @param ai controller of creature 
+     * @param blocker creature to be evaluated
+     * @return creature will be a blocker
+     */
+    public static boolean doesSpecifiedCreatureBlock(final Player ai, Card blocker) {
+        AiBlockController aiBlk = new AiBlockController(ai);
+        Combat combat = ai.getGame().getCombat();
+        if (combat == null) {
+            final Player opp = ai.getOpponent();
+            combat = new Combat(opp);
+            for (Card c : opp.getCreaturesInPlay()) {
+                if (CombatUtil.canAttackNextTurn(c, ai)) {
+                    combat.addAttacker(c, ai);
+                }
+            }
+        } else {
+            if (combat.getAllBlockers().contains(blocker)) {
+                return true;
+            }
+        }
+        aiBlk.assignBlockers(combat, blocker, null);
+        if (!combat.getAllBlockers().contains(blocker)) {
+            return false;
+        } else {
+            combat.removeFromCombat(blocker);
+            return true;
+        }
+    }
 
     /**
      * getMostExpensivePermanentAI.
diff --git a/forge-ai/src/main/java/forge/ai/ability/AnimateAi.java b/forge-ai/src/main/java/forge/ai/ability/AnimateAi.java
index 2b38b392820..05179161e01 100644
--- a/forge-ai/src/main/java/forge/ai/ability/AnimateAi.java
+++ b/forge-ai/src/main/java/forge/ai/ability/AnimateAi.java
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ package forge.ai.ability;
 import com.google.common.collect.Iterables;
 import com.google.common.collect.Lists;
 
-import forge.ai.AiBlockController;
 import forge.ai.ComputerUtilCard;
 import forge.ai.ComputerUtilCost;
 import forge.ai.SpellAbilityAi;
@@ -171,7 +170,7 @@ public class AnimateAi extends SpellAbilityAi {
                     if (ph.isPlayerTurn(aiPlayer) && !ComputerUtilCard.doesSpecifiedCreatureAttackAI(aiPlayer, animatedCopy)) {
                         return false;
                     }
-                    if (ph.getPlayerTurn().isOpponentOf(aiPlayer) && !AiBlockController.shouldThisBlock(aiPlayer, animatedCopy)) {
+                    if (ph.getPlayerTurn().isOpponentOf(aiPlayer) && !ComputerUtilCard.doesSpecifiedCreatureBlock(aiPlayer, animatedCopy)) {
                         return false;
                     }
                 }
diff --git a/forge-ai/src/main/java/forge/ai/ability/CountersPutAi.java b/forge-ai/src/main/java/forge/ai/ability/CountersPutAi.java
index 93700188bdc..21ec0bf3ef8 100644
--- a/forge-ai/src/main/java/forge/ai/ability/CountersPutAi.java
+++ b/forge-ai/src/main/java/forge/ai/ability/CountersPutAi.java
@@ -168,8 +168,8 @@ public class CountersPutAi extends SpellAbilityAi {
         if (sa.isOutlast()) {
             if (ph.is(PhaseType.MAIN2, ai)) {   //applicable to non-attackers only
                 float chance = 0.8f;
-                if (!ai.getOpponent().getCreaturesInPlay().isEmpty()) {
-                    chance /= 2;    //needs a better way to check if target is required as a blocker
+                if (ComputerUtilCard.doesSpecifiedCreatureBlock(ai, source)) {
+                    return false;
                 }
                 return chance > r.nextFloat();
             } else {