New config option 'cancel-afk-on-move' - Set to false you don't use afk.

Essentials/src/com/earth2me/essentials/EssentialsPlayerListener.java

@@ -72,7 +72,8 @@ public class EssentialsPlayerListener implements Listener
 	@EventHandler(priority = EventPriority.HIGH, ignoreCancelled = true)
 	public void onPlayerMove(final PlayerMoveEvent event)
 	{
-		if (event.getFrom().getBlockX() == event.getTo().getBlockX()
+		if ((!ess.getSettings().cancelAfkOnMove() && !ess.getSettings().getFreezeAfkPlayers())
+			|| event.getFrom().getBlockX() == event.getTo().getBlockX()
 			   && event.getFrom().getBlockZ() == event.getTo().getBlockZ()
 			   && event.getFrom().getBlockY() == event.getTo().getBlockY())
 		{
@@ -80,8 +81,9 @@ public class EssentialsPlayerListener implements Listener
 		}
 
 		final User user = ess.getUser(event.getPlayer());
-
+		if (user.isAfk())
-		if (user.isAfk() && ess.getSettings().getFreezeAfkPlayers())
+		{
+			if (ess.getSettings().getFreezeAfkPlayers())
 			{
 				final Location from = event.getFrom();
 				final Location to = event.getTo().clone();
@@ -105,6 +107,7 @@ public class EssentialsPlayerListener implements Listener
 				user.updateActivity(true);
 			}
 		}
+	}
 
 	@EventHandler(priority = EventPriority.MONITOR)
 	public void onPlayerQuit(final PlayerQuitEvent event)
@@ -346,7 +349,7 @@ public class EssentialsPlayerListener implements Listener
 			break;
 		case LEFT_CLICK_AIR:
 		case LEFT_CLICK_BLOCK:
-			if (event.getItem() != null && event.getMaterial() != Material.AIR)
+			if (event.getItem() != null && event.getItem().getTypeId() != Material.AIR.getId())
 			{
 				final User user = ess.getUser(event.getPlayer());
 				if (user.hasPowerTools() && user.arePowerToolsEnabled() && usePowertools(user, event.getItem().getTypeId()))

Essentials/src/com/earth2me/essentials/ISettings.java

@@ -146,6 +146,8 @@ public interface ISettings extends IConf
 
 	boolean getFreezeAfkPlayers();
 
+	boolean cancelAfkOnMove();
+
 	boolean areDeathMessagesEnabled();
 
 	public void setDebug(boolean debug);

Essentials/src/com/earth2me/essentials/Settings.java

@@ -385,6 +385,8 @@ public class Settings implements ISettings
 		teleportInvulnerability = _isTeleportInvulnerability();
 		disableItemPickupWhileAfk = _getDisableItemPickupWhileAfk();
 		registerBackInListener = _registerBackInListener();
+		cancelAfkOnMove = _cancelAfkOnMove();
+		getFreezeAfkPlayers = _getFreezeAfkPlayers();
 		itemSpawnBl = _getItemSpawnBlacklist();
 		kits = _getKits();
 		chatFormats.clear();
@@ -654,12 +656,30 @@ public class Settings implements ISettings
 	{
 		return config.getLong("auto-afk-kick", -1);
 	}
+	private boolean getFreezeAfkPlayers;
 
 	@Override
 	public boolean getFreezeAfkPlayers()
+	{
+		return getFreezeAfkPlayers;
+	}
+
+	private boolean _getFreezeAfkPlayers()
 	{
 		return config.getBoolean("freeze-afk-players", false);
 	}
+	private boolean cancelAfkOnMove;
+
+	@Override
+	public boolean cancelAfkOnMove()
+	{
+		return cancelAfkOnMove;
+	}
+
+	private boolean _cancelAfkOnMove()
+	{
+		return config.getBoolean("cancel-afk-on-move", true);
+	}
 
 	@Override
 	public boolean areDeathMessagesEnabled()
@@ -691,7 +711,6 @@ public class Settings implements ISettings
 	{
 		return config.getBoolean("world-teleport-permissions", false);
 	}
-
 	private boolean registerBackInListener;
 
 	@Override
@@ -704,7 +723,6 @@ public class Settings implements ISettings
 	{
 		return config.getBoolean("register-back-in-listener", false);
 	}
-	
 	private boolean disableItemPickupWhileAfk;
 
 	@Override

Essentials/src/config.yml

@@ -272,6 +272,11 @@ freeze-afk-players: false
 # Enable this, when you don't want people idling in mob traps.
 disable-item-pickup-while-afk: true
 
+# Should we automatically remove afk status when the player moves?
+# Player will be removed from afk on chat/command reguardless of this setting.
+# Disable this to reduce server lag.
+cancel-afk-on-move: true
+
 # You can disable the death messages of minecraft here
 death-messages: true