diff --git a/src/mhitu.c b/src/mhitu.c
index aaf3fb280..3e3953da6 100644
--- a/src/mhitu.c
+++ b/src/mhitu.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* NetHack 3.6	mhitu.c	$NHDT-Date: 1593306907 2020/06/28 01:15:07 $  $NHDT-Branch: NetHack-3.7 $:$NHDT-Revision: 1.192 $ */
+/* NetHack 3.6	mhitu.c	$NHDT-Date: 1596046195 2020/07/29 18:09:55 $  $NHDT-Branch: NetHack-3.7 $:$NHDT-Revision: 1.193 $ */
 /* Copyright (c) Stichting Mathematisch Centrum, Amsterdam, 1985. */
 /*-Copyright (c) Robert Patrick Rankin, 2012. */
 /* NetHack may be freely redistributed.  See license for details. */
@@ -622,6 +622,8 @@ register struct monst *mtmp;
             return (foo == 1);
     }
 
+    g.skipdrin = FALSE; /* [see mattackm(mhitm.c)] */
+
     for (i = 0; i < NATTK; i++) {
         sum[i] = 0;
         if (i > 0 && foundyou /* previous attack might have moved hero */
@@ -630,7 +632,9 @@ register struct monst *mtmp;
         mon_currwep = (struct obj *)0;
         mattk = getmattk(mtmp, &g.youmonst, i, sum, &alt_attk);
         if ((u.uswallow && mattk->aatyp != AT_ENGL)
-            || (skipnonmagc && mattk->aatyp != AT_MAGC))
+            || (skipnonmagc && mattk->aatyp != AT_MAGC)
+            || (g.skipdrin && mattk->aatyp == AT_TENT
+                && mattk->adtyp == AD_DRIN))
             continue;
 
         switch (mattk->aatyp) {
@@ -1185,6 +1189,8 @@ register struct attack *mattk;
         hitmsg(mtmp, mattk);
         if (defends(AD_DRIN, uwep) || !has_head(g.youmonst.data)) {
             You("don't seem harmed.");
+            /* attacker should skip remaining AT_TENT+AD_DRIN attacks */
+            g.skipdrin = TRUE;
             /* Not clear what to do for green slimes */
             break;
         }
diff --git a/src/uhitm.c b/src/uhitm.c
index 2bbe579a4..6cef240dc 100644
--- a/src/uhitm.c
+++ b/src/uhitm.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* NetHack 3.6	uhitm.c	$NHDT-Date: 1595621524 2020/07/24 20:12:04 $  $NHDT-Branch: NetHack-3.7 $:$NHDT-Revision: 1.238 $ */
+/* NetHack 3.6	uhitm.c	$NHDT-Date: 1596046196 2020/07/29 18:09:56 $  $NHDT-Branch: NetHack-3.7 $:$NHDT-Revision: 1.239 $ */
 /* Copyright (c) Stichting Mathematisch Centrum, Amsterdam, 1985. */
 /*-Copyright (c) Robert Patrick Rankin, 2012. */
 /* NetHack may be freely redistributed.  See license for details. */
@@ -1979,6 +1979,10 @@ int specialdmg; /* blessed and/or silver bonus against various things */
 
         if (g.notonhead || !has_head(pd)) {
             pline("%s doesn't seem harmed.", Monnam(mdef));
+            /* hero should skip remaining AT_TENT+AD_DRIN attacks
+               because they'll be just as harmless as this one (and also
+               to reduce verbosity) */
+            g.skipdrin = TRUE;
             tmp = 0;
             if (!Unchanging && pd == &mons[PM_GREEN_SLIME]) {
                 if (!Slimed) {
@@ -2445,9 +2449,13 @@ register struct monst *mon;
     }
     multi_claw = (multi_claw > 1); /* switch from count to yes/no */
 
+    g.skipdrin = FALSE; /* [see mattackm(mhitm.c)] */
+
     for (i = 0; i < NATTK; i++) {
         /* sum[i] = 0; -- now done above */
         mattk = getmattk(&g.youmonst, mon, i, sum, &alt_attk);
+        if (g.skipdrin && mattk->aatyp == AT_TENT && mattk->adtyp == AD_DRIN)
+            continue;
         weapon = 0;
         switch (mattk->aatyp) {
         case AT_WEAP: