diff --git a/doc/fixes5-0-1.txt b/doc/fixes5-0-1.txt
index cbcc5c14f..5b7180122 100644
--- a/doc/fixes5-0-1.txt
+++ b/doc/fixes5-0-1.txt
@@ -46,6 +46,10 @@ replace the hashtable used for parsing glyphnames with sorted indices and
 	of pr #1548 by ingpaschke)
 for SELECTSAVE, allow utd flags for uptodate() to be passed down through
 	the small set of callers that eventually call uptodate()
+avoid calling costly_spot(), costly_adjacent(), find_byowner(), which
+	all rely on shop_keeper() under the hood, in the midst of the level
+	loading process before all the required data structures have
+	been finalized
  
 
 Platform- and/or Interface-Specific Fixes
diff --git a/include/decl.h b/include/decl.h
index 2eb47fcbd..c6dbe7072 100644
--- a/include/decl.h
+++ b/include/decl.h
@@ -1288,6 +1288,11 @@ extern struct instance_globals_saved_w svw;
 extern struct instance_globals_saved_x svx;
 extern struct instance_globals_saved_y svy;
 extern struct sinfo program_state; /* flags describing game's current state */
+/* flags describing current level's loading/making/readiness status;
+ * restlevelstate() already associated term 'levelstate' for a different
+ * purpose, so attempt to avoid confusion
+ */
+extern struct levelstatus level_status;
 
 struct const_globals {
     const struct obj zeroobj;      /* used to zero out a struct obj */
diff --git a/include/extern.h b/include/extern.h
index 6dd14db52..5e8b9fa26 100644
--- a/include/extern.h
+++ b/include/extern.h
@@ -520,6 +520,7 @@ extern void destroy_drawbridge(coordxy, coordxy);
 /* ### decl.c ### */
 
 extern void program_state_init(void);
+extern void level_status_init(void);
 extern void decl_globals_init(void);
 extern void sa_victual(volatile struct victual_info *);
 
diff --git a/include/hack.h b/include/hack.h
index acf93509b..c98c8ab8a 100644
--- a/include/hack.h
+++ b/include/hack.h
@@ -821,6 +821,14 @@ struct sinfo {
 #endif
 };
 
+/* structure for current 'level_status'; not saved and restored */
+struct levelstatus {
+    int making;                 /* makelevel has begun */
+    int loading;                /* level loading has begun */
+    int shkready;               /* shops ready */
+    int ready;                  /* level is ready */
+};
+
 /* value of program_state.input_state, significant during readchar();
    get_count() expects digits then a command so sets it to commandInp */
 enum InputState {
diff --git a/src/decl.c b/src/decl.c
index 587c83e90..8b04a05ac 100644
--- a/src/decl.c
+++ b/src/decl.c
@@ -1002,6 +1002,7 @@ static const struct instance_globals_saved_y init_svy = {
 };
 
 static const struct sinfo init_program_state = { 0 };
+static const struct levelstatus init_level_status = { 0 };
 
 #if 0
 struct instance_globals g;
@@ -1054,6 +1055,7 @@ struct instance_globals_saved_w svw;
 struct instance_globals_saved_x svx;
 struct instance_globals_saved_y svy;
 struct sinfo program_state;
+struct levelstatus level_status;
 
 const struct const_globals cg = {
     DUMMY, /* zeroobj */
@@ -1079,6 +1081,12 @@ program_state_init(void)
     program_state = init_program_state;
 }
 
+void
+level_status_init(void)
+{
+    level_status = init_level_status;
+}
+
 void
 decl_globals_init(void)
 {
diff --git a/src/mklev.c b/src/mklev.c
index f11c2b1e8..2c48af09a 100644
--- a/src/mklev.c
+++ b/src/mklev.c
@@ -1261,6 +1261,9 @@ makelevel(void)
         impossible("makelevel() called when dungeon not yet initialized.");
         init_dungeons();
     }
+    level_status_init();
+    level_status.making = 1;
+
     oinit(); /* assign level dependent obj probabilities */
     clear_level_structures();
 
@@ -1416,7 +1419,7 @@ makelevel(void)
     for (i = 0; i < svn.nroom; ++i) {
         fill_special_room(&svr.rooms[i]);
     }
-
+    level_status.shkready = 1;
     themerooms_post_level_generate();
 
     if (gl.luacore && nhcb_counts[NHCB_LVL_ENTER]) {
@@ -1425,6 +1428,7 @@ makelevel(void)
         nhl_pcall_handle(gl.luacore, 1, 0, "makelevel", NHLpa_panic);
         lua_settop(gl.luacore, 0);
     }
+    level_status.making = 0, level_status.ready = 1;
 }
 
 /* return TRUE if water location at (x,y) should have kelp. */
diff --git a/src/mkobj.c b/src/mkobj.c
index 822badf51..735c88d34 100644
--- a/src/mkobj.c
+++ b/src/mkobj.c
@@ -2354,9 +2354,7 @@ place_object(struct obj *otmp, coordxy x, coordxy y)
     otmp->where = OBJ_FLOOR;
 
     /* if placed outside of shop, no_charge is no longer applicable */
-    if (program_state.beyond_savefile_load
-        && otmp->no_charge
-        && !costly_spot(x, y)
+    if (level_status.shkready && otmp->no_charge && !costly_spot(x, y)
         && !costly_adjacent(find_objowner(otmp, x, y), x, y))
         otmp->no_charge = 0;
 
diff --git a/src/restore.c b/src/restore.c
index 318f90e53..50c3a0137 100644
--- a/src/restore.c
+++ b/src/restore.c
@@ -1068,6 +1068,8 @@ getlev(NHFILE *nhfp, int pid, xint8 lev)
 #endif
 
     program_state.in_getlev = TRUE;
+    level_status_init();
+    level_status.loading = 1;
 #ifndef SFCTOOL
 
     if (ghostly)
@@ -1170,9 +1172,11 @@ getlev(NHFILE *nhfp, int pid, xint8 lev)
     dealloc_trap(trap);
 
     fobj = restobjchn(nhfp, FALSE);
-#ifndef SFCTOOL
-    find_lev_obj();
-#endif  /* !SFCTOOL */
+    /* more work needs to be done on fobj in find_lev_obj() further down,
+     * but that needs to happen after set_residency() so that shop_keeper()
+     * will return correct results during the processing.
+     */
+
     /* restobjchn()'s `frozen' argument probably ought to be a callback
        routine so that we can check for objects being buried under ice */
     svl.level.buriedobjlist = restobjchn(nhfp, FALSE);
@@ -1202,7 +1206,6 @@ getlev(NHFILE *nhfp, int pid, xint8 lev)
             if (hides_under(mtmp->data) && mtmp->mundetected)
                 (void) hideunder(mtmp);
         }
-
         /* regenerate monsters while on another level */
         if (!u.uz.dlevel || program_state.restoring == REST_LEVELS)
             continue;
@@ -1225,6 +1228,11 @@ getlev(NHFILE *nhfp, int pid, xint8 lev)
         if (ghostly || (elapsed > 0L && elapsed > (long) rnd(10)))
             hide_monst(mtmp);
     }
+    level_status.shkready = 1;
+    /* post-5.0.0: this is now postponed until here so that it takes place
+       after set_residency() has been called */
+    find_lev_obj();
+
 #endif /* !SFCTOOL */
 
     restdamage(nhfp);
@@ -1308,12 +1316,13 @@ getlev(NHFILE *nhfp, int pid, xint8 lev)
 
     if (ghostly)
         clear_id_mapping();
+#endif
+    level_status.loading = 0, level_status.ready = 1;
     program_state.in_getlev = FALSE;
-#else
+#ifdef SFCTOOL
     nhUse(pid);
     nhUse(lev);
 #endif /* !SFCTOOL */
-    program_state.in_getlev = FALSE;
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/src/shk.c b/src/shk.c
index cb86dfaa5..099215697 100644
--- a/src/shk.c
+++ b/src/shk.c
@@ -1075,6 +1075,17 @@ shop_keeper(char rmno)
                correct the underlying svr.rooms[].resident issue but... */
             return (struct monst *) 0;
         }
+    } else {
+        if (!level_status.shkready) {
+            int hmm UNUSED = 1;
+#if (NH_DEVEL_STATUS != NH_STATUS_RELEASED \
+     && NH_DEVEL_STATUS != NH_STATUS_POSTRELEASE)
+                impossible("untrustworthy null shkp; level_status.shkready"
+                           " is FALSE (%d, %d, %d, &d)",
+                           level_status.making, level_status.loading,
+                           level_status.shkready, level_status.ready);
+#endif
+        }
     }
     return shkp;
 }