diff --git a/doc/window.txt b/doc/window.txt
index b2ae5c304..51bbaacde 100644
--- a/doc/window.txt
+++ b/doc/window.txt
@@ -617,6 +617,8 @@ E.  Misc. Routines
 make_sound(???) -- To be determined later.  THIS IS CURRENTLY UN-IMPLEMENTED.
 nhbell()	-- Beep at user.  [This will exist at least until sounds are
 		   redone, since sounds aren't attributable to windows anyway.]
+                   Implementation should respect the flags.silent setting just
+                   like the tty window-port does in tty_nhbell().
 mark_synch()	-- Don't go beyond this point in I/O on any channel until
 		   all channels are caught up to here.  Can be an empty call
 		   for the moment
diff --git a/win/Qt/qt_bind.cpp b/win/Qt/qt_bind.cpp
index 1c507efe5..4e87b7800 100644
--- a/win/Qt/qt_bind.cpp
+++ b/win/Qt/qt_bind.cpp
@@ -628,7 +628,8 @@ int NetHackQtBind::qt_nh_poskey(coordxy *x, coordxy *y, int *mod)
 
 void NetHackQtBind::qt_nhbell()
 {
-    QApplication::beep();
+    if (!::flags.silent)
+        QApplication::beep();
 }
 
 int NetHackQtBind::qt_doprev_message()
diff --git a/win/curses/cursmain.c b/win/curses/cursmain.c
index 9386bc5ab..2c0c8a16a 100644
--- a/win/curses/cursmain.c
+++ b/win/curses/cursmain.c
@@ -977,7 +977,8 @@ nhbell()        -- Beep at user.  [This will exist at least until sounds are
 void
 curses_nhbell(void)
 {
-    beep();
+    if (!flags.silent)
+        beep();
 }
 
 /*
diff --git a/win/win32/mswproc.c b/win/win32/mswproc.c
index b3323507d..aed320e82 100644
--- a/win/win32/mswproc.c
+++ b/win/win32/mswproc.c
@@ -1481,12 +1481,13 @@ mswin_nh_poskey(coordxy *x, coordxy *y, int *mod)
 
 /*
 nhbell()        -- Beep at user.  [This will exist at least until sounds are
-                   redone, since sounds aren't attributable to windows
-anyway.]
+                   redone, since sounds aren't attributable to windows anyway.]
 */
 void
 mswin_nhbell(void)
 {
+    /* this currently does nothing, but if that ever changes, the setting
+       of flags.silent should be respected */
     logDebug("mswin_nhbell()\n");
 }