diff --git a/doc/fixes37.0 b/doc/fixes37.0
index 3c82aaf5d..04d58c1e7 100644
--- a/doc/fixes37.0
+++ b/doc/fixes37.0
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-NHDT-Branch: NetHack-3.7 $:$NHDT-Revision: 1.535 $ $NHDT-Date: 1621208908 2021/05/16 23:48:28 $
+NHDT-Branch: NetHack-3.7 $:$NHDT-Revision: 1.539 $ $NHDT-Date: 1621380392 2021/05/18 23:26:32 $
 
 General Fixes and Modified Features
 -----------------------------------
@@ -522,6 +522,8 @@ prediscovered weapons adjustmens:  only knights and samurai know polearms;
 if the move counter ever reaches 1000000000, end the game
 knights get no metal armor penalty for clerical spells
 change touch of death from instadeath to maxhp reduction and damage
+dying from being level-drained below level 1 killed hero without saying so
+	and jumped straight to "do you want your possessions identified?"
 
 
 Fixes to 3.7.0-x Problems that Were Exposed Via git Repository
diff --git a/src/end.c b/src/end.c
index 614e161c5..020ad15a2 100644
--- a/src/end.c
+++ b/src/end.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* NetHack 3.7	end.c	$NHDT-Date: 1615304753 2021/03/09 15:45:53 $  $NHDT-Branch: NetHack-3.7 $:$NHDT-Revision: 1.222 $ */
+/* NetHack 3.7	end.c	$NHDT-Date: 1621380392 2021/05/18 23:26:32 $  $NHDT-Branch: NetHack-3.7 $:$NHDT-Revision: 1.225 $ */
 /* Copyright (c) Stichting Mathematisch Centrum, Amsterdam, 1985. */
 /*-Copyright (c) Robert Patrick Rankin, 2012. */
 /* NetHack may be freely redistributed.  See license for details. */
@@ -902,8 +902,13 @@ disclose(int how, boolean taken)
 static void
 savelife(int how)
 {
-    int uhpmin = max(2 * u.ulevel, 10);
+    int uhpmin;
 
+    /* life-drain/level-loss to experience level 0 kills without actually
+       reducing ulevel below 1, but include this for bulletproofing */
+    if (u.ulevel < 1)
+        u.ulevel = 1;
+    uhpmin = max(2 * u.ulevel, 10);
     if (u.uhpmax < uhpmin)
         u.uhpmax = uhpmin;
     u.uhp = u.uhpmax;
diff --git a/src/exper.c b/src/exper.c
index be3e11da7..4673d8aec 100644
--- a/src/exper.c
+++ b/src/exper.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* NetHack 3.7	exper.c	$NHDT-Date: 1596498167 2020/08/03 23:42:47 $  $NHDT-Branch: NetHack-3.7 $:$NHDT-Revision: 1.43 $ */
+/* NetHack 3.7	exper.c	$NHDT-Date: 1621380393 2021/05/18 23:26:33 $  $NHDT-Branch: NetHack-3.7 $:$NHDT-Revision: 1.46 $ */
 /* Copyright (c) Stichting Mathematisch Centrum, Amsterdam, 1985. */
 /*-Copyright (c) Robert Patrick Rankin, 2007. */
 /* NetHack may be freely redistributed.  See license for details. */
@@ -205,8 +205,14 @@ losexp(const char *drainer) /* cause of death, if drain should be fatal */
     else if (resists_drli(&g.youmonst))
         return;
 
+    /* level-loss message; "Goodbye level 1." is fatal; divine anger
+       (drainer==NULL) resets a level 1 character to 0 experience points
+       without reducing level and that isn't fatal so suppress the message
+       in that situation */
+    if (u.ulevel > 1 || drainer)
+        pline("%s level %d.", Goodbye(), u.ulevel);
     if (u.ulevel > 1) {
-        pline("%s level %d.", Goodbye(), u.ulevel--);
+        u.ulevel -= 1;
         /* remove intrinsic abilities */
         adjabil(u.ulevel + 1, u.ulevel);
     } else {