diff --git a/include/decl.h b/include/decl.h
index 96a0ce9c7..aa8b02b51 100644
--- a/include/decl.h
+++ b/include/decl.h
@@ -201,6 +201,9 @@ struct instance_globals_b {
     /* zap.c */
     struct monst *buzzer; /* zapper/caster/breather who initiates buzz() */
 
+    /* new */
+    boolean bot_disabled;
+
     boolean havestate;
     unsigned long magic; /* validate that structure layout is preserved */
 };
diff --git a/include/hack.h b/include/hack.h
index 1ad6027ca..270b45fc8 100644
--- a/include/hack.h
+++ b/include/hack.h
@@ -763,7 +763,7 @@ struct sinfo {
     int in_checkpoint;          /* saving insurance checkpoint */
     int in_parseoptions;        /* in parseoptions */
     int in_role_selection;      /* role/race/&c selection menus in progress */
-    int in_getlin;              /* inside interface getline routine */
+    int in_getlin;              /* inside interface getlin routine */
     int config_error_ready;     /* config_error_add is ready, available */
     int beyond_savefile_load;   /* set when past savefile loading */
 #ifdef PANICLOG
diff --git a/src/botl.c b/src/botl.c
index f0534b480..1e1fb7c24 100644
--- a/src/botl.c
+++ b/src/botl.c
@@ -245,7 +245,7 @@ do_statusline2(void)
 void
 bot(void)
 {
-    if (gp.program_state.in_getlin)
+    if (gb.bot_disabled)
         return;
     /* dosave() flags completion by setting u.uhp to -1; suppress_map_output()
        covers program_state.restoring and is used for status as well as map */
@@ -267,7 +267,7 @@ bot(void)
 void
 timebot(void)
 {
-    if (gp.program_state.in_getlin)
+    if (gb.bot_disabled)
         return;
     /* we're called when iflags.time_botl is set and general gc.context.botl
        is clear; iflags.time_botl gets set whenever gm.moves changes value
diff --git a/src/decl.c b/src/decl.c
index c47879468..03c6b5559 100644
--- a/src/decl.c
+++ b/src/decl.c
@@ -248,6 +248,7 @@ const struct instance_globals_b g_init_b = {
     FALSE, /* bucx_filter */
     /* zap.c */
     NULL, /* buzzer -- monst that zapped/cast/breathed to initiate buzz() */
+    FALSE, /* bot_disabled */
 
     TRUE, /* havestate*/
     IVMAGIC  /* b_magic to validate that structure layout has been preserved */
diff --git a/src/end.c b/src/end.c
index 1791a29dd..416e77d47 100644
--- a/src/end.c
+++ b/src/end.c
@@ -851,6 +851,7 @@ panic VA_DECL(const char *, str)
     if (gp.program_state.panicking++)
         NH_abort(NULL); /* avoid loops - this should never happen*/
 
+    gb.bot_disabled = TRUE;
     if (iflags.window_inited) {
         raw_print("\r\nOops...");
         wait_synch(); /* make sure all pending output gets flushed */
diff --git a/src/windows.c b/src/windows.c
index f710b4648..ccd4477ee 100644
--- a/src/windows.c
+++ b/src/windows.c
@@ -1682,8 +1682,12 @@ get_menu_coloring(const char *str, int *color, int *attr)
 void
 getlin(const char *query, register char *bufp)
 {
+    boolean old_bot_disabled = gb.bot_disabled;
+
     gp.program_state.in_getlin = 1;
+    gb.bot_disabled = TRUE;
     (*windowprocs.win_getlin)(query, bufp);
+    gb.bot_disabled = old_bot_disabled;
     gp.program_state.in_getlin = 0;
 }
 /*windows.c*/
diff --git a/win/curses/cursstat.c b/win/curses/cursstat.c
index fffcffc95..a3ccae78d 100644
--- a/win/curses/cursstat.c
+++ b/win/curses/cursstat.c
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ curses_status_update(
 
     if (fldidx != BL_FLUSH) {
         if (fldidx < 0 || fldidx >= MAXBLSTATS) {
-            gc.context.botlx = gc.context.botl = FALSE; /* avoid bot() */
+            /* panic immediately sets gb.bot_disabled to avoid bot() */
             panic("curses_status_update(%d)", fldidx);
         }
         changed_fields |= (1 << fldidx);