diff --git a/include/hack.h b/include/hack.h
index ad215db96..46721704c 100644
--- a/include/hack.h
+++ b/include/hack.h
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* NetHack 3.7	hack.h	$NHDT-Date: 1664837602 2022/10/03 22:53:22 $  $NHDT-Branch: NetHack-3.7 $:$NHDT-Revision: 1.196 $ */
+/* NetHack 3.7	hack.h	$NHDT-Date: 1680771353 2023/04/06 08:55:53 $  $NHDT-Branch: NetHack-3.7 $:$NHDT-Revision: 1.215 $ */
 /* Copyright (c) Stichting Mathematisch Centrum, Amsterdam, 1985. */
 /*-Copyright (c) Pasi Kallinen, 2017. */
 /* NetHack may be freely redistributed.  See license for details. */
@@ -749,10 +749,21 @@ struct sinfo {
     int in_paniclog;            /* writing a panicloc entry */
 #endif
     int wizkit_wishing;         /* starting wizard mode game w/ WIZKIT file */
-    /* getting_a_command:  only used for ALTMETA config to process ESC, but
-       present and updated unconditionally; set by parse() when requesting
-       next command keystroke, reset by readchar() as it returns a key */
-    int getting_a_command;      /* next key pressed will be entering a cmnd */
+    /* input_state:  used in the core for the 'altmeta' option to process ESC;
+       used in the curses interface to avoid arrow keys when user is doing
+       something other than entering a command or direction and in the Qt
+       interface to suppress menu commands in similar conditions;
+       readchar() alrways resets it to 'otherInp' prior to returning */
+    int input_state; /* whether next key pressed will be entering a command */
+};
+
+/* value of program_state.input_state, significant during readchar();
+   get_count() expects digits then a command so sets it to commandInp */
+enum InputState {
+    otherInp   = 0, /* 'other' */
+    commandInp = 1, /* readchar() */
+    getposInp  = 2, /* getpos() */
+    getdirInp  = 3, /* getdir() */
 };
 
 /* sortloot() return type; needed before extern.h */
diff --git a/src/cmd.c b/src/cmd.c
index a23155505..08ad9efa3 100644
--- a/src/cmd.c
+++ b/src/cmd.c
@@ -5209,7 +5209,7 @@ getdir(const char *s)
     }
 
  retry:
-    gp.program_state.getting_a_command = 1; /* arrow key support for curses */
+    gp.program_state.input_state = getdirInp;
     if (gi.in_doagain || *readchar_queue)
         dirsym = readchar();
     else
@@ -6219,7 +6219,7 @@ get_count(
     unsigned gc_flags)   /* control flags: GC_SAVEHIST, GC_ECHOFIRST */
 {
     char qbuf[QBUFSZ];
-    int key;
+    int key, save_input_state = gp.program_state.input_state;
     long cnt = 0L, first = inkey ? (long) (inkey - '0') : 0L;
     boolean backspaced = FALSE, showzero = TRUE,
             /* should "Count: 123" go into message history? */
@@ -6239,8 +6239,9 @@ get_count(
             key = inkey;
             inkey = '\0';
         } else {
-            gp.program_state.getting_a_command = 1; /* readchar altmeta
-                                                     * compatibility */
+            /* if readchar() has already been called in this loop, it will
+               have reset input_state; put that back to its previous value */
+            gp.program_state.input_state = save_input_state;
             key = readchar();
         }
 
@@ -6300,9 +6301,9 @@ parse(void)
     gc.context.move = TRUE; /* assume next command will take game time */
     flush_screen(1); /* Flush screen buffer. Put the cursor on the hero. */
 
-    gp.program_state.getting_a_command = 1; /* affects readchar() behavior for
-                                             * ESC iff 'altmeta' option is On;
-                                             * reset to 0 by readchar() */
+    /* affects readchar() behavior for ESC iff 'altmeta' option is On;
+       reset to 0 by readchar() */
+    gp.program_state.input_state = commandInp;
     if (!gc.Cmd.num_pad || (foo = readchar()) == gc.Cmd.spkeys[NHKF_COUNT]) {
         foo = get_count((char *) 0, '\0', LARGEST_INT,
                         &gc.command_count, GC_NOFLAGS);
@@ -6400,8 +6401,10 @@ readchar_core(coordxy *x, coordxy *y, int *mod)
 {
     register int sym;
 
-    if (iflags.debug_fuzzer)
-        return randomkey();
+    if (iflags.debug_fuzzer) {
+        sym = randomkey();
+        goto readchar_done;
+    }
     if (*readchar_queue)
         sym = *readchar_queue++;
     else if (gi.in_doagain)
@@ -6431,9 +6434,11 @@ readchar_core(coordxy *x, coordxy *y, int *mod)
         sym = '\033';
 #ifdef ALTMETA
     } else if (sym == '\033' && iflags.altmeta
-               && gp.program_state.getting_a_command) {
+               && gp.program_state.input_state != otherInp) {
         /* iflags.altmeta: treat two character ``ESC c'' as single `M-c' but
-           only when we're called by parse() [possibly via get_count()] */
+           only when we're called by parse() [possibly via get_count()]
+           or getpos() [to support Alt+digit] or getdir() [for arrow keys
+           under curses] */
         sym = *readchar_queue ? *readchar_queue++ : pgetchar();
         if (sym == EOF || sym == 0)
             sym = '\033';
@@ -6445,12 +6450,15 @@ readchar_core(coordxy *x, coordxy *y, int *mod)
         gc.clicklook_cc.x = gc.clicklook_cc.y = -1;
         click_to_cmd(*x, *y, *mod);
     }
-    gp.program_state.getting_a_command = 0; /* next readchar() will be for an
-                                             * ordinary char unless parse()
-                                             * sets this back to 1 */
+
+ readchar_done:
+    /* next readchar() will be for an ordinary char unless parse()
+       sets this back to non-zero */
+    gp.program_state.input_state = otherInp;
     return (char) sym;
 }
 
+/* get a character */
 char
 readchar(void)
 {
@@ -6462,11 +6470,13 @@ readchar(void)
     return ch;
 }
 
+/* used by getpos() to accept mouse input as well as keyboard input */
 char
 readchar_poskey(coordxy *x, coordxy *y, int *mod)
 {
     char ch;
 
+    gp.program_state.input_state = getposInp;
     ch = readchar_core(x, y, mod);
     return ch;
 }
@@ -6632,6 +6642,8 @@ yn_function(
         dumplogmsg(dumplog_buf);
     }
 #endif
+    /* in case we're called via getdir() which sets input_state */
+    gp.program_state.input_state = otherInp;
     return res;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/do_name.c b/src/do_name.c
index 3371145de..9ddf98019 100644
--- a/src/do_name.c
+++ b/src/do_name.c
@@ -838,7 +838,6 @@ getpos(coord *ccp, boolean force, const char *goal)
 
         rushrun = FALSE;
 
-        gp.program_state.getting_a_command = 1;
         if ((cmdq = cmdq_pop()) != 0) {
             if (cmdq->typ == CMDQ_KEY) {
                 c = cmdq->key;
diff --git a/win/Qt/qt_main.cpp b/win/Qt/qt_main.cpp
index 0bbddf9c6..a4c27a903 100644
--- a/win/Qt/qt_main.cpp
+++ b/win/Qt/qt_main.cpp
@@ -459,7 +459,8 @@ aboutMsg()
     char *p, vbuf[BUFSZ];
     /* nethack's getversionstring() includes a final period
        but we're using it mid-sentence so strip period off */
-    if ((p = strrchr(::getversionstring(vbuf, sizeof vbuf), '.')) != 0 && *(p + 1) == '\0')
+    if ((p = strrchr(::getversionstring(vbuf, sizeof vbuf), '.')) != 0
+        && *(p + 1) == '\0')
         *p = '\0';
     /* it's also long; break it into two pieces */
     (void) strsubst(vbuf, " - ", "\n- ");
@@ -1001,8 +1002,30 @@ public:
 };
 #endif
 
+/* used by doMenuItem() and for the toolbar buttons */
+bool NetHackQtMainWindow::ok_for_command()
+{
+    /*
+     * If the core expects text to be entered (perhaps typing in a wish,
+     * assigning a name to something, or answering a y/n prompt), or a
+     * map position or a direction is being picked, don't accept commands
+     * from the toolbar.
+     *
+     * FIXME: it would be much better to gray-out inapplicable entries
+     * when popping up a command menu instead of needing this.
+     */
+    if (::gp.program_state.input_state != commandInp) {
+        NetHackQtBind::qt_nhbell();
+        // possibly call doKeys("\033"); here?
+        return false;
+    }
+    return true;
+}
+
 void NetHackQtMainWindow::doMenuItem(QAction *action)
 {
+    if (!ok_for_command())
+        return;
     /* this converts meta characters to '?'; menu processing has been
        changed to send multi-character "#abc" instead (already needed
        for commands that didn't have either a regular keystroke or a
diff --git a/win/Qt/qt_main.h b/win/Qt/qt_main.h
index 6925d156e..3aa5de79c 100644
--- a/win/Qt/qt_main.h
+++ b/win/Qt/qt_main.h
@@ -98,6 +98,7 @@ private:
 	void ShowIfReady();
         void AddToolButton(QToolBar *toolbar, QSignalMapper *sm,
                            const char *name, int (*func)(void), QPixmap xpm);
+        static bool ok_for_command();
 
 #ifdef KDE
 	KMenuBar* menubar;
diff --git a/win/curses/cursmisc.c b/win/curses/cursmisc.c
index 916fe6daa..ef07fb602 100644
--- a/win/curses/cursmisc.c
+++ b/win/curses/cursmisc.c
@@ -856,7 +856,7 @@ Currently this is limited to arrow keys, but this may be expanded. */
 int
 curses_convert_keys(int key)
 {
-    boolean reject = !gp.program_state.getting_a_command,
+    boolean reject = (gp.program_state.input_state == otherInp),
             as_is = FALSE, numpad_esc;
     int ret = key;