diff --git a/include/extern.h b/include/extern.h
index f0e6a0adb..e6a1fe4ab 100644
--- a/include/extern.h
+++ b/include/extern.h
@@ -939,7 +939,7 @@ extern void paniclog(const char *, const char *);
 extern void testinglog(const char *, const char *, const char *);
 extern int validate_prefix_locations(char *);
 #ifdef SELECTSAVED
-extern char *plname_from_file(const char *);
+extern char *plname_from_file(const char *, boolean);
 #endif
 extern char **get_saved_games(void);
 extern void free_saved_games(char **);
@@ -2421,7 +2421,7 @@ extern int restore_menu(winid);
 #endif
 extern void minit(void);
 extern boolean lookup_id_mapping(unsigned, unsigned *);
-extern int validate(NHFILE *, const char *);
+extern int validate(NHFILE *, const char *, boolean);
 extern void reset_restpref(void);
 extern void set_restpref(const char *);
 extern void set_savepref(const char *);
diff --git a/include/hack.h b/include/hack.h
index 7cbe67808..9a5e1f7bb 100644
--- a/include/hack.h
+++ b/include/hack.h
@@ -830,6 +830,7 @@ typedef struct {
 #define UTD_CHECKFIELDCOUNTS           0x02
 #define UTD_SKIP_SANITY1               0x04
 #define UTD_SKIP_SAVEFILEINFO          0x08
+#define UTD_WITHOUT_WAITSYNCH_PERFILE  0x10
 
 #define ENTITIES 2
 struct valuable_data {
diff --git a/src/bones.c b/src/bones.c
index 3574942e9..dc0639bca 100644
--- a/src/bones.c
+++ b/src/bones.c
@@ -613,7 +613,7 @@ getbones(void)
         return 0;
     }
 
-    if (validate(nhfp, gb.bones) != 0) {
+    if (validate(nhfp, gb.bones, FALSE) != 0) {
         if (!wizard)
             pline("Discarding unusable bones; no need to panic...");
         ok = FALSE;
diff --git a/src/files.c b/src/files.c
index 164928b07..faaf43c60 100644
--- a/src/files.c
+++ b/src/files.c
@@ -1200,7 +1200,7 @@ restore_saved_game(void)
 
     nh_uncompress(fq_save);
     if ((nhfp = open_savefile()) != 0) {
-        if (validate(nhfp, fq_save) != 0) {
+        if (validate(nhfp, fq_save, FALSE) != 0) {
             close_nhfile(nhfp);
             nhfp = (NHFILE *)0;
             (void) delete_savefile();
@@ -1210,8 +1210,9 @@ restore_saved_game(void)
 }
 
 #if defined(SELECTSAVED)
+
 char *
-plname_from_file(const char *filename)
+plname_from_file(const char *filename, boolean without_wait_synch_per_file)
 {
     NHFILE *nhfp = (NHFILE *) 0;
     char *result = 0;
@@ -1229,7 +1230,7 @@ plname_from_file(const char *filename)
 #endif
     nh_uncompress(gs.SAVEF);
     if ((nhfp = open_savefile()) != 0) {
-        if (validate(nhfp, filename) == 0) {
+        if (validate(nhfp, filename, without_wait_synch_per_file) == 0) {
             char tplname[PL_NSIZ];
 
             get_plname_from_file(nhfp, tplname);
@@ -1272,6 +1273,9 @@ plname_from_file(const char *filename)
 }
 #endif /* defined(SELECTSAVED) */
 
+#define SUPPRESS_WAITSYNCH_PERFILE TRUE
+#define ALLOW_WAITSYNCH_PERFILE FALSE
+
 char **
 get_saved_games(void)
 {
@@ -1281,6 +1285,7 @@ get_saved_games(void)
 #endif
     int j = 0;
     char **result = 0;
+
 #ifdef WIN32
     {
         char *foundfile;
@@ -1288,7 +1293,7 @@ get_saved_games(void)
         const char *fq_new_save;
         const char *fq_old_save;
         char **files = 0;
-        int i;
+        int i, count_failures = 0;
 
         Strcpy(gp.plname, "*");
         set_savefile_name(FALSE);
@@ -1321,10 +1326,9 @@ get_saved_games(void)
             (void) memset((genericptr_t) result, 0, (n + 1) * sizeof(char *));
             for(i = 0; i < n; i++) {
                 char *r;
-                r = plname_from_file(files[i]);
+                r = plname_from_file(files[i], SUPPRESS_WAITSYNCH_PERFILE);
 
                 if (r) {
-
                     /* rename file if it is not named as expected */
                     Strcpy(gp.plname, r);
                     set_savefile_name(TRUE);
@@ -1336,12 +1340,15 @@ get_saved_games(void)
                         (void) rename(fq_old_save, fq_new_save);
 
                     result[j++] = r;
+                } else {
+                    count_failures++;
                 }
             }
         }
 
         free_saved_games(files);
-
+        if (count_failures)
+            wait_synch();
     }
 #endif
 #ifdef UNIX
@@ -1373,7 +1380,7 @@ get_saved_games(void)
                         char *r;
 
                         Sprintf(filename, "save/%d%s", uid, name);
-                        r = plname_from_file(filename);
+                        r = plname_from_file(filename, ALLOW_WAITSYNCH_PERFILE);
                         if (r)
                             result[j++] = r;
                     }
@@ -1398,8 +1405,11 @@ get_saved_games(void)
         free_saved_games(result);
     }
 #endif /* SELECTSAVED */
+
     return 0;
 }
+#undef SUPPRESS_WAITSYNCH_PERFILE
+#undef ALLOW_WAITSYNCH_PERFILE
 
 void
 free_saved_games(char **saved)
diff --git a/src/restore.c b/src/restore.c
index 9b19a4974..cebf27cbe 100644
--- a/src/restore.c
+++ b/src/restore.c
@@ -812,7 +812,7 @@ dorecover(NHFILE *nhfp)
     }
     restoreinfo.mread_flags = 0;
     rewind_nhfile(nhfp);        /* return to beginning of file */
-    (void) validate(nhfp, (char *) 0);
+    (void) validate(nhfp, (char *) 0, FALSE);
     get_plname_from_file(nhfp, gp.plname);
 
     getlev(nhfp, 0, (xint8) 0);
@@ -1456,7 +1456,7 @@ restore_menu(
 #endif /* SELECTSAVED */
 
 int
-validate(NHFILE *nhfp, const char *name)
+validate(NHFILE *nhfp, const char *name, boolean without_waitsynch_perfile)
 {
     readLenType rlen = 0;
     struct savefile_info sfi;
@@ -1465,6 +1465,8 @@ validate(NHFILE *nhfp, const char *name)
 
     if (nhfp->structlevel)
         utdflags |= UTD_CHECKSIZES;
+    if (without_waitsynch_perfile)
+        utdflags |= UTD_WITHOUT_WAITSYNCH_PERFILE;
     if (!(reslt = uptodate(nhfp, name, utdflags)))
         return 1;
 
diff --git a/src/version.c b/src/version.c
index c70805ad8..cd8c8626f 100644
--- a/src/version.c
+++ b/src/version.c
@@ -311,7 +311,8 @@ check_version(
         ) {
         if (complain) {
             pline("Version mismatch for file \"%s\".", filename);
-            display_nhwindow(WIN_MESSAGE, TRUE);
+            if (WIN_MESSAGE != WIN_ERR)
+                 display_nhwindow(WIN_MESSAGE, TRUE);
         }
         return FALSE;
     } else if (
@@ -358,14 +359,17 @@ uptodate(NHFILE *nhfp, const char *name, unsigned long utdflags)
     if (rlen == 0) {
         if (verbose) {
             pline("File \"%s\" is empty?", name);
-            wait_synch();
+            if ((utdflags & UTD_WITHOUT_WAITSYNCH_PERFILE) == 0)
+                wait_synch();
         }
         return FALSE;
     }
 
     if (!check_version(&vers_info, name, verbose, utdflags)) {
-        if (verbose)
-            wait_synch();
+        if (verbose) {
+            if ((utdflags & UTD_WITHOUT_WAITSYNCH_PERFILE) == 0)
+                wait_synch();
+        }
         return FALSE;
     }
     return TRUE;
diff --git a/sys/share/pcunix.c b/sys/share/pcunix.c
index 68c6fe051..6f3ce58ba 100644
--- a/sys/share/pcunix.c
+++ b/sys/share/pcunix.c
@@ -34,44 +34,6 @@ static struct stat hbuf;
 static int eraseoldlocks(void);
 #endif
 
-#if 0
-int
-uptodate(int fd)
-{
-#ifdef WANT_GETHDATE
-    if(fstat(fd, &buf)) {
-        pline("Cannot get status of saved level? ");
-        return(0);
-    }
-    if(buf.st_mtime < hbuf.st_mtime) {
-        pline("Saved level is out of date. ");
-        return(0);
-    }
-#else
-#if (defined(MICRO)) && !defined(NO_FSTAT)
-    if(fstat(fd, &buf)) {
-        if(gm.moves > 1) pline("Cannot get status of saved level? ");
-        else pline("Cannot get status of saved game.");
-        return(0);
-    } 
-    if(comp_times(buf.st_mtime)) { 
-        if(gm.moves > 1) pline("Saved level is out of date.");
-        else pline("Saved game is out of date. ");
-        /* This problem occurs enough times we need to give the player
-         * some more information about what causes it, and how to fix.
-         */
-#ifdef MSDOS
-        pline("Make sure that your system's date and time are correct.");
-        pline("They must be more current than NetHack.EXE's date/time stamp.");
-#endif /* MSDOS */
-        return(0);
-    }
-#endif /* MICRO */
-#endif /* WANT_GETHDATE */
-    return(1);
-}
-#endif
-
 #if defined(PC_LOCKING)
 #if !defined(SELF_RECOVER)
 static int
diff --git a/sys/vms/vmsunix.c b/sys/vms/vmsunix.c
index 6aac1979e..80c2d1648 100644
--- a/sys/vms/vmsunix.c
+++ b/sys/vms/vmsunix.c
@@ -629,7 +629,7 @@ vms_get_saved_games(const char *savetemplate, /* wildcarded save file name in na
             if (filename[l - 1] != ' ')
                 break;
         filename[l] = '\0';
-        if ((charname = plname_from_file(filename)) != 0)
+        if ((charname = plname_from_file(filename, FALSE)) != 0)
             savefile(charname, count++, &asize, outarray);
     }
     (void) lib$find_file_end(&context);
diff --git a/sys/windows/consoletty.c b/sys/windows/consoletty.c
index f9b66aae2..6ec997b8c 100644
--- a/sys/windows/consoletty.c
+++ b/sys/windows/consoletty.c
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@
 #endif
 #endif
 
-extern boolean getreturn_enabled; /* from sys/share/pcsys.c */
+extern boolean getreturn_enabled; /* from windmain.c */
 extern int redirect_stdout;
 
 #ifdef TTY_GRAPHICS
diff --git a/sys/windows/windmain.c b/sys/windows/windmain.c
index b6fafdfa3..5966615b4 100644
--- a/sys/windows/windmain.c
+++ b/sys/windows/windmain.c
@@ -552,8 +552,8 @@ _CrtSetReportFile(_CRT_ASSERT, _CRTDBG_FILE_STDERR);*/
     chdir(gf.fqn_prefix[HACKPREFIX]);
 #endif
 
-    if (GUILaunched || IsDebuggerPresent())
-        getreturn_enabled = TRUE;
+    /* if (GUILaunched || IsDebuggerPresent()) */
+    getreturn_enabled = TRUE;
 
     check_recordfile((char *) 0);
     iflags.windowtype_deferred = TRUE;
diff --git a/sys/windows/windsys.c b/sys/windows/windsys.c
index 7455bbcdb..e366e4a73 100644
--- a/sys/windows/windsys.c
+++ b/sys/windows/windsys.c
@@ -491,7 +491,7 @@ nethack_exit(int code)
         /* use our custom version which works
            a little cleaner than the stdio one */
         windowprocs.win_nhgetch = windows_console_custom_nhgetch;
-    }
+    } else
 #endif
     if (getreturn_enabled) {
         raw_print("\n");
@@ -525,7 +525,8 @@ getreturn(const char *str)
     raw_print(buf);
     if (WINDOWPORT(tty))
         windows_console_custom_nhgetch();
-    wait_synch();
+    else
+        wait_synch();
     in_getreturn = FALSE;
     return;
 }