diff --git a/doc/fixes34.4 b/doc/fixes34.4
index eac81d007..e3c785195 100644
--- a/doc/fixes34.4
+++ b/doc/fixes34.4
@@ -238,6 +238,8 @@ use alternate phrasing when life drain attack affects non-living creature
 bypass "wait! there's a creature hidden there" when attacking a hidden monster
 	sensed by ongoing monster detection
 remove makedefs.c dependency that time_t and long are the same size
+terminal window set to 21 lines can cause a crash during player selection 
+	menus; have bot() check for valid youmonst.data
 
 
 Platform- and/or Interface-Specific Fixes
diff --git a/src/botl.c b/src/botl.c
index 0283858c9..01e23477e 100644
--- a/src/botl.c
+++ b/src/botl.c
@@ -308,8 +308,10 @@ bot2()
 void
 bot()
 {
-	bot1();
-	bot2();
+	if (youmonst.data) {
+		bot1();
+		bot2();
+	}
 	context.botl = context.botlx = 0;
 }
 
@@ -604,11 +606,13 @@ bot()
 	static int idx = 0, idx_p, idxmax;
 	boolean updated = FALSE;
 	unsigned anytype;
-	int i, pc, chg, cap = near_capacity();
+	int i, pc, chg, cap;
 	struct istat_s *curr, *prev;
 	boolean valset[MAXBLSTATS];
 
 	if (!blinit) panic("bot before init.");
+	if (!youmonst.data) return;
+	cap = near_capacity();
 	
 	idx_p = idx;
 	idx   = 1 - idx;	/* 0 -> 1, 1 -> 0 */