diff --git a/include/decl.h b/include/decl.h
index 128413aaa..52145808e 100644
--- a/include/decl.h
+++ b/include/decl.h
@@ -406,6 +406,8 @@ struct plinemsg_type {
 #define MSGTYP_NOREP    1
 #define MSGTYP_NOSHOW   2
 #define MSGTYP_STOP     3
+/* bitmask for callers of hide_unhide_msgtypes() */
+#define MSGTYP_MASK_REP_SHOW ((1 << MSGTYP_NOREP) | (1 << MSGTYP_NOSHOW))
 
 E struct plinemsg_type *plinemsg_types;
 
diff --git a/include/extern.h b/include/extern.h
index 661475c1b..dd104cf70 100644
--- a/include/extern.h
+++ b/include/extern.h
@@ -1641,8 +1641,8 @@ E int NDECL(dotogglepickup);
 E void NDECL(option_help);
 E void FDECL(next_opt, (winid, const char *));
 E int FDECL(fruitadd, (char *, struct fruit *));
-E int FDECL(choose_classes_menu,
-            (const char *, int, BOOLEAN_P, char *, char *));
+E int FDECL(choose_classes_menu, (const char *, int, BOOLEAN_P,
+                                  char *, char *));
 E void FDECL(add_menu_cmd_alias, (CHAR_P, CHAR_P));
 E char FDECL(map_menu_cmd, (CHAR_P));
 E void FDECL(assign_warnings, (uchar *));
@@ -1666,6 +1666,7 @@ E boolean FDECL(get_menu_coloring, (char *, int *, int *));
 E void NDECL(free_menu_coloring);
 E boolean FDECL(msgtype_parse_add, (char *));
 E int FDECL(msgtype_type, (const char *, BOOLEAN_P));
+E void FDECL(hide_unhide_msgtypes, (BOOLEAN_P, int));
 E void NDECL(msgtype_free);
 
 /* ### pager.c ### */
diff --git a/include/flag.h b/include/flag.h
index 6482c7198..af3b59b65 100644
--- a/include/flag.h
+++ b/include/flag.h
@@ -363,13 +363,18 @@ extern NEARDATA struct sysflag sysflags;
 extern NEARDATA struct instance_flags iflags;
 
 /* last_msg values */
-#define PLNMSG_NOSHO_OVERRIDE    (-2)
-#define PLNMSG_NOREP_OVERRIDE    (-1)
 #define PLNMSG_UNKNOWN             0 /* arbitrary */
 #define PLNMSG_ONE_ITEM_HERE       1 /* "you see <single item> here" */
 #define PLNMSG_TOWER_OF_FLAME      2 /* scroll of fire */
 #define PLNMSG_CAUGHT_IN_EXPLOSION 3 /* explode() feedback */
 #define PLNMSG_OBJ_GLOWS           4 /* "the <obj> glows <color>" */
+    /* Usage:
+     *  pline("some message");
+     *    pline: vsprintf + putstr + iflags.last_msg = PLNMSG_UNKNOWN;
+     *  iflags.last_msg = PLNMSG_some_message;
+     * and subsequent code can adjust the next message if it is affected
+     * by some_message.  The next message will clear iflags.last_msg.
+     */
 
 /* runmode options */
 #define RUN_TPORT 0 /* don't update display until movement stops */
diff --git a/src/invent.c b/src/invent.c
index dc740c4b1..f230c32c0 100644
--- a/src/invent.c
+++ b/src/invent.c
@@ -2830,8 +2830,16 @@ boolean picked_some;
 int
 dolook()
 {
-    iflags.last_msg = PLNMSG_NOREP_OVERRIDE;
-    return look_here(0, FALSE);
+    int res;
+
+    /* don't let
+       MSGTYPE={norep,noshow} "You see here"
+       interfere with feedback from the look-here command */
+    hide_unhide_msgtypes(TRUE, MSGTYP_MASK_REP_SHOW);
+    res = look_here(0, FALSE);
+    /* restore normal msgtype handling */
+    hide_unhide_msgtypes(FALSE, MSGTYP_MASK_REP_SHOW);
+    return res;
 }
 
 boolean
diff --git a/src/options.c b/src/options.c
index 5eb02a768..6c135d330 100644
--- a/src/options.c
+++ b/src/options.c
@@ -1500,6 +1500,8 @@ boolean norepeat; /* called from Norep(via pline) */
     struct plinemsg_type *tmp = plinemsg_types;
 
     while (tmp) {
+        /* we don't exclude entries with negative msgtype values
+           because then the msg might end up matching a later pattern */
         if (regex_match(msg, tmp->regex))
             return tmp->msgtype;
         tmp = tmp->next;
@@ -1507,6 +1509,26 @@ boolean norepeat; /* called from Norep(via pline) */
     return norepeat ? MSGTYP_NOREP : MSGTYP_NORMAL;
 }
 
+/* negate one or more types of messages so that their type handling will
+   be disabled or re-enabled; MSGTYPE_NORMAL (value 0) is not affected */
+void
+hide_unhide_msgtypes(hide, hide_mask)
+boolean hide;
+int hide_mask;
+{
+    struct plinemsg_type *tmp;
+    int mt;
+
+    /* negative msgtype value won't be recognized by pline, so does nothing */
+    for (tmp = plinemsg_types; tmp; tmp = tmp->next) {
+        mt = tmp->msgtype;
+        if (!hide)
+            mt = -mt; /* unhide: negate negative, yielding positive */
+        if (mt > 0 && ((1 << mt) & hide_mask))
+            tmp->msgtype = -tmp->msgtype;
+    }
+}
+
 int
 msgtype_count()
 {
diff --git a/src/pline.c b/src/pline.c
index 86ac55a12..141532cad 100644
--- a/src/pline.c
+++ b/src/pline.c
@@ -87,26 +87,9 @@ VA_DECL(const char *, line)
         return;
     }
 
-    /*
-     * Normally the sequence is
-     *  caller: pline("some message");
-     *   pline: vsprintf + putstr + iflags.last_msg = PLNMSG_UNKNOWN;
-     *  caller: iflags.last_msg = PLNMSG_some_message;
-     * and subsequent code can adjust the next message if it is
-     * affected by some_message.
-     *
-     * But some callers can use last_msg to control handling of next
-     * message
-     *  caller: iflags.last_msg = PLNMSG_NOREP_OVERRIDE;
-     *  caller: pline("another message");
-     * to force another_message to be delivered even if is a repeat
-     * and user's MSGTYPE settings have classified it as don't-repeat.
-     */
-
     msgtyp = msgtype_type(line, no_repeat);
-    if ((msgtyp == MSGTYP_NOSHOW && iflags.last_msg != PLNMSG_NOSHO_OVERRIDE)
-        || (msgtyp == MSGTYP_NOREP && iflags.last_msg != PLNMSG_NOREP_OVERRIDE
-            && !strcmp(line, prevmsg)))
+    if (msgtyp == MSGTYP_NOSHOW
+        || (msgtyp == MSGTYP_NOREP && !strcmp(line, prevmsg)))
         return;
     if (vision_full_recalc)
         vision_recalc(0);