diff --git a/doc/fixes37.0 b/doc/fixes37.0
index fd992ba7b..6acfd16f6 100644
--- a/doc/fixes37.0
+++ b/doc/fixes37.0
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-NHDT-Branch: NetHack-3.7 $:$NHDT-Revision: 1.453 $ $NHDT-Date: 1613292825 2021/02/14 08:53:45 $
+NHDT-Branch: NetHack-3.7 $:$NHDT-Revision: 1.454 $ $NHDT-Date: 1613444931 2021/02/16 03:08:51 $
 
 General Fixes and Modified Features
 -----------------------------------
@@ -533,6 +533,8 @@ X11: for text map without color, add support for black&white ice; draw it in
 	inverse video to distinguish from ordinary floor
 X11: if perm_invent is set in NETHACKOPTIONS or config file, start with the
 	persistent inventory window displayed
+X11: use visctrl(response) when X11_yn_function() echoes prompt+response in
+	message window
 X11+OSX: after the "bad Atom" fix (below), the persistent inventory window
 	crept downward every time it got updated
 
diff --git a/win/X11/X11-issues.txt b/win/X11/X11-issues.txt
index 747f3a60a..1350b147c 100644
--- a/win/X11/X11-issues.txt
+++ b/win/X11/X11-issues.txt
@@ -7,3 +7,9 @@ When persistent inventory window is displayed, an update that ought to
 make it grow won't do so even if there is room on the screen for that.
 It will add scrollbar(s) when not already there, and it can be resized
 manually.
+
+When the 'slow' resource is off, popup yn_function sometimes doesn't
+resize to fit the prompt properly.  There's a hack to set the label
+text twice with comment suggesting that it's there to deal with this,
+but it isn't adequate to fix the problem.
+
diff --git a/win/X11/winX.c b/win/X11/winX.c
index 252bca477..953755755 100644
--- a/win/X11/winX.c
+++ b/win/X11/winX.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* NetHack 3.7	winX.c	$NHDT-Date: 1613292827 2021/02/14 08:53:47 $  $NHDT-Branch: NetHack-3.7 $:$NHDT-Revision: 1.97 $ */
+/* NetHack 3.7	winX.c	$NHDT-Date: 1613444929 2021/02/16 03:08:49 $  $NHDT-Branch: NetHack-3.7 $:$NHDT-Revision: 1.98 $ */
 /* Copyright (c) Dean Luick, 1992                                 */
 /* NetHack may be freely redistributed.  See license for details. */
 
@@ -2123,9 +2123,10 @@ release_yn_widgets(void)
 /* X11-specific edition of yn_function(), the routine called by the core
    to show a prompt and get a single keystroke answer, often 'y' vs 'n' */
 char
-X11_yn_function(const char *ques,
-                const char *choices, /* string of possible response chars; any char if Null */
-                char def)            /* default response if user hits <space> or <return> */
+X11_yn_function(
+    const char *ques,     /* prompt text */
+    const char *choices,  /* allowed response chars; any char if Null */
+    char def)             /* default if user hits <space> or <return> */
 {
     char buf[BUFSZ];
     Arg args[4];
@@ -2161,11 +2162,15 @@ X11_yn_function(const char *ques,
         if ((cb = index(choicebuf, '\033')) != 0)
             *cb = '\0';
         /* ques [choices] (def) */
-        if ((int) (1 + strlen(ques) + 2 + strlen(choicebuf) + 4) >= BUFSZ)
-            panic("X11_yn_function:  question too long");
-        (void) strncpy(buf, ques, QBUFSZ - 1);
-        buf[QBUFSZ - 1] = '\0';
-        Sprintf(eos(buf), " [%s]", choicebuf);
+        int ln = ((int) strlen(ques)        /* prompt text */
+                  + 3                       /* " []" */
+                  + (int) strlen(choicebuf) /* choices within "[]" */
+                  + 4                       /* " (c)" */
+                  + 1                       /* a trailing space */
+                  + 1);                     /* \0 terminator */
+        if (ln >= BUFSZ)
+            panic("X11_yn_function:  question too long (%d)", ln);
+        Snprintf(buf, sizeof buf, "%.*s [%s]", QBUFSZ - 1, ques, choicebuf);
         if (def)
             Sprintf(eos(buf), " (%c)", def);
         Strcat(buf, " ");
@@ -2175,11 +2180,23 @@ X11_yn_function(const char *ques,
                       : index(choices, 'n') ? 'n'
                         : def);
     } else {
-        if ((int) (1 + strlen(ques) + 1) >= BUFSZ)
-            panic("X11_yn_function:  question too long");
+        int ln = ((int) strlen(ques)        /* prompt text */
+                  + 1                       /* a trailing space */
+                  + 1);                     /* \0 terminator */
+        if (ln >= BUFSZ)
+            panic("X11_yn_function:  question too long (%d)", ln);
         Strcpy(buf, ques);
         Strcat(buf, " ");
     }
+    /* for popup-style, add some extra elbow room to the prompt to
+       enhance its visibility; there's no cursor shown, just the text */
+    if (!appResources.slow) {
+        char buf2[BUFSZ];
+
+        /* insert one leading space and two extra trailing spaces */
+        Strcpy(buf2, buf);
+        Snprintf(buf, sizeof buf, " %s  ", buf2);
+    }
 
     /*
      * The 'slow' resource is misleadingly named.  When it is True, we
@@ -2245,19 +2262,19 @@ X11_yn_function(const char *ques,
     yn_getting_num = FALSE;
     (void) x_event(EXIT_ON_EXIT); /* get keystroke(s) */
 
+    /* erase and then remove the prompt */
+    num_args = 0;
+    XtSetArg(args[num_args], XtNlabel, " "); num_args++;
+    XtSetValues(yn_label, args, num_args);
     if (appResources.slow) {
-        /* keystrokes now belong to the map */
-        input_func = 0;
-        /* erase the prompt */
-        num_args = 0;
-        XtSetArg(args[num_args], XtNlabel, " "); num_args++;
-        XtSetValues(yn_label, args, num_args);
+        input_func = 0; /* keystrokes now belong to the map */
         highlight_yn(FALSE); /* disguise yn_label as part of map */
     } else {
         nh_XtPopdown(yn_popup); /* this removes the event grab */
     }
 
-    pline("%s%c", buf, (yn_return != '\033') ? yn_return : '\0');
+    char *p = trimspaces(buf); /* remove !slow's extra whitespace */
+    pline("%s %s", p, (yn_return == '\033') ? "ESC" : visctrl(yn_return));
 
     return yn_return;
 }