diff --git a/sys/unix/hints/include/general-pre.370 b/sys/unix/hints/include/general-pre.370
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..c2dd82704
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sys/unix/hints/include/general-pre.370
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+# NetHack 3.7  general-pre.370 $NHDT-Date: 1599687610 2020/09/09 21:40:10 $  $NHDT-Branch: NetHack-3.7 $:$NHDT-Revision: 1.11 $
+
+ifdef MAKEFILE_TOP
+mkfile_path := $(abspath $(lastword $(MAKEFILE_LIST)))
+mkfile_dir := $(dir $(mkfile_path))
+SUPATH :=$(mkfile_dir)sys/unix/
+#$(info $(.VARIABLES))
+ifeq ($(MAKELEVEL),0)
+notified=0
+# Check the placed Makefiles against the time stamp
+# of their source in sys/unix, and report if appropriate.
+MFCHECKDAT := $(shell [ $(SUPATH)Makefile.dat -nt $(mkfile_dir)dat/Makefile ] \
+	&& echo "outdated")
+MFCHECKSRC := $(shell [ $(SUPATH)Makefile.src -nt $(mkfile_dir)src/Makefile ] \
+	&& echo "outdated")
+MFCHECKUTL := $(shell [ $(SUPATH)Makefile.utl -nt $(mkfile_dir)util/Makefile ] \
+	&& echo "outdated")
+MFCHECKDOC := $(shell [ $(SUPATH)Makefile.doc -nt $(mkfile_dir)doc/Makefile ] \
+	&& echo "outdated")
+MFCHECKTOP := $(shell [ $(SUPATH)Makefile.top -nt $(mkfile_dir)Makefile ] \
+	&& echo "outdated")
+ifeq ($(MFCHECKDAT),outdated)
+$(info Attention: ../sys/unix/Makefile.dat is newer than dat/Makefile)
+notified=1
+endif
+ifeq ($(MFCHECKSRC),outdated)
+$(info Attention: ../sys/unix/Makefile.src is newer than src/Makefile)
+notified=1
+endif
+ifeq ($(MFCHECKUTL),outdated)
+$(info Attention: ../sys/unix/Makefile.utl is newer than util/Makefile)
+notified=1
+endif
+ifeq ($(MFCHECKDOC),outdated)
+$(info Attention: ../sys/unix/Makefile.doc is newer than doc/Makefile)
+notified=1
+endif
+ifeq ($(MFCHECKTOP),outdated)
+$(info Attention: ../sys/unix/Makefile.top is newer than Makefile)
+notified=1
+endif
+ifneq (notified,0)
+$(info You should consider re-executing sys/unix/setup.sh)
+$(info )
+endif  # notified
+endif  # MAKELEVEL = 0
+endif  # MAKEFILE_TOP
+# --- end of general-post.370
diff --git a/sys/unix/hints/linux.370 b/sys/unix/hints/linux.370
index 00e89022c..580f5aad3 100755
--- a/sys/unix/hints/linux.370
+++ b/sys/unix/hints/linux.370
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@
 # as Ubuntu focal).
 
 # note: '#-INCLUDE' is not just a comment
+#
+#-INCLUDE general-pre.370
 #        multiw-1.370 contains sections 1 to 2
 #-INCLUDE multiw-1.370
 
diff --git a/sys/unix/hints/macOS.370 b/sys/unix/hints/macOS.370
index ed49a8c4f..0e4aacdb3 100755
--- a/sys/unix/hints/macOS.370
+++ b/sys/unix/hints/macOS.370
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@
 #
 
 # note: '#-INCLUDE' is not just a comment; multiw-1 contains sections 1 to 2
+#-INCLUDE general-pre.370
+#
 #-INCLUDE multiw-1.370
 
 ifneq "$(USEMACPORTS)" "1"