diff --git a/include/extern.h b/include/extern.h
index 4a3320078..a878d569c 100644
--- a/include/extern.h
+++ b/include/extern.h
@@ -988,6 +988,10 @@ E int FDECL(macwrite, (int,void *,unsigned));
 E long FDECL(macseek, (int,long,short));
 E int FDECL(macunlink, (const char *));
 
+/* ### macmain.c ### */
+
+E boolean NDECL(authorize_wizard_mode);
+
 /* ### macsnd.c ### */
 
 E void FDECL(mac_speaker, (struct obj *,char *));
@@ -1574,6 +1578,7 @@ E int FDECL(load_symset, (const char *,int));
 E void FDECL(parsesymbols, (char *));
 E struct symparse *FDECL(match_sym, (char *));
 #endif
+E void NDECL(set_playmode);
 
 /* ### pager.c ### */
 
@@ -1592,6 +1597,7 @@ E int FDECL(do_look, (int, coord *));
 # ifdef CHDIR
 E void FDECL(chdirx, (char *,BOOLEAN_P));
 # endif /* CHDIR */
+E boolean NDECL(authorize_wizard_mode);
 #endif /* MICRO || WIN32 */
 
 /* ### pcsys.c ### */
@@ -2280,9 +2286,9 @@ E int FDECL(flash_hits_mon, (struct monst *,struct obj *));
 E void NDECL(port_help);
 # endif
 E void FDECL(sethanguphandler, (void (*)(int)));
+E boolean NDECL(authorize_wizard_mode);
 #endif /* UNIX */
 
-
 /* ### unixtty.c ### */
 
 #if defined(UNIX) || defined(__BEOS__)
@@ -2409,6 +2415,7 @@ E int FDECL(main, (int, char **));
 E void FDECL(chdirx, (const char *,BOOLEAN_P));
 # endif /* CHDIR */
 E void FDECL(sethanguphandler, (void (*)(int)));
+E boolean NDECL(authorize_wizard_mode);
 
 /* ### vmsmisc.c ### */
 
diff --git a/src/options.c b/src/options.c
index e3e8e9c35..ed39ac0e7 100644
--- a/src/options.c
+++ b/src/options.c
@@ -4485,6 +4485,26 @@ char *op;
 	return 1;
 }
 
+/* set up for wizard mode if player or save file has requested to it;
+   called from port-specific startup code to handle `nethack -D' or
+   OPTIONS=playmode:debug, or from dorecover()'s restgamestate() if
+   restoring a game which was saved in wizard mode */
+void
+set_playmode()
+{
+    if (wizard) {
+#ifdef WIZARD
+	if (authorize_wizard_mode())
+	    Strcpy(plname, "wizard");
+	else
+#endif
+	    wizard = FALSE;	/* not allowed or not available */
+	/* force explore mode if we didn't make it into wizard mode */
+	discover = !wizard;
+    }
+    /* don't need to do anything special for explore mode or normal play */
+}
+
 #endif	/* OPTION_LISTS_ONLY */
 
 /*options.c*/
diff --git a/src/restore.c b/src/restore.c
index 39dc2def9..ed50634e1 100644
--- a/src/restore.c
+++ b/src/restore.c
@@ -546,13 +546,12 @@ unsigned int *stuckid, *steedid;	/* STEED */
 	/* wizard and discover are actually flags.debug and flags.explore;
 	   player might be overriding the save file values for them */
 	if (newgameflags.explore) discover = TRUE;
-	if (newgameflags.debug) wizard = TRUE;
-	if (wizard) {
-#ifdef WIZARD
-	    discover = FALSE;
-#else
-	    discover = TRUE, wizard = FALSE;
-#endif
+	if (newgameflags.debug) {
+	    /* authorized by startup code; wizard mode exists and is allowed */
+	    wizard = TRUE, discover = FALSE;
+	} else if (wizard) {
+	    /* specified by save file; check authorization now */
+	    set_playmode();
 	}
 #ifdef SYSFLAGS
 	newgamesysflags = sysflags;
diff --git a/sys/be/bemain.c b/sys/be/bemain.c
index bae1c1e3c..4050d10fb 100644
--- a/sys/be/bemain.c
+++ b/sys/be/bemain.c
@@ -11,8 +11,6 @@ static void process_options(int argc, char **argv);
 static void chdirx(const char *dir);
 static void getlock(void);
 
-static void NDECL(set_playmode);
-
 #ifdef __begui__
 	#define MAIN nhmain
 	int nhmain(int argc, char **argv);
@@ -238,26 +236,15 @@ void getlock(void)
 }
 
 /* validate wizard mode if player has requested access to it */
-static void
-set_playmode()
+boolean
+authorize_wizard_mode()
 {
-    if (wizard) {
 #ifdef WIZARD
 	/* other ports validate user name or character name here */
+	return TRUE;
 #else
-	wizard = FALSE;
+	return FALSE;
 #endif
-
-	if (!wizard) {
-	    discover = TRUE; 
-#ifdef WIZARD
-	} else {
-	    discover = FALSE;	/* paranoia */
-	    Strcpy(plname, "wizard");
-#endif
-	}
-    }
-    /* don't need to do anything special for explore mode or normal play */
 }
 
 #ifndef __begui__
diff --git a/sys/mac/macmain.c b/sys/mac/macmain.c
index 051118d73..976352b43 100644
--- a/sys/mac/macmain.c
+++ b/sys/mac/macmain.c
@@ -24,8 +24,6 @@
 #include <fcntl.h>
 #endif
 
-static void NDECL(set_playmode);
-
 static void finder_file_request(void);
 int main(void);
 
@@ -271,26 +269,15 @@ finder_file_request(void)
 }
 
 /* validate wizard mode if player has requested access to it */
-static void
-set_playmode()
+boolean
+authorize_wizard_mode()
 {
-    if (wizard) {
 #ifdef WIZARD
 	/* other ports validate user name or character name here */
+	return TRUE;
 #else
-	wizard = FALSE;
+	return FALSE;
 #endif
-
-	if (!wizard) {
-	    discover = TRUE; 
-#ifdef WIZARD
-	} else {
-	    discover = FALSE;	/* paranoia */
-	    Strcpy(plname, "wizard");
-#endif
-	}
-    }
-    /* don't need to do anything special for explore mode or normal play */
 }
 
 /*macmain.c*/
diff --git a/sys/share/pcmain.c b/sys/share/pcmain.c
index d970dab48..9cf939004 100644
--- a/sys/share/pcmain.c
+++ b/sys/share/pcmain.c
@@ -66,8 +66,6 @@ extern int redirect_stdout;		/* from sys/share/pcsys.c */
 extern void NDECL(mswin_destroy_reg);
 #endif
 
-STATIC_DCL void NDECL(set_playmode);
-
 #ifdef EXEPATH
 STATIC_DCL char *FDECL(exepath,(char *));
 #endif
@@ -697,26 +695,13 @@ port_help()
 #endif
 
 /* validate wizard mode if player has requested access to it */
-STATIC_OVL void
-set_playmode()
+boolean
+authorize_wizard_mode()
 {
-    if (wizard) {
 #ifdef WIZARD
-	if (strcmp(plname, WIZARD_NAME)) wizard = FALSE;
-#else
-	wizard = FALSE;
+	if (!strcmp(plname, WIZARD_NAME)) return TRUE;
 #endif
-
-	if (!wizard) {
-	    discover = TRUE; 
-#ifdef WIZARD
-	} else {
-	    discover = FALSE;	/* paranoia */
-	    Strcpy(plname, "wizard");
-#endif
-	}
-    }
-    /* don't need to do anything special for explore mode or normal play */
+	return FALSE;
 }
 
 #ifdef EXEPATH
diff --git a/sys/unix/unixmain.c b/sys/unix/unixmain.c
index 2ab066e39..5d40e5f02 100644
--- a/sys/unix/unixmain.c
+++ b/sys/unix/unixmain.c
@@ -39,7 +39,6 @@ extern void NDECL(check_linux_console);
 extern void NDECL(init_linux_cons);
 #endif
 
-static void NDECL(set_playmode);
 static void NDECL(wd_message);
 static boolean wiz_error_flag = FALSE;
 
@@ -507,10 +506,9 @@ port_help()
 #endif
 
 /* validate wizard mode if player has requested access to it */
-static void
-set_playmode()
+boolean
+authorize_wizard_mode()
 {
-    if (wizard) {
 #ifdef WIZARD
 	char *user;
 	int uid;
@@ -532,21 +530,9 @@ set_playmode()
 		pw = getpwuid(uid);
 	    }
 	}
-	if (!pw || strcmp(pw->pw_name, WIZARD_NAME)) wizard = FALSE;
-#else	/* !WIZARD */
-	wizard = FALSE;
-#endif	/* ?WIZARD */
-
-	if (!wizard) {
-	    discover = wiz_error_flag = TRUE; 
-#ifdef WIZARD
-	} else {
-	    discover = FALSE;	/* paranoia */
-	    Strcpy(plname, "wizard");
-#endif
-	}
-    }
-    /* don't need to do anything special for explore mode or normal play */
+	if (pw && !strcmp(pw->pw_name, WIZARD_NAME)) return TRUE;
+#endif	/* WIZARD */
+	return FALSE;
 }
 
 static void
diff --git a/sys/vms/vmsmain.c b/sys/vms/vmsmain.c
index 9af7b859f..3bdb5dcb0 100644
--- a/sys/vms/vmsmain.c
+++ b/sys/vms/vmsmain.c
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ static vms_handler_type FDECL(vms_handler, (genericptr_t,genericptr_t));
 #include <ssdef.h>	/* system service status codes */
 #endif
 
-static void NDECL(set_playmode);
 static void NDECL(wd_message);
 static boolean wiz_error_flag = FALSE;
 
@@ -435,26 +434,13 @@ port_help()
    to match it, avoiding need to test which one to use in string ops */
 
 /* validate wizard mode if player has requested access to it */
-static void
-set_playmode()
+boolean
+authorize_wizard_mode()
 {
-    if (wizard) {
 #ifdef WIZARD
-	if (strcmpi(nh_getenv("USER"), WIZARD_NAME)) wizard = FALSE;
-#else
-	wizard = FALSE;
+	if (!strcmpi(nh_getenv("USER"), WIZARD_NAME)) return TRUE;
 #endif
-
-	if (!wizard) {
-	    discover = wiz_error_flag = TRUE; 
-#ifdef WIZARD
-	} else {
-	    discover = FALSE;	/* paranoia */
-	    Strcpy(plname, "wizard");
-#endif
-	}
-    }
-    /* don't need to do anything special for explore mode or normal play */
+	return FALSE;
 }
 
 static void