diff --git a/include/flag.h b/include/flag.h
index fe5b78ab0..1b73cb0e6 100644
--- a/include/flag.h
+++ b/include/flag.h
@@ -196,6 +196,7 @@ struct instance_flags {
     boolean lua_testing;   /* doing lua tests */
     boolean partly_eaten_hack; /* extra flag for xname() used when it's called
                                 * indirectly so we can't use xname_flags() */
+    boolean remember_getpos; /* save getpos() positioning in do-again queue */
     boolean sad_feeling;   /* unseen pet is dying */
     int at_midnight;       /* only valid during end of game disclosure */
     int at_night;          /* also only valid during end of game disclosure */
diff --git a/src/do_name.c b/src/do_name.c
index 0c6c24cca..cee5c2efe 100644
--- a/src/do_name.c
+++ b/src/do_name.c
@@ -775,7 +775,10 @@ getpos(coord *ccp, boolean force, const char *goal)
             free(cmdq);
         } else {
             c = readchar_poskey(&tx, &ty, &sidx);
-            if (!g.in_doagain)
+            /* remember_getpos is normally False because reusing the
+               current positioning during ^A is almost never the right
+               thing to do, but caller could set it if that was needed */
+            if (iflags.remember_getpos && !g.in_doagain)
                 cmdq_add_key(CQ_REPEAT, c);
         }