diff --git a/src/apply.c b/src/apply.c
index 1b4dad81c..6eaf53dd4 100644
--- a/src/apply.c
+++ b/src/apply.c
@@ -2798,9 +2798,12 @@ doapply()
 		    otmp->blessed = obj->blessed;
 		    otmp->cursed = obj->cursed;
 		    otmp->owt = weight(otmp);
-		    otmp = hold_another_object(otmp,
-					(u.uswallow || Is_airlevel(&u.uz) ||
-					 u.uinwater || Is_waterlevel(&u.uz)) ?
+		    otmp = hold_another_object(otmp, u.uswallow ?
+				       "Oops!  %s out of your reach!" :
+					(Is_airlevel(&u.uz) ||
+					 Is_waterlevel(&u.uz) ||
+					 levl[u.ux][u.uy].typ < IRONBARS ||
+					 levl[u.ux][u.uy].typ >= ICE) ?
 					       "Oops!  %s away from you!" :
 					       "Oops!  %s to the floor!",
 					       The(aobjnam(otmp, "slip")),
diff --git a/src/zap.c b/src/zap.c
index ca26d524c..2d2ccc40f 100644
--- a/src/zap.c
+++ b/src/zap.c
@@ -4073,7 +4073,10 @@ retry:
 		/* The(aobjnam()) is safe since otmp is unidentified -dlc */
 		(void) hold_another_object(otmp, u.uswallow ?
 				       "Oops!  %s out of your reach!" :
-				       Is_airlevel(&u.uz) || u.uinwater ?
+				       (Is_airlevel(&u.uz) ||
+					Is_waterlevel(&u.uz) ||
+					levl[u.ux][u.uy].typ < IRONBARS ||
+					levl[u.ux][u.uy].typ >= ICE) ?
 				       "Oops!  %s away from you!" :
 				       "Oops!  %s to the floor!",
 				       The(aobjnam(otmp,