diff --git a/doc/fixes36.1 b/doc/fixes36.1
index bf9cc0be9..051820f47 100644
--- a/doc/fixes36.1
+++ b/doc/fixes36.1
@@ -139,6 +139,11 @@ monsters fleeing up the upstairs on level 1 were supposed to escape the
 monster hitting fire-dealing monster with weapon triggered passive damage to
 	weapon every time, when hero doing so only had 1/6 chance per hit
 hitting steam vortex with flammable weapon would damage the weapon with fire
+if a non-cursed spellbook being read becomes cursed and hero recognizes that
+	(bknown is set), interrupt reading
+if a non-cursed spellbook being read becomes cursed and hero doesn't notice,
+	don't leave it flagged as in-use (hence to be deleted during the
+	next save/restore cycle) if contact-poison cursed book effect occurs
 
 
 Platform- and/or Interface-Specific Fixes
diff --git a/include/extern.h b/include/extern.h
index 3c0abfaab..7b6fe3d0c 100644
--- a/include/extern.h
+++ b/include/extern.h
@@ -2197,6 +2197,7 @@ E boolean FDECL(load_special, (const char *));
 
 /* ### spell.c ### */
 
+E void FDECL(book_cursed, (struct obj *));
 #ifdef USE_TRAMPOLI
 E int NDECL(learn);
 #endif
diff --git a/src/mkobj.c b/src/mkobj.c
index 277fe8b46..ef0af3eec 100644
--- a/src/mkobj.c
+++ b/src/mkobj.c
@@ -1247,12 +1247,14 @@ void
 curse(otmp)
 register struct obj *otmp;
 {
+    unsigned already_cursed;
     int old_light = 0;
 
     if (otmp->oclass == COIN_CLASS)
         return;
     if (otmp->lamplit)
         old_light = arti_light_radius(otmp);
+    already_cursed = otmp->cursed;
     otmp->blessed = 0;
     otmp->cursed = 1;
     /* welded two-handed weapon interferes with some armor removal */
@@ -1263,14 +1265,18 @@ register struct obj *otmp;
     if (otmp == uswapwep && u.twoweap)
         drop_uswapwep();
     /* some cursed items need immediate updating */
-    if (carried(otmp) && confers_luck(otmp))
+    if (carried(otmp) && confers_luck(otmp)) {
         set_moreluck();
-    else if (otmp->otyp == BAG_OF_HOLDING)
+    } else if (otmp->otyp == BAG_OF_HOLDING) {
         otmp->owt = weight(otmp);
-    else if (otmp->otyp == FIGURINE) {
+    } else if (otmp->otyp == FIGURINE) {
         if (otmp->corpsenm != NON_PM && !dead_species(otmp->corpsenm, TRUE)
             && (carried(otmp) || mcarried(otmp)))
             attach_fig_transform_timeout(otmp);
+    } else if (otmp->oclass == SPBOOK_CLASS) {
+        /* if book hero is reading becomes cursed, interrupt */
+        if (!already_cursed)
+            book_cursed(otmp);
     }
     if (otmp->lamplit)
         maybe_adjust_light(otmp, old_light);
diff --git a/src/spell.c b/src/spell.c
index 436919276..6110a8472 100644
--- a/src/spell.c
+++ b/src/spell.c
@@ -120,6 +120,7 @@ STATIC_OVL boolean
 cursed_book(bp)
 struct obj *bp;
 {
+    boolean was_in_use;
     int lev = objects[bp->otyp].oc_level;
     int dmg = 0;
 
@@ -149,11 +150,12 @@ struct obj *bp;
             break;
         }
         /* temp disable in_use; death should not destroy the book */
+        was_in_use = bp->in_use;
         bp->in_use = FALSE;
         losestr(Poison_resistance ? rn1(2, 1) : rn1(4, 3));
         losehp(rnd(Poison_resistance ? 6 : 10), "contact-poisoned spellbook",
                KILLED_BY_AN);
-        bp->in_use = TRUE;
+        bp->in_use = was_in_use;
         break;
     case 6:
         if (Antimagic) {
@@ -322,6 +324,17 @@ struct obj *book2;
     return;
 }
 
+/* 'book' has just become cursed; if we're reading it and realize it is
+   now cursed, interrupt */
+void
+book_cursed(book)
+struct obj *book;
+{
+    if (occupation == learn && context.spbook.book == book
+        && book->cursed && book->bknown && multi >= 0)
+        stop_occupation();
+}
+
 STATIC_PTR int
 learn(VOID_ARGS)
 {
@@ -344,9 +357,8 @@ learn(VOID_ARGS)
         context.spbook.delay = 0;
         return 0;
     }
-    if (context
-            .spbook.delay) { /* not if (context.spbook.delay++), so at end
-                                delay == 0 */
+    if (context.spbook.delay) {
+        /* not if (context.spbook.delay++), so at end delay == 0 */
         context.spbook.delay++;
         return 1; /* still busy */
     }
@@ -516,15 +528,16 @@ register struct obj *spellbook;
                 too_hard = TRUE;
             } else {
                 /* uncursed - chance to fail */
-                int read_ability =
-                    ACURR(A_INT) + 4 + u.ulevel / 2
-                    - 2 * objects[booktype].oc_level
-                    + ((ublindf && ublindf->otyp == LENSES) ? 2 : 0);
+                int read_ability = ACURR(A_INT) + 4 + u.ulevel / 2
+                                   - 2 * objects[booktype].oc_level
+                             + ((ublindf && ublindf->otyp == LENSES) ? 2 : 0);
+
                 /* only wizards know if a spell is too difficult */
                 if (Role_if(PM_WIZARD) && read_ability < 20 && !confused) {
                     char qbuf[QBUFSZ];
+
                     Sprintf(qbuf,
-                     "This spellbook is %sdifficult to comprehend. Continue?",
+                    "This spellbook is %sdifficult to comprehend.  Continue?",
                             (read_ability < 12 ? "very " : ""));
                     if (yn(qbuf) != 'y') {
                         spellbook->in_use = FALSE;