diff --git a/doc/fixes37.0 b/doc/fixes37.0
index d4a83e844..6a52bd5fc 100644
--- a/doc/fixes37.0
+++ b/doc/fixes37.0
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-NHDT-Branch: NetHack-3.7 $:$NHDT-Revision: 1.400 $ $NHDT-Date: 1608749030 2020/12/23 18:43:50 $
+NHDT-Branch: NetHack-3.7 $:$NHDT-Revision: 1.401 $ $NHDT-Date: 1608846067 2020/12/24 21:41:07 $
 
 General Fixes and Modified Features
 -----------------------------------
@@ -445,6 +445,9 @@ a long worm with no visible segments (but one internal segment) might trigger
 	warning: tail 'segement' at <0,some_y>, worm at <mx,my> if teleported
 adding displacer beast inadvertently introduced a regression in swapping with
 	pets, allowing them to be pulled into water by hero on/over water
+splitting #if MAIL into #if MAIL_STRUCTURES and #if MAIL made it possible to
+	wish for and write scrolls of mail with MAIL disabled, but attempting
+	to read such a scroll issued impossible "What weird effect is this?"
 
 curses: 'msg_window' option wasn't functional for curses unless the binary
 	also included tty support
diff --git a/src/invent.c b/src/invent.c
index 63f7904a9..5f14e2f46 100644
--- a/src/invent.c
+++ b/src/invent.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* NetHack 3.7	invent.c	$NHDT-Date: 1606765212 2020/11/30 19:40:12 $  $NHDT-Branch: NetHack-3.7 $:$NHDT-Revision: 1.308 $ */
+/* NetHack 3.7	invent.c	$NHDT-Date: 1608846067 2020/12/24 21:41:07 $  $NHDT-Branch: NetHack-3.7 $:$NHDT-Revision: 1.310 $ */
 /* Copyright (c) Stichting Mathematisch Centrum, Amsterdam, 1985. */
 /*-Copyright (c) Derek S. Ray, 2015. */
 /* NetHack may be freely redistributed.  See license for details. */
@@ -3784,6 +3784,15 @@ register struct obj *otmp, *obj;
         : (!has_omailcmd(otmp) || strcmp(OMAILCMD(obj), OMAILCMD(otmp)) != 0))
         return FALSE;
 
+#ifdef MAIL_STRUCTURES
+    if (obj->otyp == SCR_MAIL
+        /* wished or bones mail and hand written stamped scrolls
+           each have two flavors; spe keeps them separate from each
+           other but we want to keep their flavors separate too */
+        && obj->spe > 0 && (obj->o_id % 2) != (otmp->o_id % 2))
+        return FALSE;
+#endif
+
     /* should be moot since matching artifacts wouldn't be unique */
     if (obj->oartifact != otmp->oartifact)
         return FALSE;
diff --git a/src/read.c b/src/read.c
index 6f8505dba..30809567e 100644
--- a/src/read.c
+++ b/src/read.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* NetHack 3.7	read.c	$NHDT-Date: 1607945439 2020/12/14 11:30:39 $  $NHDT-Branch: NetHack-3.7 $:$NHDT-Revision: 1.205 $ */
+/* NetHack 3.7	read.c	$NHDT-Date: 1608846072 2020/12/24 21:41:12 $  $NHDT-Branch: NetHack-3.7 $:$NHDT-Revision: 1.207 $ */
 /* Copyright (c) Stichting Mathematisch Centrum, Amsterdam, 1985. */
 /*-Copyright (c) Robert Patrick Rankin, 2012. */
 /* NetHack may be freely redistributed.  See license for details. */
@@ -436,7 +436,7 @@ doread()
     }
 
     confused = (Confusion != 0);
-#ifdef MAIL
+#ifdef MAIL_STRUCTURES
     if (otyp == SCR_MAIL) {
         confused = FALSE; /* override */
         /* reading mail is a convenience for the player and takes
@@ -953,22 +953,38 @@ struct obj *sobj; /* scroll, or fake spellbook object for scroll-like spell */
                      || objects[otyp].oc_name_known);
 
     switch (otyp) {
-#ifdef MAIL
-    case SCR_MAIL:
+#ifdef MAIL_STRUCTURES
+    case SCR_MAIL: {
+        boolean odd = (sobj->o_id % 2) == 1;
+
         g.known = TRUE;
-        if (sobj->spe == 2)
+        switch (sobj->spe) {
+        case 2:
             /* "stamped scroll" created via magic marker--without a stamp */
-            pline("This scroll is marked \"postage due\".");
-        else if (sobj->spe)
+            pline("This scroll is marked \"%s\".",
+                  odd ? "Postage Due" : "Return to Sender");
+            break;
+        case 1:
             /* scroll of mail obtained from bones file or from wishing;
-             * note to the puzzled: the game Larn actually sends you junk
-             * mail if you win!
-             */
-            pline(
-    "This seems to be junk mail addressed to the finder of the Eye of Larn.");
-        else
+               note to the puzzled: the game Larn actually sends you junk
+               mail if you win! */
+            pline("This seems to be %s.",
+                  odd ? "a chain letter threatening your luck"
+                  : "junk mail addressed to the finder of the Eye of Larn");
+            break;
+        default:
+#ifdef MAIL
             readmail(sobj);
+#else
+            /* unreachable since with MAIL undefined, sobj->spe won't be 0;
+               as a precaution, be prepared to give arbitrary feedback;
+               caller has already reported that it disappears upon reading */
+            pline("That was a scroll of mail?");
+#endif
+            break;
+        }
         break;
+    }
 #endif
     case SCR_ENCHANT_ARMOR: {
         register schar s;