diff --git a/src/do.c b/src/do.c
index 7a20e1d1c..9a998309c 100644
--- a/src/do.c
+++ b/src/do.c
@@ -955,7 +955,7 @@ menu_drop(int retry)
     int n, i, n_dropped = 0;
     struct obj *otmp, *otmp2;
     menu_item *pick_list;
-    boolean all_categories = TRUE, drop_everything = FALSE, autopick = FALSE;
+    boolean all_categories = TRUE, autopick = FALSE;
     boolean drop_justpicked = FALSE;
     long justpicked_quan = 0;
 
@@ -968,21 +968,19 @@ menu_drop(int retry)
                             | BUC_BLESSED | BUC_CURSED | BUC_UNCURSED
                             | BUC_UNKNOWN | JUSTPICKED | INCLUDE_VENOM),
                            &pick_list, PICK_ANY);
-        if (!n)
-            goto drop_done;
+        if (!n || (n == 1 && pick_list[0].item.a_int == 'A'))
+            goto drop_done; /* no non-autopick category filters specified */
         for (i = 0; i < n; i++) {
             if (pick_list[i].item.a_int == ALL_TYPES_SELECTED) {
                 all_categories = TRUE;
             } else if (pick_list[i].item.a_int == 'A') {
-                drop_everything = autopick = TRUE;
+                autopick = TRUE;
             } else if (pick_list[i].item.a_int == 'P') {
                 justpicked_quan = max(0, pick_list[i].count);
                 drop_justpicked = TRUE;
-                drop_everything = FALSE;
                 add_valid_menu_class(pick_list[i].item.a_int);
             } else {
                 add_valid_menu_class(pick_list[i].item.a_int);
-                drop_everything = FALSE;
             }
         }
         free((genericptr_t) pick_list);
@@ -1021,7 +1019,7 @@ menu_drop(int retry)
          */
         bypass_objlist(gi.invent, FALSE); /* clear bypass bit for invent */
         while ((otmp = nxt_unbypassed_obj(gi.invent)) != 0) {
-            if (drop_everything || all_categories || allow_category(otmp))
+            if (all_categories || allow_category(otmp))
                 n_dropped += ((drop(otmp) & ECMD_TIME) != 0) ? 1 : 0;
         }
         /* we might not have dropped everything (worn armor, welded weapon,
@@ -1043,7 +1041,7 @@ menu_drop(int retry)
             /*
              * picklist[] contains a set of pointers into inventory, but
              * as soon as something gets dropped, they might become stale
-             * (see the drop_everything code above for an explanation).
+             * (see the autopick code above for an explanation).
              * Just checking to see whether one is still in the gi.invent
              * chain is not sufficient validation since destroyed items
              * will be freed and items we've split here might have already
diff --git a/src/pickup.c b/src/pickup.c
index 6474c9973..79c84554d 100644
--- a/src/pickup.c
+++ b/src/pickup.c
@@ -504,6 +504,11 @@ allow_all(struct obj *obj UNUSED)
 boolean
 allow_category(struct obj *obj)
 {
+    /* If no filters are active, nothing will match. */
+    if (!gc.class_filter && !gs.shop_filter && !gb.bucx_filter
+        && !gp.picked_filter)
+        return FALSE;
+
     /* For coins, if any class filter is specified, accept if coins
      * are included regardless of whether either unpaid or BUC-status
      * is also specified since player has explicitly requested coins.
@@ -3166,7 +3171,7 @@ static int
 menu_loot(int retry, boolean put_in)
 {
     int n, i, n_looted = 0;
-    boolean all_categories = TRUE, loot_everything = FALSE, autopick = FALSE;
+    boolean all_categories = TRUE, autopick = FALSE;
     char buf[BUFSZ];
     boolean loot_justpicked = FALSE;
     const char *action = put_in ? "Put in" : "Take out";
@@ -3187,21 +3192,19 @@ menu_loot(int retry, boolean put_in)
         n = query_category(buf,
                            put_in ? gi.invent : gc.current_container->cobj,
                            mflags, &pick_list, PICK_ANY);
-        if (!n)
-            return ECMD_OK;
+        if (!n || (n == 1 && pick_list[0].item.a_int == 'A'))
+            return ECMD_OK; /* no non-autopick category filters specified */
         for (i = 0; i < n; i++) {
             if (pick_list[i].item.a_int == 'A') {
-                loot_everything = autopick = TRUE;
+                autopick = TRUE;
             } else if (put_in && pick_list[i].item.a_int == 'P') {
                 loot_justpicked = TRUE;
                 count = max(0, pick_list[i].count);
                 add_valid_menu_class(pick_list[i].item.a_int);
-                loot_everything = FALSE;
             } else if (pick_list[i].item.a_int == ALL_TYPES_SELECTED) {
                 all_categories = TRUE;
             } else {
                 add_valid_menu_class(pick_list[i].item.a_int);
-                loot_everything = FALSE;
             }
         }
         free((genericptr_t) pick_list);
@@ -3228,7 +3231,7 @@ menu_loot(int retry, boolean put_in)
          */
         for (otmp = firstobj; otmp && gc.current_container; otmp = otmp2) {
             otmp2 = otmp->nobj;
-            if (loot_everything || all_categories || allow_category(otmp)) {
+            if (all_categories || allow_category(otmp)) {
                 res = (*inout_func)(otmp);
                 if (res < 0)
                     break;