diff --git a/doc/fixes36.2 b/doc/fixes36.2
index 92bbd1770..0d95c8fde 100644
--- a/doc/fixes36.2
+++ b/doc/fixes36.2
@@ -99,6 +99,7 @@ prevent wish prompt input from remembering the previous wish
 parchment and vellum are made from animal skin so change material composition
 	and color for spellbooks with those descriptions from paper to leather;
 	eating those books now breaks vegetarian conduct
+fix monsters not wielding digging implements
 
 
 Fixes to Post-3.6.1 Problems that Were Exposed Via git Repository
diff --git a/src/monmove.c b/src/monmove.c
index cdef76f89..99efdbbbf 100644
--- a/src/monmove.c
+++ b/src/monmove.c
@@ -716,25 +716,25 @@ struct monst *mtmp;
 xchar nix,niy;
 {
     boolean can_tunnel = 0;
-    struct obj *mw_tmp;
+    struct obj *mw_tmp = MON_WEP(mtmp);
 
     if (!Is_rogue_level(&u.uz))
         can_tunnel = tunnels(mtmp->data);
 
-    if (can_tunnel && needspick(mtmp->data)
-        && mtmp->weapon_check != NO_WEAPON_WANTED
-        && ((IS_ROCK(levl[nix][niy].typ) && may_dig(nix, niy))
-            || closed_door(nix, niy))) {
+    if (can_tunnel && needspick(mtmp->data) && !mwelded(mw_tmp)
+        && (may_dig(nix, niy) || closed_door(nix, niy))) {
+        /* may_dig() is either IS_STWALL or IS_TREE */
         if (closed_door(nix, niy)) {
-            if (!(mw_tmp = MON_WEP(mtmp))
+            if (!mw_tmp
                 || !is_pick(mw_tmp)
                 || !is_axe(mw_tmp))
                 mtmp->weapon_check = NEED_PICK_OR_AXE;
         } else if (IS_TREE(levl[nix][niy].typ)) {
             if (!(mw_tmp = MON_WEP(mtmp)) || !is_axe(mw_tmp))
                 mtmp->weapon_check = NEED_AXE;
-        } else if (!(mw_tmp = MON_WEP(mtmp)) || !is_pick(mw_tmp)) {
-            mtmp->weapon_check = NEED_PICK_AXE;
+        } else if (IS_STWALL(levl[nix][niy].typ)) {
+            if (!(mw_tmp = MON_WEP(mtmp)) || !is_pick(mw_tmp))
+                mtmp->weapon_check = NEED_PICK_AXE;
         }
         if (mtmp->weapon_check >= NEED_PICK_AXE && mon_wield_item(mtmp))
             return TRUE;