diff --git a/doc/fixes36.1 b/doc/fixes36.1
index 5ad9d072a..ce42dc224 100644
--- a/doc/fixes36.1
+++ b/doc/fixes36.1
@@ -404,6 +404,8 @@ artifact creation violated illiterate conduct when artifact name was assigned,
 	behavior intended only for creating Sting or Orcrist via naming
 tty: revert to pline() for issuing prompts (override MSGTYPE=hide differently)
 previous tty-revert fix had the override test backwards, breaking MSGTYPE
+save 'autodescribe' option value prior to detection or #terrain display and
+	restore it after rather than leave it forced on
 
 
 Platform- and/or Interface-Specific Fixes
diff --git a/src/detect.c b/src/detect.c
index a46cf47f9..def22469e 100644
--- a/src/detect.c
+++ b/src/detect.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* NetHack 3.6	detect.c	$NHDT-Date: 1463191981 2016/05/14 02:13:01 $  $NHDT-Branch: NetHack-3.6.0 $:$NHDT-Revision: 1.70 $ */
+/* NetHack 3.6	detect.c	$NHDT-Date: 1491705573 2017/04/09 02:39:33 $  $NHDT-Branch: NetHack-3.6.0 $:$NHDT-Revision: 1.76 $ */
 /* Copyright (c) Stichting Mathematisch Centrum, Amsterdam, 1985. */
 /* NetHack may be freely redistributed.  See license for details. */
 
@@ -59,13 +59,15 @@ int ter_typ;
 const char *ter_explain;
 {
     coord dummy_pos; /* don't care whether player actually picks a spot */
+    boolean save_autodescribe;
 
     dummy_pos.x = u.ux, dummy_pos.y = u.uy; /* starting spot for getpos() */
+    save_autodescribe = iflags.autodescribe;
     iflags.autodescribe = TRUE;
     iflags.terrainmode = ter_typ;
     getpos(&dummy_pos, FALSE, ter_explain);
     iflags.terrainmode = 0;
-    /* leave iflags.autodescribe 'on' even if previously 'off' */
+    iflags.autodescribe = save_autodescribe;
 }
 
 /* extracted from monster_detection() so can be shared by do_vicinity_map() */