diff --git a/include/align.h b/include/align.h
index bd7b70cc1..bb00f2c6e 100644
--- a/include/align.h
+++ b/include/align.h
@@ -24,20 +24,21 @@ typedef struct align { /* alignment & record */
 #define A_COALIGNED 1
 #define A_OPALIGNED (-1)
 
-#define AM_NONE 0
-#define AM_CHAOTIC 1
-#define AM_NEUTRAL 2
-#define AM_LAWFUL 4
+/* align masks */
+#define AM_NONE         0x00
+#define AM_CHAOTIC      0x01
+#define AM_NEUTRAL      0x02
+#define AM_LAWFUL       0x04
+#define AM_MASK         0x07 /* mask for "normal" alignment values */
 
-#define AM_MASK 7
-/* Some altars are considered as shrines, so we need a flag for that
+/* Some altars are considered shrines, add a flag for that
    for the altarmask field of struct rm. */
-#define AM_SHRINE 8
+#define AM_SHRINE       0x08
 
 /* special level flags, gone by the time the level has been loaded */
-#define AM_SPLEV_CO     3 /* co-aligned: force alignment to match hero's  */
-#define AM_SPLEV_NONCO  7 /* non-co-aligned: force alignment to not match */
-#define AM_SPLEV_RANDOM 8
+#define AM_SPLEV_CO     0x10 /* co-aligned: force alignment to match hero's  */
+#define AM_SPLEV_NONCO  0x20 /* non-co-aligned: force alignment to not match */
+#define AM_SPLEV_RANDOM 0x40
 
 #define Amask2align(x) \
     ((aligntyp) ((((x) & AM_MASK) == 0) ? A_NONE                \
diff --git a/include/extern.h b/include/extern.h
index 25bebb26a..a6302da2c 100644
--- a/include/extern.h
+++ b/include/extern.h
@@ -621,7 +621,7 @@ extern void find_hell(d_level *);
 extern void goto_hell(boolean, boolean);
 extern void assign_level(d_level *, d_level *);
 extern void assign_rnd_level(d_level *, d_level *, int);
-extern int induced_align(int);
+extern unsigned int induced_align(int);
 extern boolean Invocation_lev(d_level *);
 extern xchar level_difficulty(void);
 extern schar lev_by_name(const char *);
diff --git a/include/sp_lev.h b/include/sp_lev.h
index ed3e20381..cdead3bd5 100644
--- a/include/sp_lev.h
+++ b/include/sp_lev.h
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ typedef struct {
 typedef struct {
     Str_or_Len name, appear_as;
     short id;
-    aligntyp align;
+    unsigned int sp_amask; /* splev amask */
     packed_coord coord;
     xchar x, y, class, appear;
     schar peaceful, asleep;
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ typedef struct {
 typedef struct {
     packed_coord coord;
     xchar x, y;
-    aligntyp align;
+    unsigned int sp_amask; /* splev amask */
     xchar shrine;
 } altar;
 
diff --git a/src/dungeon.c b/src/dungeon.c
index 872330d4a..f70dcf6bf 100644
--- a/src/dungeon.c
+++ b/src/dungeon.c
@@ -1869,7 +1869,8 @@ assign_rnd_level(d_level *dest, d_level *src, int range)
         dest->dlevel = 1;
 }
 
-int
+/* return an alignment mask */
+unsigned int
 induced_align(int pct)
 {
     s_level *lev = Is_special(&u.uz);
diff --git a/src/sp_lev.c b/src/sp_lev.c
index a80b4234e..4b4e78411 100755
--- a/src/sp_lev.c
+++ b/src/sp_lev.c
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ static void create_trap(spltrap *, struct mkroom *);
 static int noncoalignment(aligntyp);
 static boolean m_bad_boulder_spot(int, int);
 static int pm_to_humidity(struct permonst *);
+static unsigned int sp_amask_to_amask(unsigned int sp_amask);
 static void create_monster(monster *, struct mkroom *);
 static void create_object(object *, struct mkroom *);
 static void create_altar(altar *, struct mkroom *);
@@ -1758,13 +1759,36 @@ pm_to_humidity(struct permonst* pm)
     return loc;
 }
 
+/*
+ * Convert a special level alignment mask (an alignment mask with possible
+ * extra values/flags) to a "normal" alignment mask (no extra flags).
+ *
+ * When random: there is an 80% chance that the altar will be co-aligned.
+ */
+static unsigned int
+sp_amask_to_amask(unsigned int sp_amask)
+{
+    unsigned int amask;
+
+    if (sp_amask == AM_SPLEV_CO)
+        amask = Align2amask(u.ualignbase[A_ORIGINAL]);
+    else if (sp_amask == AM_SPLEV_NONCO)
+        amask = Align2amask(noncoalignment(u.ualignbase[A_ORIGINAL]));
+    else if (sp_amask == AM_SPLEV_RANDOM)
+        amask = induced_align(80);
+    else
+        amask = sp_amask & AM_MASK;
+
+    return amask;
+}
+
 static void
 create_monster(monster* m, struct mkroom* croom)
 {
     struct monst *mtmp;
     xchar x, y;
     char class;
-    aligntyp amask;
+    unsigned int amask;
     coord cc;
     struct permonst *pm;
     unsigned g_mvflags;
@@ -1777,13 +1801,7 @@ create_monster(monster* m, struct mkroom* croom)
     if (class == MAXMCLASSES)
         panic("create_monster: unknown monster class '%c'", m->class);
 
-    amask = (m->align == AM_SPLEV_CO)
-               ? Align2amask(u.ualignbase[A_ORIGINAL])
-               : (m->align == AM_SPLEV_NONCO)
-                  ? Align2amask(noncoalignment(u.ualignbase[A_ORIGINAL]))
-                  : (m->align == AM_SPLEV_RANDOM)
-                     ? induced_align(80)
-                     : m->align;
+    amask = sp_amask_to_amask(m->sp_amask);
 
     if (!class)
         pm = (struct permonst *) 0;
@@ -1823,7 +1841,7 @@ create_monster(monster* m, struct mkroom* croom)
     if (croom && !inside_room(croom, x, y))
         return;
 
-    if (m->align != AM_SPLEV_RANDOM)
+    if (m->sp_amask != AM_SPLEV_RANDOM)
         mtmp = mk_roamer(pm, Amask2align(amask), x, y, m->peaceful);
     else if (PM_ARCHEOLOGIST <= m->id && m->id <= PM_WIZARD)
         mtmp = mk_mplayer(pm, x, y, FALSE);
@@ -2261,7 +2279,7 @@ create_altar(altar* a, struct mkroom* croom)
 {
     schar sproom;
     xchar x = -1, y = -1;
-    aligntyp amask;
+    unsigned int amask;
     boolean croom_is_temple = TRUE;
     int oldtyp;
 
@@ -2282,20 +2300,7 @@ create_altar(altar* a, struct mkroom* croom)
     if (oldtyp == STAIRS || oldtyp == LADDER)
         return;
 
-    /* Is the alignment random ?
-     * If so, it's an 80% chance that the altar will be co-aligned.
-     *
-     * The alignment is encoded as amask values instead of alignment
-     * values to avoid conflicting with the rest of the encoding,
-     * shared by many other parts of the special level code.
-     */
-    amask = (a->align == AM_SPLEV_CO)
-               ? Align2amask(u.ualignbase[A_ORIGINAL])
-               : (a->align == AM_SPLEV_NONCO)
-                  ? Align2amask(noncoalignment(u.ualignbase[A_ORIGINAL]))
-                  : (a->align == AM_SPLEV_RANDOM)
-                     ? induced_align(80)
-                     : a->align;
+    amask = sp_amask_to_amask(a->sp_amask);
 
     levl[x][y].typ = ALTAR;
     levl[x][y].altarmask = amask;
@@ -3008,7 +3013,7 @@ lspo_monster(lua_State* L)
     tmpmons.name.str = NULL;
     tmpmons.appear = 0;
     tmpmons.appear_as.str = (char *) 0;
-    tmpmons.align = AM_SPLEV_RANDOM;
+    tmpmons.sp_amask = AM_SPLEV_RANDOM;
     tmpmons.female = 0;
     tmpmons.invis = 0;
     tmpmons.cancelled = 0;
@@ -3073,7 +3078,7 @@ lspo_monster(lua_State* L)
         tmpmons.name.str = get_table_str_opt(L, "name", NULL);
         tmpmons.appear = 0;
         tmpmons.appear_as.str = (char *) 0;
-        tmpmons.align = get_table_align(L);
+        tmpmons.sp_amask = get_table_align(L);
         tmpmons.female = get_table_int_opt(L, "female", 0);
         tmpmons.invis = get_table_int_opt(L, "invisible", 0);
         tmpmons.cancelled = get_table_int_opt(L, "cancelled", 0);
@@ -3907,7 +3912,7 @@ lspo_altar(lua_State* L)
         acoord = SP_COORD_PACK(x, y);
 
     tmpaltar.coord = acoord;
-    tmpaltar.align = al;
+    tmpaltar.sp_amask = al;
     tmpaltar.shrine = shrine;
 
     create_altar(&tmpaltar, g.coder->croom);