diff --git a/doc/fixes3-7-0.txt b/doc/fixes3-7-0.txt
index c7fd21062..82a419754 100644
--- a/doc/fixes3-7-0.txt
+++ b/doc/fixes3-7-0.txt
@@ -1141,6 +1141,9 @@ taking off yellow dragon scales/mail or having temporary stoning resistance
 	corpse safely wielded instead of petrifying the hero
 special level loading wasn't honoring gender specified in lua code
 add '#tip' for containers to context-sensitive invent handling
+sequencing confusion: picking an item when viewing inventory and picking an
+	action to do with it caused the inventory command to use time, then
+	on next turn the action was performed without taking any time
 
 curses: 'msg_window' option wasn't functional for curses unless the binary
 	also included tty support
diff --git a/src/cmd.c b/src/cmd.c
index 17a554792..efe3288c4 100644
--- a/src/cmd.c
+++ b/src/cmd.c
@@ -4009,11 +4009,11 @@ rhack(char *cmd)
                    doextcmd() notifies us what that was via ext_tlist;
                    other commands leave it Null */
                 if (g.ext_tlist)
-                    tlist = g.ext_tlist;
+                    tlist = g.ext_tlist, g.ext_tlist = NULL;
 
-                if ((tlist->flags & PREFIXCMD)) {
+                if ((tlist->flags & PREFIXCMD) != 0) {
                     /* it was a prefix command, mark and get another cmd */
-                    if ((res & ECMD_CANCEL)) {
+                    if ((res & ECMD_CANCEL) != 0) {
                         /* prefix commands cancel if pressed twice */
                         reset_cmd_vars(TRUE);
                         return;
@@ -4056,17 +4056,14 @@ rhack(char *cmd)
                 prefix_seen = 0;
                 was_m_prefix = FALSE;
             }
-            if ((res & (ECMD_CANCEL|ECMD_FAIL))) {
+            if ((res & (ECMD_CANCEL | ECMD_FAIL)) != 0) {
                 /* command was canceled by user, maybe they declined to
                    pick an object to act on, or command failed to finish */
                 reset_cmd_vars(TRUE);
-                prefix_seen = 0;
-                cmdq_ec = NULL;
-            }
-            if (!(res & ECMD_TIME)) {
+            } else if ((res & ECMD_TIME) != 0) {
+                g.context.move = TRUE;
+            } else { /* ECMD_OK */
                 reset_cmd_vars(FALSE);
-                prefix_seen = 0;
-                cmdq_ec = NULL;
             }
             return;
         }
@@ -5143,7 +5140,7 @@ parse(void)
 
     iflags.in_parse = TRUE;
     g.command_count = 0;
-    g.context.move = 1;
+    g.context.move = TRUE; /* assume next command will take game time */
     flush_screen(1); /* Flush screen buffer. Put the cursor on the hero. */
 
     g.program_state.getting_a_command = 1; /* affects readchar() behavior for
diff --git a/src/invent.c b/src/invent.c
index 6ca7e5393..d622ae4df 100644
--- a/src/invent.c
+++ b/src/invent.c
@@ -2539,7 +2539,6 @@ static int
 itemactions(struct obj *otmp)
 {
     int n, act = IA_NONE;
-    int ret = ECMD_TIME;
     winid win;
     char buf[BUFSZ];
     menu_item *selected;
@@ -2902,11 +2901,12 @@ itemactions(struct obj *otmp)
             cmdq_add_key(otmp->invlet);
             break;
         }
-    } else
-        ret = !n ? ECMD_CANCEL : ECMD_OK; /* cancelled */
+    }
     destroy_nhwindow(win);
 
-    return ret;
+    /* finish the 'i' command:  no time elapses and cancelling without
+       selecting an action doesn't matter */
+    return ECMD_OK;
 }
 
 
@@ -2917,12 +2917,11 @@ ddoinv(void)
     struct obj *otmp;
     char c = display_inventory((char *) 0, TRUE);
 
-    if (!c)
-        return ECMD_OK;
-    for (otmp = g.invent; otmp; otmp = otmp->nobj)
-        if (otmp->invlet == c)
-            return itemactions(otmp);
-
+    if (c && c != '\033') {
+        for (otmp = g.invent; otmp; otmp = otmp->nobj)
+            if (otmp->invlet == c)
+                return itemactions(otmp);
+    }
     return ECMD_OK;
 }