diff --git a/doc/fixes3-7-0.txt b/doc/fixes3-7-0.txt
index f34db3b58..4c682601d 100644
--- a/doc/fixes3-7-0.txt
+++ b/doc/fixes3-7-0.txt
@@ -1445,6 +1445,10 @@ some theft messages by nymphs force "she", others use default monster naming
 if a nymph stole worn armor and got killed (perhaps by pet) before hero's next
 	turn, feedback would be "You finish taking off your suit." regardless
 	of the type of armor being taken off
+when setting an option interactively [via O or 3.7's mO], if the particular
+	option uses a prompt to get a line of input (for compounds: 'fruit',
+	'scores', most numeric ones), input was treated as a comma-separated
+	list of option[:value] rather than just the new value of that option
 
 
 Fixes to 3.7.0-x General Problems Exposed Via git Repository
diff --git a/src/options.c b/src/options.c
index e454aa31f..7d7e09fae 100644
--- a/src/options.c
+++ b/src/options.c
@@ -478,8 +478,19 @@ parseoptions(
     using_alias = FALSE;
     go.opt_initial = tinitial;
     go.opt_from_file = tfrom_file;
-    if ((op = strchr(opts, ',')) != 0) {
+    /*
+     * Process elements of comma-separated list in right to left order.
+     * When some options are set interactively--notably various compound
+     * options that issue a prompt for a value--they use parseoptions()
+     * to handle setting the new value.  For those, 'tinitial' is False
+     * and if user tries to supply a comma-separated list, it will be
+     * treated as part of the current option, probably failing to parse.
+     */
+    if (tinitial && (op = strchr(opts, ',')) != 0) {
         *op++ = 0;
+        /* current element remains pending while the rest of the line gets
+           handled recursively; if the rest of line contains any commas,
+           then the process will recurse deeper as it is processed */
         if (!parseoptions(op, go.opt_initial, go.opt_from_file))
             retval = FALSE;
     }
@@ -8573,8 +8584,7 @@ doset(void) /* changing options via menu by Per Liboriussen */
     anything any;
     menu_item *pick_list;
     int indexoffset, startpass, endpass;
-    boolean setinitial = FALSE, fromfile = FALSE,
-            gavehelp = FALSE, skiphelp = !iflags.cmdassist;
+    boolean gavehelp = FALSE, skiphelp = !iflags.cmdassist;
     int clr = NO_COLOR;
 
     if (iflags.menu_requested) {
@@ -8731,7 +8741,7 @@ doset(void) /* changing options via menu by Per Liboriussen */
                 /* boolean option */
                 Sprintf(buf, "%s%s", *allopt[opt_indx].addr ? "!" : "",
                         allopt[opt_indx].name);
-                (void) parseoptions(buf, setinitial, fromfile);
+                (void) parseoptions(buf, FALSE, FALSE);
             } else {
                 /* compound option */
                 int k = opt_indx, reslt;
@@ -8755,7 +8765,7 @@ doset(void) /* changing options via menu by Per Liboriussen */
                     (void) strncat(eos(buf), abuf,
                                    (sizeof buf - 1 - strlen(buf)));
                     /* pass the buck */
-                    (void) parseoptions(buf, setinitial, fromfile);
+                    (void) parseoptions(buf, FALSE, FALSE);
                 }
             }
             if (wc_supported(allopt[opt_indx].name)