diff --git a/doc/fixes34.2 b/doc/fixes34.2
index 1af41fb61..1b9b3ecbb 100644
--- a/doc/fixes34.2
+++ b/doc/fixes34.2
@@ -176,4 +176,5 @@ win32tty: keystroke handlers can be dynamically loaded to assist in resolving
 	internationalization issues
 win32tty: add Ray Chason's code for international keyboard handling
 Solaris (and other SystemV variants): TIMED_DELAY support
+X11: NetHack.ad is now installed and used w/o user intervention
 
diff --git a/sys/unix/Makefile.dat b/sys/unix/Makefile.dat
index 9c79b320d..75a5aa82d 100644
--- a/sys/unix/Makefile.dat
+++ b/sys/unix/Makefile.dat
@@ -41,6 +41,9 @@ nhtiles.bmp: ../util/tile2bmp ../win/share/monsters.txt ../win/share/objects.txt
 				../win/share/other.txt
 	../util/tile2bmp $@
 
+NetHack.ad: ../win/X11/NetHack.ad
+	cp ../win/X11/NetHack.ad NetHack.ad
+
 pet_mark.xbm: ../win/X11/pet_mark.xbm
 	cp ../win/X11/pet_mark.xbm pet_mark.xbm
 
@@ -138,4 +141,4 @@ dungeon: dungeon.def ../util/makedefs ../util/dgn_comp
 spotless:
 	-rm -f spec_levs quest_levs *.lev $(VARDAT) dungeon dungeon.pdf
 	-rm -f nhdat x11tiles beostiles pet_mark.xbm rip.xpm mapbg.xpm
-	-rm -f rip.img GEM_RSC.RSC title.img nh16.img
+	-rm -f rip.img GEM_RSC.RSC title.img nh16.img NetHack.ad
diff --git a/sys/unix/Makefile.top b/sys/unix/Makefile.top
index a9889a8d1..2f11c35ea 100644
--- a/sys/unix/Makefile.top
+++ b/sys/unix/Makefile.top
@@ -41,8 +41,8 @@ SHELLDIR = $(PREFIX)/games
 
 # per discussion in Install.X11 and Install.Qt
 VARDATND = 
-# VARDATND = x11tiles pet_mark.xbm
-# VARDATND = x11tiles pet_mark.xbm rip.xpm
+# VARDATND = x11tiles NetHack.ad pet_mark.xbm
+# VARDATND = x11tiles NetHack.ad pet_mark.xbm rip.xpm
 # for Atari/Gem
 # VARDATND = nh16.img title.img GEM_RSC.RSC rip.img
 # for BeOS
@@ -135,6 +135,9 @@ beostiles: $(GAME)
 	( cd util ; $(MAKE) tile2beos )
 	( cd dat ; $(MAKE) beostiles )
 
+NetHack.ad: $(GAME)
+	( cd dat ; $(MAKE) NetHack.ad )
+
 pet_mark.xbm:
 	( cd dat ; $(MAKE) pet_mark.xbm )
 
diff --git a/sys/unix/README.linux b/sys/unix/README.linux
index 935a5bbc0..ccdfaf07d 100644
--- a/sys/unix/README.linux
+++ b/sys/unix/README.linux
@@ -38,10 +38,11 @@ it to your home directory as .nethackrc and modifying it to your liking.
 If you are running X11 copy the nh10.pcf and ibm.pcf font files from
 /usr/games/lib/nethackdir to a X11 fonts directory (such as
 /usr/X11/lib/X11/fonts/misc) and run "mkfontdir", then restart X
-windows to load them.  Also consider copying NetHack.ad to
-/usr/X11/lib/X11/app-defaults/NetHack or adding its contents to your
-.Xdefaults or .Xresources.
-
+windows to load them.  If you prefer to use the graphical tiles,
+add the following to your .Xdefaults or .Xresources file:
+	NetHack.tile_file: x11tiles
+You may need to run "xrdb -merge $HOME/.Xdefaults" (or .Xresources) after
+doing this.
 
 The official Linux binary is set up to run setgid games, which allows
 multiple users on your system to play the game and prevents cheating by
diff --git a/sys/unix/nethack.sh b/sys/unix/nethack.sh
index 3491e8d29..600e1dacd 100644
--- a/sys/unix/nethack.sh
+++ b/sys/unix/nethack.sh
@@ -6,6 +6,15 @@ export HACKDIR
 HACK=$HACKDIR/nethack
 MAXNROFPLAYERS=4
 
+# Since Nethack.ad is installed in HACKDIR, add it to XUSERFILESEARCHPATH
+case "x$XUSERFILESEARCHPATH" in
+x)	XUSERFILESEARCHPATH="$HACKDIR/%N.ad"
+	;;
+*)	XUSERFILESEARCHPATH="$XUSERFILESEARCHPATH:$HACKDIR/%N.ad"
+	;;
+esac
+export XUSERFILESEARCHPATH
+
 # see if we can find the full path name of PAGER, so help files work properly
 # assume that if someone sets up a special variable (HACKPAGER) for NetHack,
 # it will already be in a form acceptable to NetHack
diff --git a/win/X11/Install.X11 b/win/X11/Install.X11
index 243ee3a98..b4b7a43b5 100644
--- a/win/X11/Install.X11
+++ b/win/X11/Install.X11
@@ -109,14 +109,10 @@ prepend an appropriate -I<idirectory> parameter to CFLAGS and a
 find the include and library files for X11.
 
 
-Finally, you should also install the NetHack.ad file as NetHack in the
-normal X11 applications defaults directory.  Alternatively, each person may
-append the contents of this file to their .Xdefaults or .Xresources file,
-depending on how your system is configured and the version of X11 you are
-using.  A second alternative is copy NetHack.ad to NetHack in GAMEDIR
-(from the top Makefile) and add a line to nethack.sh specifying this
-additional applications defaults directory:
-	XAPPLRESDIR=$HACKDIR; export XAPPLRESDIR
+Finally, to ensure NetHack's windows look the way they were intended to
+look, make sure the top Makefile VARDATND also contains NetHack.ad.  If it
+does, running nethack will automatically take the appropriate steps to
+cause this file to be used to initialize NetHack's X11 resources.
 
 
 Three icon suggestions to the window manager are supported:  nh72, nh56,