diff --git a/doc/fixes34.4 b/doc/fixes34.4
index 90853cb8e..7036c1dd7 100644
--- a/doc/fixes34.4
+++ b/doc/fixes34.4
@@ -121,6 +121,7 @@ cursed wand might explode if used to engrave
 fatal wish from magic lamp left functional magic lamp in bones data
 fatal wish granted by monster left that monster in bones data
 clear prompt from screen after ESC is used to abort "In what direction?"
+minor interface changes for interactively manipulating autopickup exceptions
 
 
 Platform- and/or Interface-Specific Fixes
diff --git a/src/options.c b/src/options.c
index 77180c7e4..7844ad15e 100644
--- a/src/options.c
+++ b/src/options.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/*	SCCS Id: @(#)options.c	3.5	2003/11/14	*/
+/*	SCCS Id: @(#)options.c	3.5	2005/05/14	*/
 /* Copyright (c) Stichting Mathematisch Centrum, Amsterdam, 1985. */
 /* NetHack may be freely redistributed.  See license for details. */
 
@@ -2753,7 +2753,6 @@ boolean setinitial,setfromfile;
     anything any;
     int i;
     char buf[BUFSZ];
-    boolean retval = FALSE;
 
     /* Special handling of menustyle, pickup_burden, pickup_types,
      * disclose, runmode, msg_window, menu_headings, and number_pad options.
@@ -2780,7 +2779,6 @@ boolean setinitial,setfromfile;
 		free((genericptr_t)style_pick);
 	}
 	destroy_nhwindow(tmpwin);
-	retval = TRUE;
     } else if (!strcmp("pickup_burden", optname)) {
 	const char *burden_name, *burden_letters = "ubsntl";
 	menu_item *burden_pick = (menu_item *)0;
@@ -2798,11 +2796,9 @@ boolean setinitial,setfromfile;
 		free((genericptr_t)burden_pick);
 	}
 	destroy_nhwindow(tmpwin);
-	retval = TRUE;
     } else if (!strcmp("pickup_types", optname)) {
 	/* parseoptions will prompt for the list of types */
 	parseoptions(strcpy(buf, "pickup_types"), setinitial, setfromfile);
-	retval = TRUE;
     } else if (!strcmp("disclose", optname)) {
 	int pick_cnt, pick_idx, opt_idx;
 	menu_item *disclosure_category_pick = (menu_item *)0;
@@ -2867,7 +2863,6 @@ boolean setinitial,setfromfile;
 		destroy_nhwindow(tmpwin);
 	    }
 	}
-	retval = TRUE;
     } else if (!strcmp("runmode", optname)) {
 	const char *mode_name;
 	menu_item *mode_pick = (menu_item *)0;
@@ -2885,10 +2880,8 @@ boolean setinitial,setfromfile;
 		free((genericptr_t)mode_pick);
 	}
 	destroy_nhwindow(tmpwin);
-	retval = TRUE;
-    }
+    } else if (!strcmp("msg_window", optname)) {
 #ifdef TTY_GRAPHICS
-      else if (!strcmp("msg_window", optname)) {
 	/* by Christian W. Cooper */
 	menu_item *window_pick = (menu_item *)0;
 	tmpwin = create_nhwindow(NHW_MENU);
@@ -2911,10 +2904,8 @@ boolean setinitial,setfromfile;
 		free((genericptr_t)window_pick);
 	}
 	destroy_nhwindow(tmpwin);
-	retval = TRUE;
-    }
 #endif
-     else if (!strcmp("align_message", optname) ||
+    } else if (!strcmp("align_message", optname) ||
 		!strcmp("align_status", optname)) {
 	menu_item *window_pick = (menu_item *)0;
 	char abuf[BUFSZ];
@@ -2943,7 +2934,6 @@ boolean setinitial,setfromfile;
 		free((genericptr_t)window_pick);
 	}
 	destroy_nhwindow(tmpwin);
-	retval = TRUE;
     } else if (!strcmp("number_pad", optname)) {
 	static const char *npchoices[3] =
 		{"0 (off)", "1 (on)", "2 (on, DOS compatible)"};
@@ -2977,7 +2967,6 @@ boolean setinitial,setfromfile;
 		free((genericptr_t)mode_pick);
 	}
 	destroy_nhwindow(tmpwin);
-	retval = TRUE;
     } else if (!strcmp("menu_headings", optname)) {
 	static const char *mhchoices[3] = {"bold", "inverse", "underline"};
 	const char *npletters = "biu";
@@ -3007,21 +2996,22 @@ boolean setinitial,setfromfile;
 		free((genericptr_t)mode_pick);
 	}
 	destroy_nhwindow(tmpwin);
-	retval = TRUE;
-#ifdef AUTOPICKUP_EXCEPTIONS
     } else if (!strcmp("autopickup_exception", optname)) {
-	boolean retval;
+#ifdef AUTOPICKUP_EXCEPTIONS
 	int pick_cnt, pick_idx, opt_idx, pass;
 	int totalapes = 0, numapes[2] = {0,0};
 	menu_item *pick_list = (menu_item *)0;
 	anything any;
-	char apebuf[BUFSZ];
+	char apebuf[1+BUFSZ];	/* so &apebuf[1] is BUFSZ long for getlin() */
 	struct autopickup_exception *ape;
-	static const char *action_titles[] = {
-		"a", "add new autopickup exception",
-		"l", "list autopickup exceptions",
-		"r", "remove existing autopickup exception",
-		"e", "exit this menu",
+	static struct ape_action {
+	    char letr;
+	    const char *desc;
+	} action_titles[] = {
+	    { 'a', "add new autopickup exception" },		/* [0] */
+	    { 'l', "list autopickup exceptions" },		/* [1] */
+	    { 'r', "remove existing autopickup exception" },	/* [2] */
+	    { 'x', "exit this menu" },				/* [3] */
 	};
 
  ape_again:
@@ -3030,11 +3020,16 @@ boolean setinitial,setfromfile;
 	tmpwin = create_nhwindow(NHW_MENU);
 	start_menu(tmpwin);
 	any.a_int = 0;
-	for (i = 0; i < SIZE(action_titles) ; i += 2) {
+	for (i = 0; i < SIZE(action_titles); i++) {
 		any.a_int++;
-		if (!totalapes && (i >= 2 && i < 6)) continue;
-		add_menu(tmpwin, NO_GLYPH, &any, *action_titles[i],
-		      0, ATR_NONE, action_titles[i+1], MENU_UNSELECTED);
+		/* omit list and remove if there aren't any yet */
+		if (!totalapes && (i == 1 || i == 2)) continue;
+		add_menu(tmpwin, NO_GLYPH, &any, action_titles[i].letr,
+			 0, ATR_NONE, action_titles[i].desc,
+#if 0		/* this ought to work but doesn't... */
+			 (action_titles[i].letr == 'x') ? MENU_SELECTED :
+#endif
+			 MENU_UNSELECTED);
 	}
 	end_menu(tmpwin, "Do what?");
 	if ((pick_cnt = select_menu(tmpwin, PICK_ONE, &pick_list)) > 0) {
@@ -3045,18 +3040,23 @@ boolean setinitial,setfromfile;
 		pick_list = (menu_item *)0;
 	}
 	destroy_nhwindow(tmpwin);
-	if (pick_cnt < 1) return FALSE;
 
-	if (opt_idx == 0) {	/* add new */
+	if (pick_cnt < 1 || opt_idx == 3) {
+		;	/* done--fall through to function exit */
+	} else if (opt_idx == 0) {	/* add new */
 		getlin("What new autopickup exception pattern?", &apebuf[1]);
-		if (apebuf[1] == '\033') return FALSE;
-		apebuf[0] = '"';
-		Strcat(apebuf,"\"");
-		add_autopickup_exception(apebuf);
-		goto ape_again;
-	} else if (opt_idx == 3) {
-		retval = TRUE;
-	} else {	/* remove */
+		mungspaces(&apebuf[1]);	/* regularize whitespace */
+		if (apebuf[1] && apebuf[1] != '\033') {
+		    apebuf[0] = '\"';
+		    /* guarantee room for \" prefix and \"\0 suffix;
+		       -2 is good enough for apebuf[] but -3 makes
+		       sure the whole thing fits within normal BUFSZ */
+		    apebuf[sizeof apebuf - 3] = '\0';
+		    Strcat(apebuf, "\"");
+		    add_autopickup_exception(apebuf);
+		    goto ape_again;
+		} /* else fall through to function exit */
+	} else {	/* list or remove */
 		tmpwin = create_nhwindow(NHW_MENU);
 		start_menu(tmpwin);
 		for (pass = AP_LEAVE; pass <= AP_GRAB; ++pass) {
@@ -3083,17 +3083,19 @@ boolean setinitial,setfromfile;
 		if (pick_cnt > 0) {
 		    for (pick_idx = 0; pick_idx < pick_cnt; ++pick_idx)
 			remove_autopickup_exception(
-			 (struct autopickup_exception *)pick_list[pick_idx].item.a_void);
+	       (struct autopickup_exception *)pick_list[pick_idx].item.a_void);
 		}
 		free((genericptr_t)pick_list);
 		pick_list = (menu_item *)0;
 		destroy_nhwindow(tmpwin);
-		goto ape_again;
+		if (pick_cnt >= 0) goto ape_again;
 	}
-	retval = TRUE;
 #endif /* AUTOPICKUP_EXCEPTIONS */
+    } else {
+	/* didn't match any of the special options */
+	return FALSE;
     }
-    return retval;
+    return TRUE;
 }
 
 #define rolestring(val,array,field) ((val >= 0) ? array[val].field : \