diff --git a/dat/optmenu b/dat/optmenu
index ac44de33f..f08df0f2e 100644
--- a/dat/optmenu
+++ b/dat/optmenu
@@ -1,12 +1,16 @@
  How dynamically setting options works:
 
- The options menu shows the current value for all options and lets
- you pick ones that you'd like to change.  Picking them doesn't make
- any immediate changes though.  That will take place once you close
- the menu.  For most of NetHack's interfaces, closing the menu is
- done by pressing the <enter> key or <return> key; others might
- require clicking on [ok].  Pressing the <escape> key or clicking
- on [cancel] will close the menu and discard any pending changes.
+ The simple options menu shows a relatively small subset of options
+ and operates on each choice you make immediately, then is put back
+ up to allow further changes.
+
+ The full options menu shows the current value for all options and
+ lets you pick ones that you'd like to change.  Picking them doesn't
+ make any changes though.  That will take place once you close the
+ menu.  For most of NetHack's interfaces, closing the menu is done
+ by pressing the <enter> key or <return> key; others might require
+ clicking on [ok].  Pressing the <escape> key or clicking on [cancel]
+ will close the menu and discard any pending changes.
 
  The options menu is too long to fit on one screen.  Some interfaces
  paginate menus; use the '>' key to advance a page or '<' to back
diff --git a/src/options.c b/src/options.c
index f8d7b3729..2941f3e89 100644
--- a/src/options.c
+++ b/src/options.c
@@ -8605,20 +8605,28 @@ doset_simple_menu(void)
     tmpwin = create_nhwindow(NHW_MENU);
     start_menu(tmpwin, MENU_BEHAVE_STANDARD);
 
+    /* when showing 'help', also describe how to run full doset() */
+    if (gs.simple_options_help) {
+        /* we could look up whether #optionsfull has been bound to a key
+           and show that, or whether #reqmenu and #options are both still
+           bound to keys and show those, but if meta keys are involved
+           the player might not know how to type them; keep this simple */
+        Strcpy(buf, "Use command '#optionsfull'"
+                    " to get the complete options list.");
+        any = cg.zeroany;
+        add_menu(tmpwin, &nul_glyphinfo, &any, 0, 0, ATR_NONE,
+                 0, buf, MENU_ITEMFLAGS_NONE);
+    }
     any = cg.zeroany;
     any.a_int = -2 + 1;
     add_menu(tmpwin, &nul_glyphinfo, &any, '?', 0, ATR_NONE, 0,
              gs.simple_options_help ? "hide help" : "show help",
              MENU_ITEMFLAGS_NONE);
-    any = cg.zeroany;
-    add_menu(tmpwin, &nul_glyphinfo, &any, 0, 0, ATR_NONE,
-             0, "", MENU_ITEMFLAGS_NONE);
 
     for (section = OptS_General; section < OptS_Advanced; section++) {
         any = cg.zeroany;
-        if (section != OptS_General)
-            add_menu(tmpwin, &nul_glyphinfo, &any, 0, 0, ATR_NONE,
-                     0, "", MENU_ITEMFLAGS_NONE);
+        add_menu(tmpwin, &nul_glyphinfo, &any, 0, 0, ATR_NONE,
+                 0, "", MENU_ITEMFLAGS_NONE);
         Sprintf(buf, " %-30s ", OptS_type[section]);
         add_menu(tmpwin, &nul_glyphinfo, &any, 0, 0,
                  iflags.menu_headings, 0,