diff --git a/win/curses/cursmain.c b/win/curses/cursmain.c
index da04e639f..c78433355 100644
--- a/win/curses/cursmain.c
+++ b/win/curses/cursmain.c
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ extern char erase_char, kill_char;
 #endif
 
 extern long curs_mesg_suppress_turn; /* from cursmesg.c */
+extern boolean curs_mesg_suppress_suppression; /* ditto */
 
 /* stubs for curses_procs{} */
 #ifdef POSITIONBAR
@@ -500,8 +501,10 @@ curses_putstr(winid wid, int attr, const char *text)
 
     /* this is comparable to tty's cw->flags &= ~WIN_STOP; if messages are
        being suppressed after >>ESC, override that and resume showing them */
-    if ((mesgflags & ATR_URGENT) != 0)
+    if ((mesgflags & ATR_URGENT) != 0) {
          curs_mesg_suppress_turn = -1L;
+         curs_mesg_suppress_suppression = TRUE;
+    }
 
     if (wid == WIN_MESSAGE && (mesgflags & ATR_NOHISTORY) != 0) {
         /* display message without saving it in recall history */
@@ -511,6 +514,9 @@ curses_putstr(winid wid, int attr, const char *text)
         curses_attr = curses_convert_attr(attr);
         curses_puts(wid, curses_attr, text);
     }
+
+    /* urgent message handling is a one-shot operation; we're done */
+    curs_mesg_suppress_suppression = FALSE;
 }
 
 /* Display the file named str.  Complain about missing files
diff --git a/win/curses/cursmesg.c b/win/curses/cursmesg.c
index 093c78a18..c63932ab4 100644
--- a/win/curses/cursmesg.c
+++ b/win/curses/cursmesg.c
@@ -21,6 +21,11 @@ extern char erase_char, kill_char;
    for the current move; but hero might get more than one move per turn,
    so the input routines need to be able to cancel this */
 long curs_mesg_suppress_turn = -1L;
+/* if a message is marked urgent, existing suppression will be overridden
+   so that messages resume being shown; this is used in case the urgent
+   message triggers More>> for the previous message and the player responds
+   with ESC; we need to avoid initiating suppression in that situation */
+boolean curs_mesg_suppress_suppression = FALSE;
 
 /* Message window routines for curses interface */
 
@@ -109,9 +114,10 @@ curses_message_win_puts(const char *message, boolean recursed)
             /* bottom of message win */
             if (++turn_lines > height
                 || (turn_lines == height && mx > border_space)) {
-                /* Pause until key is hit - Esc suppresses any further
-                   messages that turn */
-                if (curses_more() == '\033') {
+                 /* pause until key is hit - ESC suppresses further messages
+                    this turn unless an urgent message is being delivered */
+                if (curses_more() == '\033'
+                    && !curs_mesg_suppress_suppression) {
                     curs_mesg_suppress_turn = g.moves;
                     return;
                 }