diff --git a/doc/fixes36.1 b/doc/fixes36.1
index 3002f5512..c36858045 100644
--- a/doc/fixes36.1
+++ b/doc/fixes36.1
@@ -466,6 +466,7 @@ sometimes rings dropped into sinks can be found in the pipes
 doors in special levels were always generated in vertical orientation
 assigning a type name to a potion on the floor which is actually a mimic could
 	prompt "Call a stream of <potion-type> fluid:" (bogus 'fromsink')
+with perm_invent option enabled and no inventory, 'i' put up an empty menu
 
 
 Fixes to Post-3.6.0 Problems that Were Exposed Via git Repository
diff --git a/src/end.c b/src/end.c
index d0fb09bc5..e1d8a6423 100644
--- a/src/end.c
+++ b/src/end.c
@@ -1274,8 +1274,11 @@ int how;
     if (have_windows) {
         wait_synch();
         free_pickinv_cache(); /* extra persistent window if perm_invent */
-        if (WIN_INVEN != WIN_ERR)
+        if (WIN_INVEN != WIN_ERR) {
             destroy_nhwindow(WIN_INVEN),  WIN_INVEN = WIN_ERR;
+            /* precaution in case any late update_inventory() calls occur */
+            flags.perm_invent = 0;
+        }
         display_nhwindow(WIN_MESSAGE, TRUE);
         destroy_nhwindow(WIN_MAP),  WIN_MAP = WIN_ERR;
 #ifndef STATUS_HILITES
@@ -1315,7 +1318,7 @@ int how;
                 ? (const char *) ((flags.female && urole.name.f)
                     ? urole.name.f
                     : urole.name.m)
-            : (const char *) (flags.female ? "Demigoddess" : "Demigod"));
+                : (const char *) (flags.female ? "Demigoddess" : "Demigod"));
     dump_forward_putstr(endwin, 0, pbuf, done_stopprint);
     dump_forward_putstr(endwin, 0, "", done_stopprint);
 
@@ -1350,6 +1353,7 @@ int how;
             Schroedingers_cat = odds_and_ends(invent, CAT_CHECK);
         if (Schroedingers_cat) {
             int mhp, m_lev = adj_lev(&mons[PM_HOUSECAT]);
+
             mhp = d(m_lev, 8);
             nowrap_add(u.urexp, mhp);
             Strcat(eos(pbuf), " and Schroedinger's cat");
diff --git a/src/invent.c b/src/invent.c
index 429b5a9d5..edacfc547 100644
--- a/src/invent.c
+++ b/src/invent.c
@@ -2180,6 +2180,7 @@ const char *query;
 boolean want_reply;
 long *out_cnt;
 {
+    static const char not_carrying_anything[] = "Not carrying anything";
     struct obj *otmp;
     char ilet, ret;
     char *invlet = flags.inv_order;
@@ -2226,7 +2227,7 @@ long *out_cnt;
         ++n;
 
     if (n == 0) {
-        pline("Not carrying anything.");
+        pline("%s.", not_carrying_anything);
         return 0;
     }
 
@@ -2314,14 +2315,24 @@ nextclass:
             goto nextclass;
         }
     }
-
     if (iflags.force_invmenu && lets && want_reply) {
         any = zeroany;
-        add_menu(win, NO_GLYPH, &any, 0, 0, iflags.menu_headings, "Special", MENU_UNSELECTED);
+        add_menu(win, NO_GLYPH, &any, 0, 0, iflags.menu_headings,
+                 "Special", MENU_UNSELECTED);
         any.a_char = '*';
-        add_menu(win, NO_GLYPH, &any, '*', 0, ATR_NONE, "(list everything)", MENU_UNSELECTED);
+        add_menu(win, NO_GLYPH, &any, '*', 0, ATR_NONE,
+                 "(list everything)", MENU_UNSELECTED);
+    }
+    /* for permanent inventory where we intend to show everything but
+       nothing has been listed (because there isn't anyhing to list;
+       recognized via any.a_char still being zero; the n==0 case above
+       gets skipped for perm_invent), put something into the menu */
+    if (flags.perm_invent && !lets && !any.a_char) {
+        any = zeroany;
+        add_menu(win, NO_GLYPH, &any, 0, 0, 0,
+                 not_carrying_anything, MENU_UNSELECTED);
+        want_reply = FALSE;
     }
-
     end_menu(win, query && *query ? query : (char *) 0);
 
     n = select_menu(win, want_reply ? PICK_ONE : PICK_NONE, &selected);