diff --git a/dat/quest.lua b/dat/quest.lua
index 891556987..7e484df1d 100644
--- a/dat/quest.lua
+++ b/dat/quest.lua
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 --  - export the quest string replacements to lua, instead of %H etc
 --  - allow checking if hero is carrying item (see comments for %Cp Arc 00042)
 --  - fold quest_portal, quest_portal_again, quest_portal_demand into one
---  - some roles have no goal_alt, fold into goal_next?
+--  - write tests to check questtext validity?
 --  - qt_pager hack(?): if (qt_msg->delivery == 'p' && strcmp(windowprocs.name, "X11"))
 
 
@@ -25,6 +25,10 @@
 
 
 questtext = {
+   -- If a role doesn't have a specific message, try a fallback
+   msg_fallbacks = {
+      goal_alt = "goal_next"
+   },
    common = {
       TEST_PATTERN = {
          output = "text",
diff --git a/src/pray.c b/src/pray.c
index 173996c09..3d4045141 100644
--- a/src/pray.c
+++ b/src/pray.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* NetHack 3.6	pray.c	$NHDT-Date: 1578895347 2020/01/13 06:02:27 $  $NHDT-Branch: NetHack-3.7 $:$NHDT-Revision: 1.138 $ */
+/* NetHack 3.6	pray.c	$NHDT-Date: 1579401997 2020/01/19 02:46:37 $  $NHDT-Branch: NetHack-3.7 $:$NHDT-Revision: 1.139 $ */
 /* Copyright (c) Benson I. Margulies, Mike Stephenson, Steve Linhart, 1989. */
 /* NetHack may be freely redistributed.  See license for details. */
 
@@ -484,7 +484,7 @@ int trouble;
             what = rightglow;
         else if (otmp == uleft)
             what = leftglow;
-    decurse:
+ decurse:
         if (!otmp) {
             impossible("fix_worst_trouble: nothing to uncurse.");
             return;
@@ -1496,7 +1496,7 @@ dosacrifice()
 
     if (otmp->otyp == AMULET_OF_YENDOR) {
         if (!highaltar) {
-        too_soon:
+ too_soon:
             if (altaralign == A_NONE && Inhell)
                 /* hero has left Moloch's Sanctum so is in the process
                    of getting away with the Amulet (outside of Gehennom,
@@ -1526,7 +1526,8 @@ dosacrifice()
                 /* Moloch's high altar */
                 if (u.ualign.record > -99)
                     u.ualign.record = -99;
-                pline("An invisible choir chants in Latin, and you are bathed in darkness...");
+                pline(
+              "An invisible choir chants, and you are bathed in darkness...");
                 /*[apparently shrug/snarl can be sensed without being seen]*/
                 pline("%s shrugs and retains dominion over %s,", Moloch,
                       u_gname());
@@ -1593,7 +1594,7 @@ dosacrifice()
     }
 
     if (altaralign != u.ualign.type && highaltar) {
-    desecrate_high_altar:
+ desecrate_high_altar:
         /*
          * REAL BAD NEWS!!! High altars cannot be converted.  Even an attempt
          * gets the god who owns it truly pissed off.
@@ -1830,7 +1831,8 @@ boolean praying; /* false means no messages should be given */
     }
 
     if (is_undead(g.youmonst.data) && !Inhell
-        && (g.p_aligntyp == A_LAWFUL || (g.p_aligntyp == A_NEUTRAL && !rn2(10))))
+        && (g.p_aligntyp == A_LAWFUL
+            || (g.p_aligntyp == A_NEUTRAL && !rn2(10))))
         g.p_type = -1;
     /* Note:  when !praying, the random factor for neutrals makes the
        return value a non-deterministic approximation for enlightenment.
diff --git a/src/questpgr.c b/src/questpgr.c
index 85c272557..5df059fd1 100644
--- a/src/questpgr.c
+++ b/src/questpgr.c
@@ -432,9 +432,10 @@ boolean common UNUSED;
 }
 
 boolean
-com_pager_core(section, msgid)
+com_pager_core(section, msgid, showerror)
 const char *section;
 const char *msgid;
+boolean showerror;
 {
     const char *const howtoput[] = { "pline", "window", "text", "menu", "default", NULL };
     const int howtoput2i[] = { 1, 2, 2, 3, 0, 0 };
@@ -442,6 +443,7 @@ const char *msgid;
     lua_State *L;
     char *synopsis;
     char *text;
+    char *fallback_msgid = NULL;
 
     if (skip_pager(TRUE))
         return FALSE;
@@ -449,7 +451,8 @@ const char *msgid;
     L = nhl_init();
 
     if (!nhl_loadlua(L, QTEXT_FILE)) {
-        impossible("com_pager: %s not found.", QTEXT_FILE);
+        if (showerror)
+            impossible("com_pager: %s not found.", QTEXT_FILE);
         lua_close(L);
         return FALSE;
     }
@@ -457,21 +460,40 @@ const char *msgid;
     lua_settop(L, 0);
     lua_getglobal(L, "questtext");
     if (!lua_istable(L, -1)) {
-        impossible("com_pager: questtext in %s is not a lua table", QTEXT_FILE);
+        if (showerror)
+            impossible("com_pager: questtext in %s is not a lua table",
+                       QTEXT_FILE);
         lua_close(L);
         return FALSE;
     }
 
     lua_getfield(L, -1, section);
     if (!lua_istable(L, -1)) {
-        impossible("com_pager: questtext[%s] in %s is not a lua table", section, QTEXT_FILE);
+        if (showerror)
+            impossible("com_pager: questtext[%s] in %s is not a lua table",
+                       section, QTEXT_FILE);
         lua_close(L);
         return FALSE;
     }
 
-    lua_getfield(L, -1, msgid);
+tryagain:
+    lua_getfield(L, -1, fallback_msgid ? fallback_msgid : msgid);
     if (!lua_istable(L, -1)) {
-        impossible("com_pager: questtext[%s][%s] in %s is not a lua table", section, msgid, QTEXT_FILE);
+        if (!fallback_msgid) {
+            /* Do we have questtxt[msg_fallbacks][<msgid>]? */
+            lua_getfield(L, -3, "msg_fallbacks");
+            if (lua_istable(L, -1)) {
+                fallback_msgid = get_table_str_opt(L, msgid, NULL);
+                lua_pop(L, 2);
+                if (fallback_msgid)
+                    goto tryagain;
+            }
+        }
+
+        if (showerror)
+            impossible("com_pager: questtext[%s][%s] in %s is not a lua table",
+                       section, msgid, QTEXT_FILE);
+        free(fallback_msgid);
         lua_close(L);
         return FALSE;
     }
@@ -487,9 +509,11 @@ const char *msgid;
         nelems = (int) lua_tointeger(L, -1);
         lua_pop(L, 1);
         if (nelems < 2) {
-            impossible(
-              "com_pager: questtext[%s][%s] in %s in not an array of strings",
+            if (showerror)
+                impossible(
+                "com_pager: questtext[%s][%s] in %s in not an array of strings",
                        section, msgid, QTEXT_FILE);
+            free(fallback_msgid);
             lua_close(L);
             return FALSE;
         }
@@ -518,6 +542,7 @@ const char *msgid;
         free(synopsis);
     }
 
+    free(fallback_msgid);
     free(text);
     lua_close(L);
     return TRUE;
@@ -527,15 +552,15 @@ void
 com_pager(msgid)
 const char *msgid;
 {
-    com_pager_core("common", msgid);
+    com_pager_core("common", msgid, TRUE);
 }
 
 void
 qt_pager(msgid)
 const char *msgid;
 {
-    if (!com_pager_core(g.urole.filecode, msgid))
-        com_pager_core("common", msgid);
+    if (!com_pager_core(g.urole.filecode, msgid, FALSE))
+        com_pager_core("common", msgid, TRUE);
 }
 
 struct permonst *