diff --git a/doc/lua.adoc b/doc/lua.adoc
index d90ff446d..ffd320520 100644
--- a/doc/lua.adoc
+++ b/doc/lua.adoc
@@ -489,25 +489,25 @@ The hash parameter accepts the following keys:
 | class          | string | monster class, eg "D"
 | x, y           | integers |
 | coord          | table of two integer |
-| peaceful       | 0 or 1 |
-| asleep         | 0 or 1 |
+| peaceful       | boolean |
+| asleep         | boolean |
 | name           | string | name of the monster
-| female         | 0 or 1 |
-| invisible      | 0 or 1 |
-| cancelled      | 0 or 1 |
-| revived        | 0 or 1 |
-| avenge         | 0 or 1 |
+| female         | boolean |
+| invisible      | boolean |
+| cancelled      | boolean |
+| revived        | boolean |
+| avenge         | boolean |
 | fleeing        | 0 - 127 |
 | blinded        | 0 - 127 |
 | paralyzed      | 0 - 127 |
-| stunned        | 0 or 1 |
-| confused       | 0 or 1 |
-| waiting        | 0 or 1 | monster will wait until hero gets next to it
-| tail           | 0 or 1 | generate worm without a tail?
-| group          | 0 or 1 | generate a group of monsters?
-| adjacentok     | 0 or 1 | is adjacent location ok, if given one is not suitable?
-| ignorewater    | 0 or 1 | ignore water when choosing location for the monster
-| countbirth     | 0 or 1 | do we count this monster as generated
+| stunned        | boolean |
+| confused       | boolean |
+| waiting        | boolean | monster will wait until hero gets next to it
+| tail           | boolean | generate worm without a tail?
+| group          | boolean | generate a group of monsters?
+| adjacentok     | boolean | is adjacent location ok, if given one is not suitable?
+| ignorewater    | boolean | ignore water when choosing location for the monster
+| countbirth     | boolean | do we count this monster as generated
 | appear_as      | string | monster can appear as object, monster, or terrain. Add "obj:", "mon:", or "ter:" prefix to the value. |
 | inventory      | function | objects generated in the function are given to the monster
 |===
diff --git a/include/global.h b/include/global.h
index a0501850b..ec6b71167 100644
--- a/include/global.h
+++ b/include/global.h
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ typedef xchar boolean; /* 0 or 1 */
 #define TRUE ((boolean) 1)
 #define FALSE ((boolean) 0)
 #endif
+#define BOOL_RANDOM (-1)
 
 enum optchoice { opt_in, opt_out};
 
diff --git a/src/sp_lev.c b/src/sp_lev.c
index d50d83741..33c13e1f8 100755
--- a/src/sp_lev.c
+++ b/src/sp_lev.c
@@ -2032,22 +2032,13 @@ create_monster(monster* m, struct mkroom* croom)
         }
 
         mtmp->female = m->female;
-        if (m->peaceful >= 0) {
+        if (m->peaceful > BOOL_RANDOM) {
             mtmp->mpeaceful = m->peaceful;
             /* changed mpeaceful again; have to reset malign */
             set_malign(mtmp);
         }
-        if (m->asleep >= 0) {
-#ifdef UNIXPC
-            /* optimizer bug strikes again */
-            if (m->asleep)
-                mtmp->msleeping = 1;
-            else
-                mtmp->msleeping = 0;
-#else
+        if (m->asleep > BOOL_RANDOM)
             mtmp->msleeping = m->asleep;
-#endif
-        }
         if (m->seentraps)
             mtmp->mtrapseen = m->seentraps;
         if (m->cancelled)
@@ -3124,35 +3115,35 @@ lspo_monster(lua_State *L)
     } else {
         lcheck_param_table(L);
 
-        tmpmons.peaceful = get_table_int_opt(L, "peaceful", -1); /* TODO: alias hostile=!peaceful */
-        tmpmons.asleep = get_table_int_opt(L, "asleep", -1);
+        tmpmons.peaceful = get_table_boolean_opt(L, "peaceful", BOOL_RANDOM);
+        tmpmons.asleep = get_table_boolean_opt(L, "asleep", BOOL_RANDOM);
         tmpmons.name.str = get_table_str_opt(L, "name", NULL);
         tmpmons.appear = 0;
         tmpmons.appear_as.str = (char *) 0;
         tmpmons.sp_amask = get_table_align(L);
-        tmpmons.female = get_table_int_opt(L, "female", 0);
-        tmpmons.invis = get_table_int_opt(L, "invisible", 0);
-        tmpmons.cancelled = get_table_int_opt(L, "cancelled", 0);
-        tmpmons.revived = get_table_int_opt(L, "revived", 0);
-        tmpmons.avenge = get_table_int_opt(L, "avenge", 0);
+        tmpmons.female = get_table_boolean_opt(L, "female", FALSE);
+        tmpmons.invis = get_table_boolean_opt(L, "invisible", FALSE);
+        tmpmons.cancelled = get_table_boolean_opt(L, "cancelled", FALSE);
+        tmpmons.revived = get_table_boolean_opt(L, "revived", FALSE);
+        tmpmons.avenge = get_table_boolean_opt(L, "avenge", FALSE);
         tmpmons.fleeing = get_table_int_opt(L, "fleeing", 0);
         tmpmons.blinded = get_table_int_opt(L, "blinded", 0);
         tmpmons.paralyzed = get_table_int_opt(L, "paralyzed", 0);
-        tmpmons.stunned = get_table_int_opt(L, "stunned", 0);
-        tmpmons.confused = get_table_int_opt(L, "confused", 0);
-        tmpmons.waiting = get_table_int_opt(L, "waiting", 0);
+        tmpmons.stunned = get_table_boolean_opt(L, "stunned", FALSE);
+        tmpmons.confused = get_table_boolean_opt(L, "confused", FALSE);
+        tmpmons.waiting = get_table_boolean_opt(L, "waiting", FALSE);
         tmpmons.seentraps = 0; /* TODO: list of trap names to bitfield */
         tmpmons.has_invent = 0;
 
-        if (!get_table_int_opt(L, "tail", 1))
+        if (!get_table_boolean_opt(L, "tail", TRUE))
             tmpmons.mm_flags |= MM_NOTAIL;
-        if (!get_table_int_opt(L, "group", 1))
+        if (!get_table_boolean_opt(L, "group", TRUE))
             tmpmons.mm_flags |= MM_NOGRP;
-        if (get_table_int_opt(L, "adjacentok", 0))
+        if (get_table_boolean_opt(L, "adjacentok", FALSE))
             tmpmons.mm_flags |= MM_ADJACENTOK;
-        if (get_table_int_opt(L, "ignorewater", 0))
+        if (get_table_boolean_opt(L, "ignorewater", FALSE))
             tmpmons.mm_flags |= MM_IGNOREWATER;
-        if (!get_table_int_opt(L, "countbirth", 1))
+        if (!get_table_boolean_opt(L, "countbirth", TRUE))
             tmpmons.mm_flags |= MM_NOCOUNTBIRTH;
 
         mappear = get_table_str_opt(L, "appear_as", NULL);
diff --git a/test/test_des.lua b/test/test_des.lua
index fea216326..d4ad200b9 100644
--- a/test/test_des.lua
+++ b/test/test_des.lua
@@ -86,12 +86,14 @@ function test_monster()
    des.monster({ id = "ogre", x = 10, y = 15 })
    des.monster({ class = "D", coord = {11,16} })
    des.monster({ x = 73, y = 16 });
+   des.monster({ id = "watchman", peaceful = true })
    des.monster({ id = "watchman", peaceful = 1 })
    des.monster({ class = "H", peaceful = 0 })
    des.monster({ id = "giant mimic", appear_as = "obj:boulder" });
    des.monster({ id = "giant mimic", appear_as = "ter:altar" });
    des.monster({ id = "chameleon", appear_as = "mon:bat" });
-   des.monster({ class = "H", asleep = 1, female = 1, invisible = 1, cancelled = 1, revived = 1, avenge = 1, fleeing = 20, blinded = 20, paralyzed = 20, stunned = 20, confused = 20 })
+   des.monster({ class = "H", asleep = 1, female = 1, invisible = 1, cancelled = 1, revived = 1, avenge = 1, stunned = 1, confused = 1, fleeing = 20, blinded = 20, paralyzed = 20 })
+   des.monster({ class = "H", asleep = true, female = true, invisible = true, cancelled = true, revived = true, avenge = true, stunned = true, confused = true });
    des.monster({ id = "ogre", x = 10, y = 15, name = "Fred",
                  inventory = function()
                    des.object();
@@ -100,6 +102,11 @@ function test_monster()
                    des.object({ id = "statue", contents=0 })
                  end
    });
+   des.monster({ id = "long worm", tail = false });
+   des.monster({ id = "hill orc", group = false });
+   des.monster({ id = "lurker above", adjacentok = true });
+   des.monster({ id = "gnome", ignorewater = true });
+   des.monster({ id = "xan", countbirth = false });
    des.reset_level();
    des.level_init();
 end