diff --git a/doc/lua.adoc b/doc/lua.adoc
index cd08d5ebd..90ec18d2f 100644
--- a/doc/lua.adoc
+++ b/doc/lua.adoc
@@ -1090,11 +1090,23 @@ Example:
 
 === gradient
 
-Create a "gradient" of selected positions.
+Create a "gradient" of selected positions, radiating outward from a center point
+or line.
+x and y are required; x2 and y2 are not required. If they are provided and are
+different from x and y, the center of the gradient will be a line; otherwise it
+will be a point source at (x,y).
+type is either "radial" or "square"; defaults to "radial" if not provided.
+mindist is not required and is 0 by default. Points within (mindist) tiles of
+the center will always be added to the selection.
+maxdist is required. Points more than (maxdist) tiles from the center will never
+be added to the selection.
+For any given point between mindist and maxdist, there is a random chance it
+will be added to the selection; this chance starts at 100% at mindist and
+decreases linearly to 0% at maxdist.
 
 Example:
 
- local s = selection.gradient({ type = "radial", x = 3, y = 5, x2 = 10, y2 = 12, mindist = 4, maxdist = 10, limited = false });
+ local s = selection.gradient({ type = "radial", x = 3, y = 5, x2 = 10, y2 = 12, mindist = 4, maxdist = 10 });
 
 
 === grow
diff --git a/include/extern.h b/include/extern.h
index 586b0e844..5e89e43ef 100644
--- a/include/extern.h
+++ b/include/extern.h
@@ -2674,7 +2674,7 @@ extern void set_floodfillchk_match_under(coordxy);
 extern void selection_do_ellipse(struct selectionvar *, int, int, int, int,
                                  int);
 extern void selection_do_gradient(struct selectionvar *, long, long, long,
-                                  long, long, long, long, long);
+                                  long, long, long, long);
 extern int lspo_reset_level(lua_State *);
 extern int lspo_finalize_level(lua_State *);
 extern boolean get_coord(lua_State *, int, lua_Integer *, lua_Integer *);
diff --git a/src/nhlsel.c b/src/nhlsel.c
index e3c86e39e..52850d8f6 100644
--- a/src/nhlsel.c
+++ b/src/nhlsel.c
@@ -840,13 +840,10 @@ l_selection_gradient(lua_State *L)
     /* if x2 and y2 aren't set, the gradient has a single center point of x,y;
      * if they are set, the gradient is centered on a (x,y) to (x2,y2) line */
     coordxy x = 0, y = 0, x2 = -1, y2 = -1;
-    /* points will not be added within mindist of the center; the chance for a
+    /* points are always added within mindist of the center; the chance for a
      * point between mindist and maxdist to be added to the selection starts at
-     * 0% at mindist and increases linearly to 100% at maxdist */
+     * 100% at mindist and decreases linearly to 0% at maxdist */
     coordxy mindist = 0, maxdist = 0;
-    /* if limited is true, no points farther than maxdist will be added; if
-     * false, all points farther than maxdist will be added */
-    boolean limited = FALSE;
     long type = 0;
     static const char *const gradtypes[] = {
         "radial", "square", NULL
@@ -862,17 +859,18 @@ l_selection_gradient(lua_State *L)
         y = (coordxy) get_table_int(L, "y");
         x2 = (coordxy) get_table_int_opt(L, "x2", -1);
         y2 = (coordxy) get_table_int_opt(L, "y2", -1);
+        cvt_to_abscoord(&x, &y);
+        cvt_to_abscoord(&x2, &y2);
         /* maxdist is required because there's no obvious default value for it,
          * whereas mindist has an obvious defalt of 0 */
         maxdist = get_table_int(L, "maxdist");
         mindist = get_table_int_opt(L, "mindist", 0);
-        limited = get_table_boolean_opt(L, "limited", FALSE);
 
         lua_pop(L, 1);
         (void) l_selection_new(L);
         sel = l_selection_check(L, 1);
     } else {
-        nhl_error(L, "wrong parameters");
+        nhl_error(L, "selection.gradient requires table argument");
         /* NOTREACHED */
     }
 
@@ -885,7 +883,7 @@ l_selection_gradient(lua_State *L)
         y2 = y;
     }
 
-    selection_do_gradient(sel, x, y, x2, y2, type, mindist, maxdist, limited);
+    selection_do_gradient(sel, x, y, x2, y2, type, mindist, maxdist);
     lua_settop(L, 1);
     return 1;
 }
diff --git a/src/sp_lev.c b/src/sp_lev.c
index 916e713a4..7870d0b0a 100644
--- a/src/sp_lev.c
+++ b/src/sp_lev.c
@@ -4989,13 +4989,14 @@ line_dist_coord(long x1, long y1, long x2, long y2, long x3, long y3)
     return dist;
 }
 
+/* guts of l_selection_gradient */
 void
 selection_do_gradient(
     struct selectionvar *ov,
     long x, long y,
     long x2,long y2,
     long gtyp,
-    long mind, long maxd, long limit)
+    long mind, long maxd)
 {
     long dx, dy, dofs;
 
@@ -5017,10 +5018,8 @@ selection_do_gradient(
         for (dx = 0; dx < COLNO; dx++)
             for (dy = 0; dy < ROWNO; dy++) {
                 long d0 = line_dist_coord(x, y, x2, y2, dx, dy);
-                if (d0 >= mind && (!limit || d0 <= maxd)) {
-                    if (d0 - mind > rn2(dofs))
-                        selection_setpoint(dx, dy, ov, 1);
-                }
+                if (d0 <= mind || (d0 <= maxd && d0 - mind < rn2(dofs)))
+                    selection_setpoint(dx, dy, ov, 1);
             }
         break;
     }
@@ -5034,10 +5033,8 @@ selection_do_gradient(
                 long d5 = line_dist_coord(x, y, x2, y2, dx, dy);
                 long d0 = min(d5, min(max(d1, d2), max(d3, d4)));
 
-                if (d0 >= mind && (!limit || d0 <= maxd)) {
-                    if (d0 - mind > rn2(dofs))
-                        selection_setpoint(dx, dy, ov, 1);
-                }
+                if (d0 <= mind || (d0 <= maxd && d0 - mind < rn2(dofs)))
+                    selection_setpoint(dx, dy, ov, 1);
             }
         break;
     } /*case*/