diff --git a/doc/fixes35.0 b/doc/fixes35.0
index fc9fe04fd..73e810599 100644
--- a/doc/fixes35.0
+++ b/doc/fixes35.0
@@ -221,6 +221,8 @@ salamanders can use green slime corpses to cure themselves of petrification
 feedback about summoned monsters may use singular when it should use plural
 rogue's backstab bonus doesn't apply for throwing attacks
 hiding monsters who are unhidden when hero leaves a level can hide upon return
+touching a pile of objects while blind affects hero even when the pile is
+	big enough to give "there are many objects here" and not list them
 
 
 Platform- and/or Interface-Specific Fixes
diff --git a/src/invent.c b/src/invent.c
index e2eb553b6..d79cc37b1 100644
--- a/src/invent.c
+++ b/src/invent.c
@@ -2383,14 +2383,16 @@ boolean picked_some;
 
 	if (Blind) {
 		boolean drift = Is_airlevel(&u.uz) || Is_waterlevel(&u.uz);
+
 		if (dfeature && !strncmp(dfeature, "altar ", 6)) {
 		    /* don't say "altar" twice, dfeature has more info */
 		    You("try to feel what is here.");
 		} else {
 		    const char *where = (Blind && !can_reach_floor(TRUE)) ?
-		    		      "lying beneath you" : "lying here on the ",
-		    	      *onwhat = (Blind && !can_reach_floor(TRUE)) ?
-		    	 		"" : surface(u.ux,u.uy);
+				    "lying beneath you" : "lying here on the ",
+			      *onwhat = (Blind && !can_reach_floor(TRUE)) ?
+					"" : surface(u.ux,u.uy);
+
 		    You("try to feel what is %s%s.",
 			drift ? "floating here" : where,
 			drift ? ""		: onwhat);
@@ -2421,6 +2423,15 @@ boolean picked_some;
 	    There("are %s%s objects here.",
 		  (obj_cnt <= 10) ? "several" : "many",
 		  picked_some ? " more" : "");
+	    for ( ; otmp; otmp = otmp->nexthere)
+		if (otmp->otyp == CORPSE && will_feel_cockatrice(otmp, FALSE)) {
+		    pline("Including %s%s.",
+			  corpse_xname(otmp, (const char *)0, CXN_ARTICLE),
+			  poly_when_stoned(youmonst.data) ? "" :
+			    ", unfortunately");
+		    feel_cockatrice(otmp, FALSE);
+		    break;
+		}
 	} else if (!otmp->nexthere) {
 	    /* only one object */
 	    if (dfeature) pline(fbuf);
@@ -2471,8 +2482,9 @@ struct obj *otmp;
 boolean force_touch;
 {
 	if ((Blind || force_touch) && !uarmg && !Stone_resistance &&
-		(otmp->otyp == CORPSE && touch_petrifies(&mons[otmp->corpsenm])))
-			return TRUE;
+		(otmp->otyp == CORPSE &&
+		 touch_petrifies(&mons[otmp->corpsenm])))
+	    return TRUE;
 	return FALSE;
 }
 
@@ -2484,14 +2496,18 @@ boolean force_touch;
 	char kbuf[BUFSZ];
 
 	if (will_feel_cockatrice(otmp, force_touch)) {
-	    if(poly_when_stoned(youmonst.data))
-			You("touched the %s corpse with your bare %s.",
-				mons[otmp->corpsenm].mname, makeplural(body_part(HAND)));
+	    /* "the <cockatrice> corpse" */
+	    Strcpy(kbuf, corpse_xname(otmp, (const char *)0, CXN_PFX_THE));
+
+	    if (poly_when_stoned(youmonst.data))
+		You("touched %s with your bare %s.",
+		    kbuf, makeplural(body_part(HAND)));
 	    else
-			pline("Touching the %s corpse is a fatal mistake...",
-				mons[otmp->corpsenm].mname);
-		Sprintf(kbuf, "%s corpse", an(mons[otmp->corpsenm].mname));
-		instapetrify(kbuf);
+		pline("Touching %s is a fatal mistake...", kbuf);
+	    /* normalize body shape here; hand, not body_part(HAND) */
+	    Sprintf(kbuf, "touching %s bare-handed", killer_xname(otmp));
+	    /* will call polymon() for the poly_when_stoned() case */
+	    instapetrify(kbuf);
 	}
 }