diff --git a/doc/fixes37.0 b/doc/fixes37.0
index e465340d5..64988cf11 100644
--- a/doc/fixes37.0
+++ b/doc/fixes37.0
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-NHDT-Branch: NetHack-3.7 $:$NHDT-Revision: 1.287 $ $NHDT-Date: 1597704087 2020/08/17 22:41:27 $
+NHDT-Branch: NetHack-3.7 $:$NHDT-Revision: 1.288 $ $NHDT-Date: 1597707740 2020/08/17 23:42:20 $
 
 General Fixes and Modified Features
 -----------------------------------
@@ -349,6 +349,7 @@ curses: for vertical status, line up conditions in columns; usually two but
 msdos: add -DSTATUES_LOOK_LIKE_MONSTERS to Makefile1.cross so the VESA mode
 	can display statue glyphs
 Qt: quit if can't load tiles file instead of continuing and then segfaulting
+Qt: [later] tiles load failure at startup now continues using an ascii map
 Qt: use more columns for extended command selection dialog so that the number
 	of rows needed doesn't result in some commands being unaccessible
 Qt: suppress wizard mode commands from '#' handling when not in wizard mode
diff --git a/win/Qt/qt_glyph.cpp b/win/Qt/qt_glyph.cpp
index 5554a7b3f..807b4dc7d 100644
--- a/win/Qt/qt_glyph.cpp
+++ b/win/Qt/qt_glyph.cpp
@@ -46,16 +46,15 @@ NetHackQtGlyphs::NetHackQtGlyphs()
 	tile_file = iflags.wc_tile_file;
 
     if (!img.load(tile_file)) {
+        tiles_per_row = TILES_PER_ROW;
+
 	tile_file = PIXMAPDIR "/x11tiles";
 	if (!img.load(tile_file)) {
 	    QString msg;
-
             msg.sprintf("Cannot load 'nhtiles.bmp' or 'x11tiles'.");
-	    QMessageBox::warning(0, "IO Error", msg);
-            NetHackQtBind::qt_exit_nhwindows((const char *) 0);
-            nh_terminate(EXIT_FAILURE);
+            iflags.wc_ascii_map = 1;
+            iflags.wc_tiled_map = 0;
 	} else {
-	    tiles_per_row = TILES_PER_ROW;
             if (img.width() % tiles_per_row) {
                 impossible(
             "Tile file \"%s\" has %d columns, not multiple of row count (%d)",
@@ -68,8 +67,11 @@ NetHackQtGlyphs::NetHackQtGlyphs()
 
     if (iflags.wc_tile_width)
 	tilefile_tile_W = iflags.wc_tile_width;
+    else if (iflags.wc_ascii_map)
+	tilefile_tile_W = 16;
     else
 	tilefile_tile_W = img.width() / tiles_per_row;
+
     if (iflags.wc_tile_height)
 	tilefile_tile_H = iflags.wc_tile_height;
     else
diff --git a/win/Qt/qt_inv.cpp b/win/Qt/qt_inv.cpp
index 1cab0ab11..f6cc6a92e 100644
--- a/win/Qt/qt_inv.cpp
+++ b/win/Qt/qt_inv.cpp
@@ -85,6 +85,8 @@ void NetHackQtInvUsageWindow::paintEvent(QPaintEvent*)
     //      show leash-in-use on lower left side
 
 #ifdef ENHANCED_PAPERDOLL
+    if (iflags.wc_ascii_map)
+        qt_settings->doll_is_shown = false;
     if (!qt_settings->doll_is_shown)
         return;
     qt_settings->glyphs().setSize(qt_settings->dollWidth,
@@ -144,13 +146,17 @@ QSize NetHackQtInvUsageWindow::sizeHint(void) const
         // 1+X+1: one pixel border surrounding each tile in the paper doll,
         // so +1 left and +1 right, also +1 above and +1 below
 #ifdef ENHANCED_PAPERDOLL
+        if (iflags.wc_ascii_map)
+            qt_settings->doll_is_shown = false;
         if (qt_settings->doll_is_shown) {
             w = (1 + qt_settings->dollWidth + 1) * 3;
             h = (1 + qt_settings->dollHeight + 1) * 6;
         }
 #else
-        w = (1 + qt_settings->glyphs().width() + 1) * 3;
-        h = (1 + qt_settings->glyphs().height() + 1) * 6;
+        if (iflags.wc_tiles_map) {
+            w = (1 + qt_settings->glyphs().width() + 1) * 3;
+            h = (1 + qt_settings->glyphs().height() + 1) * 6;
+        }
 #endif
         return QSize(w, h);
     } else {
diff --git a/win/Qt/qt_set.cpp b/win/Qt/qt_set.cpp
index fc4df1ac1..939ae89a7 100644
--- a/win/Qt/qt_set.cpp
+++ b/win/Qt/qt_set.cpp
@@ -196,6 +196,9 @@ NetHackQtSettings::NetHackQtSettings() :
 
 NetHackQtGlyphs& NetHackQtSettings::glyphs()
 {
+    // Caveat:
+    //  'theglyphs' will be Null if the tiles file couldn't be loaded;
+    //  the game can still procede with an ascii map in that situation.
     return *theglyphs;
 }
 
@@ -213,8 +216,10 @@ void NetHackQtSettings::resizeTiles()
     settings.setValue("tilewidth", tileWidth);
     settings.setValue("tileheight", tileHeight);
 
-    theglyphs->setSize(tileWidth, tileHeight);
-    emit tilesChanged();
+    if (theglyphs) {
+        theglyphs->setSize(tileWidth, tileHeight);
+        emit tilesChanged();
+    }
 }
 
 void NetHackQtSettings::toggleGlyphSize()