diff --git a/sys/unix/Makefile.top b/sys/unix/Makefile.top
index 9c9ae0766..50466d12a 100644
--- a/sys/unix/Makefile.top
+++ b/sys/unix/Makefile.top
@@ -104,6 +104,21 @@ DATNODLB = $(VARDATND) license symbols
 DATDLB = $(DATHELP) dungeon.lua tribute $(SPEC_LEVS) $(QUEST_LEVS) $(VARDATD)
 DAT = $(DATNODLB) $(DATDLB)
 
+# These get set only if they weren't already set above or in a hints file
+#CHOWN ?= true
+#CHGRP ?= true
+#SYSCONFCREATE ?= cp sys/unix/sysconf $(INSTDIR)/sysconf
+#SYSCONFINSTALL ?= $(SYSCONFCREATE) && \
+#	 $(CHOWN) $(GAMEUID) $(INSTDIR)/sysconf && \
+#	 $(CHGRP) $(GAMEGRP) $(INSTDIR)/sysconf && \
+#	 chmod $(VARFILEPERM) $(INSTDIR)/sysconf;
+#SYSCONFENSURE ?= (if ! test -f $(INSTDIR)/sysconf ; then \
+#	 $(SYSCONFCREATE) && \
+#	 $(CHOWN) $(GAMEUID) $(INSTDIR)/sysconf && \
+#	 $(CHGRP) $(GAMEGRP) $(INSTDIR)/sysconf && \
+#	 chmod $(VARFILEPERM) $(INSTDIR)/sysconf; fi );
+
+# Lua
 LUAHEADERS = lib/lua-$(LUA_VERSION)/src
 LUATESTTARGET = $(LUAHEADERS)/lua.h
 LUATOP = $(LUAHEADERS)
@@ -368,7 +383,7 @@ fetch-lua-http:
 # 'make update' can be used to install a revised version after making
 # customizations or such.  Unlike 'make install', it doesn't delete everything
 # from the target directory to have a clean start.
-update: $(PRECHECK) $(GAME) recover $(VARDAT) spec_levs
+update: $(PRECHECK) $(GAME) recover $(VARDAT) spec_levs sys/unix/sysconf
 #	(don't yank the old version out from under people who're playing it)
 	-mv $(INSTDIR)/$(GAME) $(INSTDIR)/$(GAME).old
 	-mv $(INSTDIR)/nhdat $(INSTDIR)/nhdat.old
@@ -376,13 +391,15 @@ update: $(PRECHECK) $(GAME) recover $(VARDAT) spec_levs
 	( $(MAKE) dofiles )
 # should already be present, but make sure
 	touch $(VARDIR)/perm $(VARDIR)/record
+# sysconf, but only if it does not exist
+	true; $(SYSCONFENSURE)
 # and a reminder
 	@echo You may also want to install the man pages via the doc Makefile.
 
 rootcheck:
 	@true; $(ROOTCHECK)
 
-install: rootcheck $(PRECHECK) $(GAME) recover $(VARDAT) spec_levs
+install: rootcheck $(PRECHECK) $(GAME) recover $(VARDAT) spec_levs sys/unix/sysconf
 	true; $(PREINSTALL)
 # set up the directories
 # not all mkdirs have -p; those that don't will create a -p directory
@@ -404,6 +421,9 @@ install: rootcheck $(PRECHECK) $(GAME) recover $(VARDAT) spec_levs
 	-( cd $(VARDIR) ; $(CHOWN) $(GAMEUID) perm record logfile xlogfile livelog ; \
 			$(CHGRP) $(GAMEGRP) perm record logfile xlogfile livelog ; \
 			chmod $(VARFILEPERM) perm record logfile xlogfile livelog )
+# sysconf
+	true; $(SYSCONFINSTALL)
+# other steps from hints file
 	true; $(POSTINSTALL)
 # and a reminder
 	@echo You may also want to reinstall the man pages via the doc Makefile.
diff --git a/sys/unix/hints/linux.370 b/sys/unix/hints/linux.370
index 7139e9175..508785612 100755
--- a/sys/unix/hints/linux.370
+++ b/sys/unix/hints/linux.370
@@ -295,6 +295,17 @@ override GAME=
 MOREALL += ( cd src ; $(MAKE) pregame ; $(MAKE) $(TARGETPFX)libnh.a )
 endif  # WANT_LIBNH
 
+SYSCONFCREATE = cp sys/unix/sysconf $(INSTDIR)/sysconf
+SYSCONFINSTALL = $(SYSCONFCREATE) && \
+	 $(CHOWN) $(GAMEUID) $(INSTDIR)/sysconf && \
+	 $(CHGRP) $(GAMEGRP) $(INSTDIR)/sysconf && \
+	 chmod $(VARFILEPERM) $(INSTDIR)/sysconf;
+SYSCONFENSURE = (if ! test -f $(INSTDIR)/sysconf ; then \
+	 $(SYSCONFCREATE) && \
+	 $(CHOWN) $(GAMEUID) $(INSTDIR)/sysconf && \
+	 $(CHGRP) $(GAMEGRP) $(INSTDIR)/sysconf && \
+	 chmod $(VARFILEPERM) $(INSTDIR)/sysconf; fi );
+
 ifdef WANT_SOURCE_INSTALL
 PREFIX=$(abspath $(NHSROOT))
 #SHELLDIR=
@@ -317,14 +328,10 @@ endif #?WANT_SOURCE_INSTALL
 INSTDIR=$(HACKDIR)
 VARDIR = $(HACKDIR)
 
-POSTINSTALL+= cp -n sys/unix/sysconf $(INSTDIR)/sysconf; \
-	$(CHOWN) $(GAMEUID) $(INSTDIR)/sysconf; \
-	$(CHGRP) $(GAMEGRP) $(INSTDIR)/sysconf; \
-	chmod $(VARFILEPERM) $(INSTDIR)/sysconf; \
-	( util/makedefs --grep-defined CRASHREPORT && \
+POSTINSTALL+= ( util/makedefs --grep-defined CRASHREPORT && \
 	  ( cp win/share/nhcrashreport.lua $(INSTDIR) ; \
 	  chmod 555 $(INSTDIR)/nhcrashreport.lua ; \
-	  cp $(LUATOP)/lua $(INSTDIR)/nhlua); true);
+	  cp $(LUATOP)/lua $(INSTDIR)/nhlua); true );
 
 ifneq "$(CCISCLANG)" ""
 # gdb may not be installed if clang is chosen compiler so the game
diff --git a/sys/unix/hints/macOS.370 b/sys/unix/hints/macOS.370
index 26d6b435a..981bf4396 100755
--- a/sys/unix/hints/macOS.370
+++ b/sys/unix/hints/macOS.370
@@ -350,11 +350,7 @@ ROOTCHECK= [[ `id -u` == 0 ]] || ( echo "Must run install with sudo."; exit 1)
 PREINSTALL= . sys/unix/hints/macosx.sh user2 $(GAMEUID); \
 		. sys/unix/hints/macosx.sh group2 $(GAMEGRP); \
 		(mkdir $(SHELLDIR) || true); chown $(GAMEUID) $(SHELLDIR)
-POSTINSTALL+= sys/unix/hints/macosx.sh editsysconf sys/unix/sysconf $(HACKDIR)/sysconf; \
-		$(CHOWN) $(GAMEUID) $(HACKDIR)/sysconf; \
-		$(CHGRP) $(GAMEGRP) $(HACKDIR)/sysconf; \
-		chmod $(VARFILEPERM) $(HACKDIR)/sysconf; \
-		util/makedefs --grep-defined CRASHREPORT && \
+POSTINSTALL+= util/makedefs --grep-defined CRASHREPORT && \
 		 ( cp win/macosx/NetHackCrashReport.JavaScript $(HACKDIR) && \
 		 chmod 0500 $(HACKDIR)/NetHackCrashReport.JavaScript )
 
@@ -414,6 +410,16 @@ endif   # !WANT_SHARE_INSTALL
 INSTDIR=$(HACKDIR)
 VARDIR=$(HACKDIR)
 
+SYSCONFCREATE = sys/unix/hints/macosx.sh editsysconf sys/unix/sysconf $(HACKDIR)/sysconf
+SYSCONFINSTALL = $(SYSCONFCREATE) && \
+	 $(CHOWN) $(GAMEUID) $(INSTDIR)/sysconf && \
+	 $(CHGRP) $(GAMEGRP) $(INSTDIR)/sysconf && \
+	 chmod $(VARFILEPERM) $(INSTDIR)/sysconf;
+SYSCONFENSURE = (if ! test -f $(INSTDIR)/sysconf ; then \
+	 $(SYSCONFCREATE) && \
+	 $(CHOWN) $(GAMEUID) $(INSTDIR)/sysconf && \
+	 $(CHGRP) $(GAMEGRP) $(INSTDIR)/sysconf && \
+	 chmod $(VARFILEPERM) $(INSTDIR)/sysconf; fi );
 
 # ~/Library/Preferences/NetHack Defaults
 # OPTIONS=name:player,number_pad,menustyle:partial,!time,showexp