diff --git a/include/extern.h b/include/extern.h
index ded45696a..3ff15a588 100644
--- a/include/extern.h
+++ b/include/extern.h
@@ -1615,7 +1615,8 @@ E void FDECL(make_confused, (long,BOOLEAN_P));
 E void FDECL(make_stunned, (long,BOOLEAN_P));
 E void FDECL(make_blinded, (long,BOOLEAN_P));
 E void FDECL(make_sick, (long, const char *, BOOLEAN_P,int));
-E void FDECL(make_slimed, (long,const char*));
+E void FDECL(make_slimed, (long,const char *));
+E void FDECL(make_stoned, (long,const char *,int,const char *));
 E void FDECL(make_vomiting, (long,BOOLEAN_P));
 E boolean FDECL(make_hallucinated, (long,BOOLEAN_P,long));
 E int NDECL(dodrink);
diff --git a/src/eat.c b/src/eat.c
index 28cad7fa5..968da1f3e 100644
--- a/src/eat.c
+++ b/src/eat.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/*	SCCS Id: @(#)eat.c	3.5	2005/06/02	*/
+/*	SCCS Id: @(#)eat.c	3.5	2005/06/21	*/
 /* Copyright (c) Stichting Mathematisch Centrum, Amsterdam, 1985. */
 /* NetHack may be freely redistributed.  See license for details. */
 
@@ -514,13 +514,14 @@ register int pm;
 void
 fix_petrification()
 {
-	Stoned = 0;
-	dealloc_killer(find_delayed_killer(STONED));
-	if (Hallucination)
-	    pline("What a pity - you just ruined a future piece of %sart!",
-		  ACURR(A_CHA) > 15 ? "fine " : "");
-	else
-	    You_feel("limber!");
+    char buf[BUFSZ];
+
+    if (Hallucination)
+	Sprintf(buf, "What a pity--you just ruined a future piece of %sart!",
+		ACURR(A_CHA) > 15 ? "fine " : "");
+    else
+	Strcpy(buf, "You feel limber!");
+    make_stoned(0L, buf, 0, (char *)0);
 }
 
 /*
@@ -1836,10 +1837,10 @@ register struct obj *otmp;
 			!(poly_when_stoned(youmonst.data) &&
 			    polymon(PM_STONE_GOLEM))) {
 			if (!Stoned) {
-			    Stoned = 5;
 			    Sprintf(killer.name,
 				    "%s egg", mons[otmp->corpsenm].mname);
-			    delayed_killer(STONED, KILLED_BY_AN, killer.name);
+			    make_stoned(5L, (char *)0,
+					KILLED_BY_AN, killer.name);
 			}
 		    }
 		    /* note: no "tastes like chicken" message for eggs */
diff --git a/src/mhitu.c b/src/mhitu.c
index 14476dd9a..2409935d2 100644
--- a/src/mhitu.c
+++ b/src/mhitu.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/*	SCCS Id: @(#)mhitu.c	3.5	2005/04/15	*/
+/*	SCCS Id: @(#)mhitu.c	3.5	2005/06/21	*/
 /* Copyright (c) Stichting Mathematisch Centrum, Amsterdam, 1985. */
 /* NetHack may be freely redistributed.  See license for details. */
 
@@ -1182,13 +1182,12 @@ dopois:
 				int kformat = KILLED_BY_AN;
 				const char *kname = mtmp->data->mname;
 
-				Stoned = 5;
 				if (mtmp->data->geno & G_UNIQ) {
 				    if (!type_is_pname(mtmp->data))
 					kname = the(kname);
 				    kformat = KILLED_BY;
 				}
-				delayed_killer(STONED, kformat, kname);
+				make_stoned(5L, (char *)0, kformat, kname);
 				return(1);
 				/* You("turn to stone..."); */
 				/* done_in_by(mtmp); */
diff --git a/src/mthrowu.c b/src/mthrowu.c
index 5f2b9c63b..c9b635ded 100644
--- a/src/mthrowu.c
+++ b/src/mthrowu.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/*	SCCS Id: @(#)mthrowu.c	3.5	2004/08/16	*/
+/*	SCCS Id: @(#)mthrowu.c	3.5	2005/06/21	*/
 /* Copyright (c) Stichting Mathematisch Centrum, Amsterdam, 1985. */
 /* NetHack may be freely redistributed.  See license for details. */
 
@@ -404,8 +404,7 @@ struct obj *obj;		/* missile (or stack providing it) */
 			if (!Stoned && !Stone_resistance
 			    && !(poly_when_stoned(youmonst.data) &&
 				 polymon(PM_STONE_GOLEM))) {
-			    Stoned = 5;
-			    delayed_killer(STONED, KILLED_BY, nul);
+			    make_stoned(5L, (char *)0, KILLED_BY, nul);
 			}
 		    }
 		    stop_occupation();
diff --git a/src/polyself.c b/src/polyself.c
index 58c171c4e..6787f43d8 100644
--- a/src/polyself.c
+++ b/src/polyself.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/*	SCCS Id: @(#)polyself.c	3.5	2005/04/13	*/
+/*	SCCS Id: @(#)polyself.c	3.5	2005/06/21	*/
 /*	Copyright (C) 1987, 1988, 1989 by Ken Arromdee */
 /* NetHack may be freely redistributed.  See license for details. */
 
@@ -193,8 +193,7 @@ newman()
 	redist_attr();
 	u.uhunger = rn1(500,500);
 	if (Sick) make_sick(0L, (char *) 0, FALSE, SICK_ALL);
-	Stoned = 0;
-	dealloc_killer(find_delayed_killer(STONED));
+	if (Stoned) make_stoned(0L, (char *)0, 0, (char *)0);
 	if (u.uhp <= 0 || u.uhpmax <= 0) {
 		if (Polymorph_control) {
 		    if (u.uhp <= 0) u.uhp = 1;
@@ -407,10 +406,8 @@ int	mntmp;
 	}
 	if (Stoned && poly_when_stoned(&mons[mntmp])) {
 		/* poly_when_stoned already checked stone golem genocide */
-		You("turn to stone!");
 		mntmp = PM_STONE_GOLEM;
-		Stoned = 0;
-		dealloc_killer(find_delayed_killer(STONED));
+		make_stoned(0L, "You turn to stone!", 0, (char *)0);
 	}
 
 	u.mtimedone = rn1(500, 500);
@@ -423,9 +420,8 @@ int	mntmp;
 	if(strongmonst(&mons[mntmp])) ABASE(A_STR) = AMAX(A_STR) = STR18(100);
 
 	if (Stone_resistance && Stoned) { /* parnes@eniac.seas.upenn.edu */
-		Stoned = 0;
-		dealloc_killer(find_delayed_killer(STONED));
-		You("no longer seem to be petrifying.");
+		make_stoned(0L, "You no longer seem to be petrifying.",
+			    0, (char *)0);
 	}
 	if (Sick_resistance && Sick) {
 		make_sick(0L, (char *) 0, FALSE, SICK_ALL);
diff --git a/src/potion.c b/src/potion.c
index f36852c75..7e4b3eae4 100644
--- a/src/potion.c
+++ b/src/potion.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/*	SCCS Id: @(#)potion.c	3.5	2005/06/02	*/
+/*	SCCS Id: @(#)potion.c	3.5	2005/06/21	*/
 /* Copyright (c) Stichting Mathematisch Centrum, Amsterdam, 1985. */
 /* NetHack may be freely redistributed.  See license for details. */
 
@@ -153,6 +153,25 @@ const char *msg;
 	if (!Slimed) dealloc_killer(find_delayed_killer(SLIMED));
 }
 
+/* start or stop petrification */
+void
+make_stoned(xtime, msg, killedby, killername)
+long xtime;
+const char *msg;
+int killedby;
+const char *killername;
+{
+	long old = Stoned;
+
+	if ((!xtime && old) || (xtime && !old)) {
+	    if (msg) pline("%s", msg);
+	 /* context.botl = 1;   --- Stoned is not a status line item */
+	}
+	set_itimeout(&Stoned, xtime);
+	if (!Stoned) dealloc_killer(find_delayed_killer(STONED));
+	else if (!old) delayed_killer(STONED, killedby, killername);
+}
+
 void
 make_vomiting(xtime, talk)
 long xtime;
diff --git a/src/pray.c b/src/pray.c
index e150a47cb..26b83c3db 100644
--- a/src/pray.c
+++ b/src/pray.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/*	SCCS Id: @(#)pray.c	3.5	2004/06/12	*/
+/*	SCCS Id: @(#)pray.c	3.5	2005/06/21	*/
 /* Copyright (c) Benson I. Margulies, Mike Stephenson, Steve Linhart, 1989. */
 /* NetHack may be freely redistributed.  See license for details. */
 
@@ -276,10 +276,7 @@ register int trouble;
 
 	switch (trouble) {
 	    case TROUBLE_STONED:
-		    You_feel("more limber.");
-		    Stoned = 0;
-		    context.botl = 1;
-		    dealloc_killer(find_delayed_killer(STONED));
+		    make_stoned(0L, "You feel more limber.", 0, (char *)0);
 		    break;
 	    case TROUBLE_SLIMED:
 		    make_slimed(0L, "The slime disappears.");
diff --git a/src/uhitm.c b/src/uhitm.c
index 0d9a031b9..839495997 100644
--- a/src/uhitm.c
+++ b/src/uhitm.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/*	SCCS Id: @(#)uhitm.c	3.5	2004/12/21	*/
+/*	SCCS Id: @(#)uhitm.c	3.5	2005/06/21	*/
 /* Copyright (c) Stichting Mathematisch Centrum, Amsterdam, 1985. */
 /* NetHack may be freely redistributed.  See license for details. */
 
@@ -1571,8 +1571,8 @@ register struct attack *mattk;
 		You("eat %s brain!", s_suffix(mon_nam(mdef)));
 		u.uconduct.food++;
 		if (touch_petrifies(mdef->data) && !Stone_resistance && !Stoned) {
-		    Stoned = 5;
-		    delayed_killer(STONED, KILLED_BY_AN, mdef->data->mname);
+		    make_stoned(5L, (char *)0,
+				KILLED_BY_AN, mdef->data->mname);
 		}
 		if (!vegan(mdef->data))
 		    u.uconduct.unvegan++;