diff --git a/src/restore.c b/src/restore.c
index 3622c02ab..e28648769 100644
--- a/src/restore.c
+++ b/src/restore.c
@@ -926,6 +926,10 @@ NHFILE *nhfp;
         if (nhfp->structlevel) {
             len += (int) sizeof (stairway);
             mread(nhfp->fd, (genericptr_t) &stway, sizeof (stairway));
+            if (stway.tolev.dnum == u.uz.dnum) {
+                /* stairway dlevel is relative, make it absolute */
+                stway.tolev.dlevel += u.uz.dlevel;
+            }
         }
 
         stairway_add(stway.sx, stway.sy, stway.up, stway.isladder,
diff --git a/src/save.c b/src/save.c
index d1dcf15fd..bc8def125 100644
--- a/src/save.c
+++ b/src/save.c
@@ -669,8 +669,16 @@ NHFILE *nhfp;
     while (stway) {
         if (perform_bwrite(nhfp)) {
             if (nhfp->structlevel) {
+                if (stway->tolev.dnum == u.uz.dnum) {
+                    /* make dlevel relative to current level */
+                    stway->tolev.dlevel -= u.uz.dlevel;
+                }
                 bwrite(nhfp->fd, (genericptr_t) &buflen, sizeof buflen);
                 bwrite(nhfp->fd, (genericptr_t) stway, sizeof *stway);
+                if (stway->tolev.dnum == u.uz.dnum) {
+                    /* reset staiway dlevel back to absolute */
+                    stway->tolev.dlevel += u.uz.dlevel;
+                }
             }
         }
         stway = stway->next;