diff --git a/doc/.gitignore b/doc/.gitignore
index dfd019421..2cb6f5896 100644
--- a/doc/.gitignore
+++ b/doc/.gitignore
@@ -14,4 +14,10 @@ Guidebook.pdf
 Guidebook.ps
 Guidebook.dated.*
 *.synctex.*
-
+# files that might appear from "make fetch-docs"
+dlb.pdf
+makedefs.pdf
+mn.pdf
+mnh.pdf
+nethack.pdf
+recover.pdf
diff --git a/doc/fixes3-7-0.txt b/doc/fixes3-7-0.txt
index befaae8f6..7dd26ce21 100644
--- a/doc/fixes3-7-0.txt
+++ b/doc/fixes3-7-0.txt
@@ -2766,6 +2766,7 @@ healers gain experience by healing pets
 blessed scroll of destroy armor asks which armor to destroy
 archeologists' fedora is lucky
 telepathic hero can discern which particular monster just read a scroll
+add "make fetch-docs" to download pre-formatted documentation
 
 
 Platform- and/or Interface-Specific New Features
diff --git a/sys/unix/Makefile.top b/sys/unix/Makefile.top
index 3d7b54727..f3bb66d23 100644
--- a/sys/unix/Makefile.top
+++ b/sys/unix/Makefile.top
@@ -397,6 +397,25 @@ fetch-lua-http:
 	  tar zxf lua-$(LUA_VERSION).tar.gz && \
 	  rm -f lua-$(LUA_VERSION).tar.gz )
 
+#
+# This is not part of the dependency build hierarchy.
+# It requires an explicit "make fetch-docs".
+fetch-docs:
+	@FDroot=https://www.nethack.org; \
+	FDvmajor=`awk '/VERSION_MAJOR/{print $$3}' < include/patchlevel.h`; \
+	FDvminor=`awk '/VERSION_MINOR/{print $$3}' < include/patchlevel.h`; \
+	RDIR="NetHack-$${FDvmajor}.$${FDvminor}"; \
+	echo "Fetching directory information for $${RDIR}"; \
+	RDOCFILES=`curl --no-progress-meter $${FDroot}/cgi-bin/lsautodocs?$$RDIR`; \
+	FDbase="$${FDroot}/autodocs/$${RDIR}"; \
+	set -- $${RDOCFILES}; \
+	echo "Fetching $$# files"; \
+	while [ $$# -gt 0 ]; do \
+	  echo "Downloading: '$$1' from '$${FDbase}/$$1'"; \
+	  curl --no-progress-meter -R $${FDbase}/$$1 -o doc/$$1; \
+	  shift; \
+	done
+
 # '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.