diff --git a/dat/medusa-3.lua b/dat/medusa-3.lua
index 75aa7f736..4419117f7 100644
--- a/dat/medusa-3.lua
+++ b/dat/medusa-3.lua
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
--- NetHack medusa medusa-3.lua	$NHDT-Date: 1652196028 2022/05/10 15:20:28 $  $NHDT-Branch: NetHack-3.7 $:$NHDT-Revision: 1.7 $
+-- NetHack medusa medusa-3.lua	$NHDT-Date: 1716152250 2024/05/19 20:57:30 $  $NHDT-Branch: NetHack-3.7 $:$NHDT-Revision: 1.8 $
 --	Copyright (c) 1989 by Jean-Christophe Collet
 --	Copyright (c) 1990, 1991 by M. Stephenson
 -- NetHack may be freely redistributed.  See license for details.
@@ -32,11 +32,21 @@ des.map([[
 ]]);
 
 local place = selection.new();
+-- each of these spots are inside a distinct room
 place:set(08,06);
 place:set(66,05);
 place:set(46,15);
 
-local medloc = place:rndcoord(1);
+-- location of Medusa and downstairs and Perseus's statue
+local medloc = place:rndcoord(1,1);
+-- specific location for some other statue in a different downstairs-eligible
+-- room, to prevent object detection from becoming a trivial way to pinpoint
+-- Medusa's location
+-- [usefulness depends on future STATUE->dknown changes in nethack's core]
+local altloc = place:rndcoord(1,1);
+-- location of a fountain, in the remaining of three downstairs-eligible rooms
+local othloc = place:rndcoord(1,1);
+-- once here, all three points set in 'place' have been used up
 
 des.region(selection.area(00,00,74,19),"lit")
 -- fixup_special hack: the first room defined on a Medusa level gets some
@@ -56,15 +66,20 @@ des.non_diggable(selection.area(44,13,48,17))
 des.teleport_region({ region = {33,02,38,07}, dir="down" })
 des.levregion({ region = {32,01,39,07}, type="stair-up" });
 
+-- place the downstairs at the same spot where Medusa will be placed
 des.stair("down", medloc);
+--
 des.door("locked",08,08)
 des.door("locked",64,05)
 des.door("random",50,13)
 des.door("locked",48,15)
 --
-des.feature("fountain", place:rndcoord(1));
+-- in one of the three designated rooms, but not the one with Medusa plus
+-- downstairs and also not 'altloc' where a random statue will be placed
+des.feature("fountain", othloc);
 --
-des.object({ id="statue", coord=place:rndcoord(1), buc = "uncursed",
+-- same spot as Medusa plus downstairs
+des.object({ id="statue", coord=medloc, buc="uncursed",
                       montype="knight", historic=1, male=1,name="Perseus",
                       contents = function()
                          if percent(75) then
@@ -82,7 +97,9 @@ des.object({ id="statue", coord=place:rndcoord(1), buc = "uncursed",
                       end
 });
 --
-des.object({ id = "statue", contents=0 })
+-- first random statue is in one of the three designated rooms but not the
+-- one with Medusa plus downstairs or the one with the fountain
+des.object({ id = "statue", coord=altloc, contents=0 })
 des.object({ id = "statue", contents=0 })
 des.object({ id = "statue", contents=0 })
 des.object({ id = "statue", contents=0 })
@@ -102,6 +119,8 @@ des.trap("board")
 des.trap("board")
 des.trap()
 --
+-- place Medusa before placing other monsters so that they won't be able to
+-- unintentionally steal her spot on the downstairs
 des.monster({ id = "Medusa", coord=medloc, asleep=1 })
 des.monster("giant eel")
 des.monster("giant eel")
@@ -116,3 +135,4 @@ for i=1,30 do
    des.monster({ id = "raven", hostile = 1 })
 end
 
+--#medusa-3.lua
diff --git a/dat/medusa-4.lua b/dat/medusa-4.lua
index eb572808d..acf6c6d3f 100644
--- a/dat/medusa-4.lua
+++ b/dat/medusa-4.lua
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
--- NetHack medusa medusa-4.lua	$NHDT-Date: 1715180180 2024/05/08 14:56:20 $  $NHDT-Branch: NetHack-3.7 $:$NHDT-Revision: 1.7 $
+-- NetHack medusa medusa-4.lua	$NHDT-Date: 1716152274 2024/05/19 20:57:54 $  $NHDT-Branch: NetHack-3.7 $:$NHDT-Revision: 1.8 $
 --	Copyright (c) 1989 by Jean-Christophe Collet
 --	Copyright (c) 1990, 1991 by M. Stephenson
 -- NetHack may be freely redistributed.  See license for details.
@@ -32,13 +32,25 @@ des.map([[
 }}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}.}}}}}}....}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}...}}}}}}
 }}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}
 ]]);
+
 --
+-- place handling is similar to medusa-3.lua except that there are 4
+-- downstairs-eligible rooms rather than 3, and only 2 of them are used
 local place = selection.new();
+-- each of these spots are inside a distinct room
 place:set(04,08);
 place:set(10,04);
 place:set(10,08);
 place:set(10,12);
-local medloc = place:rndcoord(1); -- Medusa location; also used for down stairs
+
+-- location of Medusa and downstairs and Perseus's statue
+local medloc = place:rndcoord(1,1);
+-- specific location for some other statue in a different downstairs-eligible
+-- room, to prevent object detection from becoming a trivial way to pinpoint
+-- Medusa's location
+-- [usefulness depends on future STATUE->dknown changes in nethack's core]
+local altloc = place:rndcoord(1,1);
+
 --
 des.region(selection.area(00,00,74,19),"lit")
 -- fixup_special hack: The first "room" region in Medusa levels gets filled
@@ -51,6 +63,7 @@ des.teleport_region({ region = {02,02,18,13}, dir="up" });
 --
 des.levregion({ region = {67,01,74,20}, type="stair-up" });
 
+-- place the downstairs at the same spot where Medusa will be placed
 des.stair("down", medloc)
 --
 des.door("locked",04,06)
@@ -67,7 +80,8 @@ des.non_diggable(selection.area(01,01,22,14));
 --
 des.object("crystal ball", 07,08)
 --
-des.object({ id="statue",coord=place:rndcoord(1), buc="uncursed",
+-- same spot as Medusa plus downstairs
+des.object({ id="statue", coord=medloc, buc="uncursed",
                       montype="knight", historic=1, male=1,name="Perseus",
                       contents = function()
                          if percent(75) then
@@ -85,7 +99,9 @@ des.object({ id="statue",coord=place:rndcoord(1), buc="uncursed",
                       end
 });
 --
-des.object({ id = "statue", contents=0 })
+-- first random statue is in one of the designated stair rooms but not the
+-- one with Medusa plus downstairs
+des.object({ id = "statue", coord=altloc, contents=0 })
 des.object({ id = "statue", contents=0 })
 des.object({ id = "statue", contents=0 })
 des.object({ id = "statue", contents=0 })
@@ -100,7 +116,9 @@ for i=1,7 do
    des.trap()
 end
 --
-des.monster("Medusa", medloc)
+-- place Medusa before placing other monsters so that they won't be able to
+-- unintentionally steal her spot on the downstairs
+des.monster({ id = "Medusa", coord=medloc, asleep=1 })
 des.monster("kraken", 07,07)
 --
 -- the nesting dragon
@@ -130,3 +148,5 @@ for i=1,4 do
    des.monster("black naga hatchling")
    des.monster("black naga")
 end
+
+--#medusa-4.lua
diff --git a/doc/fixes3-7-0.txt b/doc/fixes3-7-0.txt
index a004867b3..f9455aa36 100644
--- a/doc/fixes3-7-0.txt
+++ b/doc/fixes3-7-0.txt
@@ -1944,6 +1944,9 @@ if a tame or peaceful monster was trapped and blind hero hadn't seen the trap
 camera flash hitting a hidden mimic mentioned it as being a mimic but didn't
 	bring it out of hiding
 when chain lightning hit a sleeping monster, the victim didn't wake up
+on medusa-4, Medusa and the downstairs were located in different chambers
+on medusa-3 and medusa-4, Perseus's statue was located in a different chamber
+	from Medusa
 
 
 Fixes to 3.7.0-x Platform and/or Interface Problems Exposed Via git Repository