diff --git a/doc/fixes3-7-0.txt b/doc/fixes3-7-0.txt
index 00d0d11c2..7f7a6e8ce 100644
--- a/doc/fixes3-7-0.txt
+++ b/doc/fixes3-7-0.txt
@@ -409,7 +409,6 @@ spells that require a target spot rather than a direction (like skilled
 prevent wish request "death wand" from matching Death monster and producing a
 	random wand instead of a wand of death
 grammar bit: "you hear a [AEF] note squeak in the distance" (should be "an")
-curses interface failed to honor menu_xxx option settings for menu interaction
 during engraving, spaces were counted instead of non-spaces [later: affected
 	code is gone, removed when engraving was converted into an occupation]
 when an explosion scatters objects, make any that fly over sinks stop there
@@ -1586,6 +1585,7 @@ curses: sometimes entering a count during menu selection caused the menu to
 	more digits typed followed by non-digit); in-out menu was still active
 	but no longer displayed
 curses: support backspace/delete when entering a count during menu selection
+curses: was failing to honor menu_xxx option settings for menu interaction
 curses: make extended command prompt behave more sensibly
 curses: if a menu of objects contains at least one iron ball, and player is
 	not already in the midst of entering a count, recognize '0' as a
@@ -1593,6 +1593,9 @@ curses: if a menu of objects contains at least one iron ball, and player is
 curses: obey timed_delay option
 curses: support tty-style extended role/race/&c selection at start of new game
 curses: implement mark_synch() and wait_synch()
+curses: only convert arrow keys to hjkl or 4286 if nethack wants a direction
+curses: conversion of arrows and other numpad-related function keys to digit
+	ignored phone-layout setting (inverted up/down) of the num_pad option
 macOS: Xcode project was failing to build if the path to the NetHack source
 	tree contained a space; the issue was within some shell script code
 	contained within the project
diff --git a/src/cmd.c b/src/cmd.c
index 067dfd811..408a41f0c 100644
--- a/src/cmd.c
+++ b/src/cmd.c
@@ -5169,6 +5169,7 @@ getdir(const char *s)
     }
 
  retry:
+    gp.program_state.getting_a_command = 1; /* arrow key support for curses */
     if (gi.in_doagain || *readchar_queue)
         dirsym = readchar();
     else
@@ -6199,7 +6200,7 @@ get_count(
             inkey = '\0';
         } else {
             gp.program_state.getting_a_command = 1; /* readchar altmeta
-                                                    * compatibility */
+                                                     * compatibility */
             key = readchar();
         }
 
@@ -6260,8 +6261,8 @@ parse(void)
     flush_screen(1); /* Flush screen buffer. Put the cursor on the hero. */
 
     gp.program_state.getting_a_command = 1; /* affects readchar() behavior for
-                                            * ESC iff 'altmeta' option is On;
-                                            * reset to 0 by readchar() */
+                                             * ESC iff 'altmeta' option is On;
+                                             * reset to 0 by readchar() */
     if (!gc.Cmd.num_pad || (foo = readchar()) == gc.Cmd.spkeys[NHKF_COUNT]) {
         foo = get_count((char *) 0, '\0', LARGEST_INT,
                         &gc.command_count, GC_NOFLAGS);
@@ -6405,8 +6406,8 @@ readchar_core(coordxy *x, coordxy *y, int *mod)
         click_to_cmd(*x, *y, *mod);
     }
     gp.program_state.getting_a_command = 0; /* next readchar() will be for an
-                                            * ordinary char unless parse()
-                                            * sets this back to 1 */
+                                             * ordinary char unless parse()
+                                             * sets this back to 1 */
     return (char) sym;
 }
 
diff --git a/win/curses/cursmisc.c b/win/curses/cursmisc.c
index 300194cc1..efc7ef8ee 100644
--- a/win/curses/cursmisc.c
+++ b/win/curses/cursmisc.c
@@ -863,13 +863,16 @@ Currently this is limited to arrow keys, but this may be expanded. */
 int
 curses_convert_keys(int key)
 {
+    boolean reject = !gp.program_state.getting_a_command,
+            as_is = FALSE;
     int ret = key;
 
     if (ret == '\033') {
         ret = parse_escape_sequence();
     }
 
-    /* Handle arrow keys */
+    /* Handle arrow and keypad keys, but only when getting a command
+       (or a command-like keystroke for getpos() or getdir()). */
     switch (key) {
     case KEY_BACKSPACE:
         /* we can't distinguish between a separate backspace key and
@@ -877,98 +880,84 @@ curses_convert_keys(int key)
            a value for ^H greater than 255 is passed back to core's
            readchar() and stripping the value down to 0..255 yields ^G! */
         ret = C('H');
+        /*FALLTHRU*/
+    default:
+        /* use key as-is unless it's out of normal char range */
+        reject = ((uchar) ret < 1 || ret > 255);
+        as_is = TRUE;
         break;
 #ifdef KEY_B1
     case KEY_B1:
 #endif
     case KEY_LEFT:
-        if (iflags.num_pad) {
-            ret = '4';
-        } else {
-            ret = 'h';
-        }
+        ret = iflags.num_pad ? '4' : 'h';
         break;
 #ifdef KEY_B3
     case KEY_B3:
 #endif
     case KEY_RIGHT:
-        if (iflags.num_pad) {
-            ret = '6';
-        } else {
-            ret = 'l';
-        }
+        ret = iflags.num_pad ? '6' : 'l';
         break;
 #ifdef KEY_A2
     case KEY_A2:
 #endif
     case KEY_UP:
-        if (iflags.num_pad) {
-            ret = '8';
-        } else {
-            ret = 'k';
-        }
+        ret = iflags.num_pad ? '8' : 'k';
         break;
 #ifdef KEY_C2
     case KEY_C2:
 #endif
     case KEY_DOWN:
-        if (iflags.num_pad) {
-            ret = '2';
-        } else {
-            ret = 'j';
-        }
+        ret = iflags.num_pad ? '2' : 'j';
         break;
 #ifdef KEY_A1
     case KEY_A1:
 #endif
     case KEY_HOME:
-        if (iflags.num_pad) {
-            ret = '7';
-        } else {
-            ret = !gc.Cmd.swap_yz ? 'y' : 'z';
-        }
+        ret = iflags.num_pad ? '7' : (!gc.Cmd.swap_yz ? 'y' : 'z');
         break;
 #ifdef KEY_A3
     case KEY_A3:
 #endif
     case KEY_PPAGE:
-        if (iflags.num_pad) {
-            ret = '9';
-        } else {
-            ret = 'u';
-        }
+        ret = iflags.num_pad ? '9' : 'u';
         break;
 #ifdef KEY_C1
     case KEY_C1:
 #endif
     case KEY_END:
-        if (iflags.num_pad) {
-            ret = '1';
-        } else {
-            ret = 'b';
-        }
+        ret = iflags.num_pad ? '1' : 'b';
         break;
 #ifdef KEY_C3
     case KEY_C3:
 #endif
     case KEY_NPAGE:
-        if (iflags.num_pad) {
-            ret = '3';
-        } else {
-            ret = 'n';
-        }
+        ret = iflags.num_pad ? '3' : 'n';
         break;
 #ifdef KEY_B2
     case KEY_B2:
-        if (iflags.num_pad) {
-            ret = '5';
-        } else {
-            ret = 'g';
-        }
+        ret = iflags.num_pad ? '5' : 'g';
         break;
 #endif /* KEY_B2 */
     }
 
+    /* phone layout is inverted, 123 on top and 789 on bottom; if player has
+       set num_pad to deal with that, we need to invert here too but only
+       when some key has been converted into a digit, not for actual digit */
+    if (iflags.num_pad && (iflags.num_pad_mode & 2) != 0 && !as_is) {
+        if (ret >= '1' && ret <= '3')
+            ret += 6; /* 1,2,3 -> 7,8,9 */
+        else if (ret >= '7' && ret <= '9')
+            ret -= 6; /* 7,8,9 -> 1,2,3 */
+    }
+
+    if (reject) {
+        /* an arrow or function key has been pressed during text entry */
+        beep();   /* not curses_nhbell() because it might end up getting
+                   * changed to deliver a sound effect */
+        ret = 0;  /* this ends up behaving like <escape> */
+    }
+
     return ret;
 }
 
@@ -1065,11 +1054,11 @@ parse_escape_sequence(void)
     ret = getch();
 
     if (ret != ERR) {           /* Likely an escape sequence */
-        if (((ret >= 'a') && (ret <= 'z')) || ((ret >= '0') && (ret <= '9'))) {
+        if ((ret >= 'a' && ret <= 'z') || (ret >= '0' && ret <= '9')) {
             ret |= 0x80;        /* Meta key support for most terminals */
         } else if (ret == 'O') {        /* Numeric keypad */
             ret = getch();
-            if ((ret != ERR) && (ret >= 112) && (ret <= 121)) {
+            if (ret != ERR && ret >= 112 && ret <= 121) {
                 ret = ret - 112 + '0';  /* Convert to number */
             } else {
                 ret = '\033';   /* Escape */