diff --git a/dat/tower1.lua b/dat/tower1.lua
index 238a8455e..c968b707c 100644
--- a/dat/tower1.lua
+++ b/dat/tower1.lua
@@ -35,10 +35,11 @@ des.monster("V",niches[3])
 -- no consensus for their names.  According to the Wikipedia entry for
 -- "Brides of Dracula", the "Czechoslovakian TV film Hrabe Drakula (1971)"
 -- gave them titles rather than (or perhaps in addition to) specific names
--- and we use those titles here.
-des.monster({ id="Vampire Lady", niches[4], name="Madame" })
-des.monster({ id="Vampire Lady", niches[5], name="Marquise" })
-des.monster({ id="Vampire Lady", niches[6], name="Countess" })
+-- and we use those titles here.  Marking them as 'waiting' forces them to
+-- start in vampire form instead of vampshifted into bat/fog/wolf form.
+des.monster({ id="Vampire Lady", niches[4], name="Madame", waiting=1 })
+des.monster({ id="Vampire Lady", niches[5], name="Marquise", waiting=1 })
+des.monster({ id="Vampire Lady", niches[6], name="Countess", waiting=1 })
 -- The doors
 des.door("closed",08,03)
 des.door("closed",10,03)
diff --git a/src/mon.c b/src/mon.c
index c4ad04027..5d3e37824 100644
--- a/src/mon.c
+++ b/src/mon.c
@@ -5027,8 +5027,11 @@ mgender_from_permonst(
     } else if (is_female(mdat)) {
         mtmp->female = TRUE;
     } else if (!is_neuter(mdat)) {
-        /* usually leave as-is; same chance to change as polymorphing hero */
-        if (!rn2(10))
+        /* usually leave as-is; same chance to change as polymorphing hero;
+           vampires use controlled shapechange (from their perspective, even
+           if it is random from the player's perspective) and don't undergo
+           gender change */
+        if (!rn2(10) && !(is_vampire(mdat) || is_vampshifter(mtmp)))
             mtmp->female = !mtmp->female;
     }
 }