diff --git a/doc/fixes33.2 b/doc/fixes33.2
index 9bea526d9..d6bf5da2a 100644
--- a/doc/fixes33.2
+++ b/doc/fixes33.2
@@ -493,6 +493,8 @@ add wizard #poly and #levelchange (originally levelgain; Dylan O'Donnell),
 add Jason Short's additional lenses use patch
 add new Gnomish Mines levels from Kelly Bailey's patch
 jousting by players wielding a lance while riding
+when reading spellbooks, don't "continue studying" wrong book if original one
+	gets destroyed after previous reading attempt has been interrupted
 
 
 Platform- and/or Interface-Specific New Features
diff --git a/include/extern.h b/include/extern.h
index 6a9ce1b30..f786e60db 100644
--- a/include/extern.h
+++ b/include/extern.h
@@ -1808,6 +1808,7 @@ E boolean FDECL(load_special, (const char *));
 E int NDECL(learn);
 #endif
 E int FDECL(study_book, (struct obj *));
+E void FDECL(book_disappears, (struct obj *));
 E void FDECL(book_substitution, (struct obj *,struct obj *));
 E void NDECL(age_spells);
 E int NDECL(docast);
diff --git a/src/save.c b/src/save.c
index 1e6720add..f70fbfbdf 100644
--- a/src/save.c
+++ b/src/save.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/*	SCCS Id: @(#)save.c	3.3	2000/07/27	*/
+/*	SCCS Id: @(#)save.c	3.3	2002/01/19	*/
 /* Copyright (c) Stichting Mathematisch Centrum, Amsterdam, 1985. */
 /* NetHack may be freely redistributed.  See license for details. */
 
@@ -840,7 +840,8 @@ register struct obj *otmp;
 	    if (Has_contents(otmp))
 		saveobjchn(fd,otmp->cobj,mode);
 	    if (release_data(mode)) {
-		if(otmp->oclass == FOOD_CLASS) food_disappears(otmp);
+		if (otmp->oclass == FOOD_CLASS) food_disappears(otmp);
+		if (otmp->oclass == SPBOOK_CLASS) book_disappears(otmp);
 		otmp->where = OBJ_FREE;	/* set to free so dealloc will work */
 		otmp->timed = 0;	/* not timed any more */
 		otmp->lamplit = 0;	/* caller handled lights */
diff --git a/src/shk.c b/src/shk.c
index ff64a11fb..3451e1942 100644
--- a/src/shk.c
+++ b/src/shk.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/*	SCCS Id: @(#)shk.c	3.3	2001/12/06	*/
+/*	SCCS Id: @(#)shk.c	3.3	2002/01/19	*/
 /* Copyright (c) Stichting Mathematisch Centrum, Amsterdam, 1985. */
 /* NetHack may be freely redistributed.  See license for details. */
 
@@ -770,9 +770,9 @@ register struct obj *obj, *merge;
 	register struct bill_x *bpm;
 	register struct monst *shkp;
 
-
 	if (obj->otyp == LEASH && obj->leashmon) o_unleash(obj);
 	if (obj->oclass == FOOD_CLASS) food_disappears(obj);
+	if (obj->oclass == SPBOOK_CLASS) book_disappears(obj);
 	if (Has_contents(obj)) delete_contents(obj);
 
 	shkp = 0;
diff --git a/src/spell.c b/src/spell.c
index eecd15b48..0d3fec3b8 100644
--- a/src/spell.c
+++ b/src/spell.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/*	SCCS Id: @(#)spell.c	3.3	2001/12/03	*/
+/*	SCCS Id: @(#)spell.c	3.3	2002/01/19	*/
 /*	Copyright (c) M. Stephenson 1988			  */
 /* NetHack may be freely redistributed.  See license for details. */
 
@@ -453,6 +453,15 @@ register struct obj *spellbook;
 	return(1);
 }
 
+/* a spellbook has been destroyed or the character has changed levels;
+   the stored address for the current book is no longer valid */
+void
+book_disappears(obj)
+struct obj *obj;
+{
+	if (obj == book) book = (struct obj *)0;
+}
+
 /* renaming an object usually results in it having a different address;
    so the sequence start reading, get interrupted, name the book, resume
    reading would read the "new" book from scratch */
@@ -1176,5 +1185,4 @@ struct obj *obj;
 	return;
 }
 
-
 /*spell.c*/