diff --git a/doc/fixes36.1 b/doc/fixes36.1
index f8c07baaa..f3881c599 100644
--- a/doc/fixes36.1
+++ b/doc/fixes36.1
@@ -68,6 +68,8 @@ fix message typo if tame mind flayer dies trying to eat Medusa's brains
 use alternate rejection message if attempting to name an unnameable monster
 	with the name it already has
 cockatrice corpse no longer leaves multiple statues for shape-shifted vampire
+alter name of monster causing hero's death if name contains characters that
+	could cause confusion when using record, logfile, or xlogfile later
 
 
 Platform- and/or Interface-Specific Fixes
diff --git a/src/topten.c b/src/topten.c
index 9af1d54df..4056d2ac6 100644
--- a/src/topten.c
+++ b/src/topten.c
@@ -100,9 +100,9 @@ boolean incl_helpless;
         "", "", "", "", ""
     };
     unsigned l;
-    char *kname = killer.name;
+    char c, *kname = killer.name;
 
-    buf[0] = '\0'; /* so strncat() can find the end */
+    buf[0] = '\0'; /* lint suppression */
     switch (killer.format) {
     default:
         impossible("bad killer format? (%d)", killer.format);
@@ -118,13 +118,30 @@ boolean incl_helpless;
         buf += l, siz -= l;
         break;
     }
-    /* we're writing into buf[0] (after possibly advancing buf) rather than
-       appending, but strncat() appends a terminator and strncpy() doesn't */
-    (void) strncat(buf, kname, siz - 1);
+    /* Copy kname into buf[].
+     * Object names and named fruit have already been sanitized, but
+     * monsters can have "called 'arbitrary text'" attached to them,
+     * so make sure that that text can't confuse field splitting when
+     * record, logfile, or xlogfile is re-read at some later point.
+     */
+    while (--siz > 0) {
+        c = *kname++;
+        if (c == ',')
+            c = ';';
+        /* 'xlogfile' doesn't really need protection for '=', but
+           fixrecord.awk for corrupted 3.6.0 'record' does (only
+           if using xlogfile rather than logfile to repair record) */
+        else if (c == '=')
+            c = '_';
+        /* tab is not possible due to use of mungspaces() when naming;
+           it would disrupt xlogfile parsing if it were present */
+        else if (c == '\t')
+            c = ' ';
+        *buf++ = c;
+    }
+    *buf = '\0';
 
     if (incl_helpless && multi) {
-        siz -= strlen(buf);
-        buf = eos(buf);
         /* X <= siz: 'sizeof "string"' includes 1 for '\0' terminator */
         if (multi_reason && strlen(multi_reason) + sizeof ", while " <= siz)
             Sprintf(buf, ", while %s", multi_reason);