diff --git a/include/extern.h b/include/extern.h
index 2cbe6c487..dea9bedbc 100644
--- a/include/extern.h
+++ b/include/extern.h
@@ -1350,7 +1350,6 @@ extern void movebubbles(void);
 extern void water_friction(void);
 extern void save_waterlevel(NHFILE *);
 extern void restore_waterlevel(NHFILE *);
-extern const char *waterbody_name(xchar, xchar);
 
 /* ### mkobj.c ### */
 
@@ -1934,6 +1933,7 @@ extern char *self_lookat(char *);
 extern char *monhealthdescr(struct monst *mon, boolean, char *);
 extern void mhidden_description(struct monst *, boolean, char *);
 extern boolean object_from_map(int,int,int,struct obj **);
+extern const char *waterbody_name(xchar, xchar);
 extern int do_screen_description(coord, boolean, int, char *, const char **,
                                  struct permonst **);
 extern int do_look(int, coord *);
diff --git a/src/mkmaze.c b/src/mkmaze.c
index b1cc1ece9..17dda6a8c 100644
--- a/src/mkmaze.c
+++ b/src/mkmaze.c
@@ -1602,38 +1602,6 @@ restore_waterlevel(NHFILE* nhfp)
     b->next = (struct bubble *) 0;
 }
 
-const char *
-waterbody_name(xchar x, xchar y)
-{
-    struct rm *lev;
-    schar ltyp;
-
-    if (!isok(x, y))
-        return "drink"; /* should never happen */
-    lev = &levl[x][y];
-    ltyp = lev->typ;
-    if (ltyp == DRAWBRIDGE_UP)
-        ltyp = db_under_typ(lev->drawbridgemask);
-
-    if (ltyp == LAVAPOOL)
-        return hliquid("lava");
-    else if (ltyp == ICE)
-        return "ice";
-    else if (ltyp == POOL)
-        return "pool of water";
-    else if (ltyp == WATER || Is_waterlevel(&u.uz))
-        ; /* fall through to default return value */
-    else if (Is_juiblex_level(&u.uz))
-        return "swamp";
-    else if (ltyp == MOAT && !Is_medusa_level(&u.uz)
-             /* samurai has two moat spots on quest home level that seem
-                silly if described as such (maybe change them to pools?) */
-             && !(Role_if(PM_SAMURAI) && Is_qstart(&u.uz)))
-        return "moat";
-
-    return hliquid("water");
-}
-
 static void
 set_wportal(void)
 {
diff --git a/src/pager.c b/src/pager.c
index 55b8a2f8d..a454c8872 100644
--- a/src/pager.c
+++ b/src/pager.c
@@ -448,6 +448,57 @@ look_at_monster(char *buf,
     } /* monbuf is non-null */
 }
 
+/* describe a pool location's contents; might return a static buffer so
+   caller should use it or copy it before calling waterbody_name() again
+   [3.7: moved here from mkmaze.c] */
+const char *
+waterbody_name(xchar x, xchar y)
+{
+    static char pooltype[40];
+    struct rm *lev;
+    schar ltyp;
+
+    if (!isok(x, y))
+        return "drink"; /* should never happen */
+    lev = &levl[x][y];
+    ltyp = lev->typ;
+    if (ltyp == DRAWBRIDGE_UP)
+        ltyp = db_under_typ(lev->drawbridgemask);
+
+    if (ltyp == LAVAPOOL) {
+        if (!Hallucination)
+            return "lava";
+        Snprintf(pooltype, sizeof pooltype, "molten %s", hliquid("lava"));
+        return pooltype;
+    } else if (ltyp == ICE) {
+        return "ice";
+    } else if (ltyp == POOL) {
+        Snprintf(pooltype, sizeof pooltype, "pool of %s", hliquid("water"));
+        return pooltype;
+    } else if (ltyp == MOAT) {
+        /* a bit of extra flavor over general moat */
+        if (Is_medusa_level(&u.uz))
+            /* somewhat iffy since ordinary stairs can take you beneath,
+               but previous generic "water" was rather anti-climactic */
+            return "shallow sea";
+        else if (Is_juiblex_level(&u.uz))
+            return "swamp";
+        else if (Role_if(PM_SAMURAI) && Is_qstart(&u.uz))
+            /* samurai quest home level has two isolated moat spots;
+               they sound silly if farlook describes them as such */
+            return "pond";
+        else
+            return "moat";
+    } else if (ltyp == WATER) {
+        Snprintf(pooltype, sizeof pooltype, "%s %s",
+                 !Is_waterlevel(&u.uz) ? "wall of" : "limitless",
+                 hliquid("water"));
+        return pooltype;
+    }
+    /* default; should be unreachable */
+    return "water"; /* don't hallucinate this as some other liquid */
+}
+
 /*
  * Return the name of the glyph found at (x,y).
  * If not hallucinating and the glyph is a monster, also monster data.
diff --git a/src/trap.c b/src/trap.c
index 3c109d4b4..af4205763 100644
--- a/src/trap.c
+++ b/src/trap.c
@@ -4192,10 +4192,8 @@ drown(void)
     }
 
     if (!u.uinwater) {
-        You("%s into the %s%s%c", is_solid ? "plunge" : "fall",
-            is_solid ? "wall of " : "",
-            hliquid("water"),
-            Amphibious || Swimming ? '.' : '!');
+        You("%s into the %s%c", is_solid ? "plunge" : "fall",
+            waterbody_name(u.ux, u.uy), (Amphibious || Swimming) ? '.' : '!');
         if (!Swimming && !is_solid)
             You("sink like %s.", Hallucination ? "the Titanic" : "a rock");
     }
@@ -5796,7 +5794,7 @@ lava_effects(void)
                 goto burn_stuff;
             }
         } else
-            You("fall into the %s!", hliquid("lava"));
+            You("fall into the %s!", waterbody_name(u.ux, u.uy));
 
         usurvive = Lifesaved || discover;
         if (wizard)
@@ -5855,7 +5853,7 @@ lava_effects(void)
            hero needs to escape immediately */
         set_utrap((unsigned) (rn1(4, 4) + ((boil_away ? 2 : rn1(4, 12)) << 8)),
                   TT_LAVA);
-        You("sink into the %s%s!", hliquid("lava"),
+        You("sink into the %s%s!", waterbody_name(u.ux, u.uy),
             !boil_away ? ", but it only burns slightly"
                        : " and are about to be immolated");
         if (Fire_resistance)