diff --git a/doc/fixes37.0 b/doc/fixes37.0
index cb409af8d..54e800a04 100644
--- a/doc/fixes37.0
+++ b/doc/fixes37.0
@@ -157,6 +157,7 @@ monster or object detection found semi-dead vault guard at <0,0> while
 	monsters on level; likewise object detection and guard's minvent
 squadprob[] in mkroom.c was defined with 5 elements but initialized only 4
 	resulting in giant ants sometimes
+allow nurses heal attack when wielding a non-weapon/weaptool
 
 
 Fixes to 3.7.0-x Problems that Were Exposed Via git Repository
diff --git a/src/mhitu.c b/src/mhitu.c
index cbec561e7..770b8d48c 100644
--- a/src/mhitu.c
+++ b/src/mhitu.c
@@ -1508,7 +1508,9 @@ register struct attack *mattk;
             hitmsg(mtmp, mattk);
             break;
         }
-        if (!uwep && !uarmu && !uarm && !uarmc
+        /* weapon check should match the one in sounds.c for MS_NURSE */
+        if (!(uwep && (uwep->oclass == WEAPON_CLASS || is_weptool(uwep)))
+            && !uarmu && !uarm && !uarmc
             && !uarms && !uarmg && !uarmf && !uarmh) {
             boolean goaway = FALSE;