diff --git a/dialogs.cpp b/dialogs.cpp
index 35ec33f2..3c0b6052 100644
--- a/dialogs.cpp
+++ b/dialogs.cpp
@@ -740,6 +740,7 @@ namespace dialog {
   
   void drawNumberDialog() {
     cmode = sm::NUMBER | dialogflags;
+    if(numberdark < DONT_SHOW)
     gamescreen(numberdark);
     init(ne.title);
     addInfo(ne.s);
@@ -1126,6 +1127,7 @@ namespace dialog {
   
   void string_edit_dialog() {
     cmode = sm::NUMBER | dialogflags;
+    if(numberdark < DONT_SHOW)
     gamescreen(numberdark);
     init(ne.title);
     addInfo(view_edited_string());
diff --git a/hyper.h b/hyper.h
index 85cc26eb..3f776984 100644
--- a/hyper.h
+++ b/hyper.h
@@ -2048,6 +2048,9 @@ namespace dialog {
   inline reaction_t add_confirmation(const reaction_t& act) {
     return [act] { do_if_confirmed(act); };
     }
+
+  extern int numberdark;
+  static const int DONT_SHOW = 16;
   }
 
 void checkStunKill(cell *dest);