diff --git a/include/player.h b/include/player.h
index 8f8eb51b..6d442e56 100644
--- a/include/player.h
+++ b/include/player.h
@@ -51,6 +51,10 @@
 #define	CAP		bit(6)
 #define	MONEY		bit(7)
 
+enum player_sleep {
+    PLAYER_SLEEP_NEVER, PLAYER_SLEEP_ON_INPUT, PLAYER_SLEEP_FREELY
+};
+
 struct player {
     struct emp_qelem queue;
     empth_t *proc;
@@ -76,6 +80,7 @@ struct player {
     int simulation;		/* e.g. budget command */
     double dolcost;
     time_t curup;		/* when last input was received */
+    enum player_sleep may_sleep; /* when may thread sleep? */
     int aborted;		/* interrupt cookie or EOF received? */
     int eof;			/* EOF (cookie or real) received? */
     int recvfail;		/* #recvclient() failures */
diff --git a/include/server.h b/include/server.h
index 5b75aec8..837e82d2 100644
--- a/include/server.h
+++ b/include/server.h
@@ -40,7 +40,6 @@
 
 extern int shutdown_pending;
 extern empth_rwlock_t *play_lock;
-extern int play_wrlock_wanted;
 extern int update_running;
 extern time_t update_time[UPDATE_TIME_LEN];
 
diff --git a/src/lib/player/accept.c b/src/lib/player/accept.c
index 63891487..1c8c60bc 100644
--- a/src/lib/player/accept.c
+++ b/src/lib/player/accept.c
@@ -89,6 +89,7 @@ player_new(int s)
 	}
 	emp_insque(&lp->queue, &Players);
 	lp->cnum = NATID_BAD;
+	lp->may_sleep = PLAYER_SLEEP_FREELY;
 	lp->curid = -1;
 	time(&lp->curup);
     }
diff --git a/src/lib/player/dispatch.c b/src/lib/player/dispatch.c
index 157ee144..a75fda28 100644
--- a/src/lib/player/dispatch.c
+++ b/src/lib/player/dispatch.c
@@ -85,6 +85,8 @@ dispatch(char *buf, char *redir)
 	pr("Command not implemented\n");
 	return 0;
     }
+    player->may_sleep = command->c_flags & C_MOD
+	? PLAYER_SLEEP_ON_INPUT : PLAYER_SLEEP_FREELY;
     player->command = command;
     empth_rwlock_rdlock(play_lock);
     if (redir) {
@@ -109,5 +111,6 @@ dispatch(char *buf, char *redir)
     }
     empth_rwlock_unlock(play_lock);
     player->command = NULL;
+    player->may_sleep = PLAYER_SLEEP_FREELY;
     return 0;
 }
diff --git a/src/lib/player/recvclient.c b/src/lib/player/recvclient.c
index 74a704ce..3b4f9fea 100644
--- a/src/lib/player/recvclient.c
+++ b/src/lib/player/recvclient.c
@@ -39,7 +39,6 @@
 #include "journal.h"
 #include "player.h"
 #include "prototypes.h"
-#include "server.h"
 
 /*
  * Receive a line of input from the current player.
@@ -80,7 +79,9 @@ recvclient(char *cmd, int size)
 	 * Flush all queued output before potentially sleeping in
 	 * io_input(), to make sure player sees the prompt.
 	 */
-	while (io_output(player->iop, !play_wrlock_wanted) > 0) ;
+	while (io_output(player->iop,
+			 player->may_sleep >= PLAYER_SLEEP_ON_INPUT) > 0)
+	    ;
 
 	/*
 	 * If io_output_all() blocked and got unblocked by command
diff --git a/src/lib/subs/pr.c b/src/lib/subs/pr.c
index 01fc13c8..876c819e 100644
--- a/src/lib/subs/pr.c
+++ b/src/lib/subs/pr.c
@@ -244,9 +244,7 @@ pr_player(struct player *pl, int id, char *buf)
 
     if (player == pl) {
 	while (io_output_if_queue_long(pl->iop,
-			!play_wrlock_wanted
-			&& !(pl->command && (pl->command->c_flags & C_MOD)))
-	       > 0)
+			pl->may_sleep == PLAYER_SLEEP_FREELY) > 0)
 	    ;
     }
 }
@@ -302,9 +300,7 @@ upr_player(struct player *pl, int id, char *buf)
 
     if (player == pl) {
 	while (io_output_if_queue_long(pl->iop,
-			!play_wrlock_wanted
-			&& !(pl->command && (pl->command->c_flags & C_MOD)))
-	       > 0)
+			pl->may_sleep == PLAYER_SLEEP_FREELY) > 0)
 	    ;
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/server/main.c b/src/server/main.c
index 44a4f9a4..336eb6a6 100644
--- a/src/server/main.c
+++ b/src/server/main.c
@@ -86,13 +86,6 @@ static void loc_NTTerm(void);
  */
 empth_rwlock_t *play_lock;
 
-/*
- * Is a thread attempting to take an exclusive play_lock?
- * Threads holding a shared play_lock must not sleep while this is
- * true.
- */
-int play_wrlock_wanted;
-
 static char pidfname[] = "server.pid";
 
 /* Run as daemon?  If yes, detach from controlling terminal etc. */
@@ -421,12 +414,12 @@ shutdwn(int sig)
 
     logerror("Shutdown commencing (cleaning up threads.)");
 
-    play_wrlock_wanted = 1;
     for (p = player_next(NULL); p; p = player_next(p)) {
 	if (p->state != PS_PLAYING)
 	    continue;
 	pr_flash(p, "Server shutting down...\n");
 	p->state = PS_SHUTDOWN;
+	p->may_sleep = PLAYER_SLEEP_NEVER;
 	p->aborted++;
 	if (p->command) {
 	    pr_flash(p, "Shutdown aborting command\n");
diff --git a/src/server/update.c b/src/server/update.c
index 704d6d3d..7b4a4b67 100644
--- a/src/server/update.c
+++ b/src/server/update.c
@@ -193,12 +193,12 @@ update_run(void)
 {
     struct player *p;
 
-    play_wrlock_wanted = 1;
     for (p = player_next(NULL); p; p = player_next(p)) {
 	if (p->state != PS_PLAYING)
 	    continue;
 	if (p->command) {
 	    pr_flash(p, "Update aborting command\n");
+	    p->may_sleep = PLAYER_SLEEP_NEVER;
 	    p->aborted = 1;
 	    empth_wakeup(p->proc);
 	}
@@ -206,14 +206,13 @@ update_run(void)
     empth_rwlock_wrlock(play_lock);
     if (*pre_update_hook) {
 	if (run_hook(pre_update_hook, "pre-update")) {
-	    play_wrlock_wanted = 0;
 	    empth_rwlock_unlock(play_lock);
 	    return;
 	}
     }
     update_running = 1;
     update_main();
-    play_wrlock_wanted = update_running = 0;
+    update_running = 0;
     empth_rwlock_unlock(play_lock);
 }