diff --git a/info/Commands/edit.t b/info/Commands/edit.t
index b0a36870..a5bb163f 100644
--- a/info/Commands/edit.t
+++ b/info/Commands/edit.t
@@ -1,7 +1,17 @@
 .TH Command EDIT
 .NA edit "Change stats of country, ship, land unit, or plane"
 .LV Expert
-.SY "edit <country|unit|ship|plane|nuke>"
-Once you specify what you want to edit, the server will tell you what
-to do.  Hit return to get out of the prompter.
+.SY "edit <country|land|unit|ship|plane|nuke> [<KEY> <VALUE>]..."
+The \*Qedit\*U command allows deities to edit properties of a country,
+sector (confusingly called <land> here), land unit, ship, plane or
+nuke.
+.s1
+If you don't specify any <KEY> <VALUE> pair, \*Qedit\*U enters
+interactive mode.  Editable properties are shown together with their
+keys and values.  Enter a key character and a value to change a
+property.  Hit return to finish the command.
+.s1
+You can also specify one or more <KEY> <VALUE> pairs as command
+arguments.  In this case, \*Qedit\*U just sets the properties, and
+does not enter interactive mode.
 .SA "setsector, setresource, give, Deity"
diff --git a/src/lib/commands/edit.c b/src/lib/commands/edit.c
index 1994633d..fb6bb226 100644
--- a/src/lib/commands/edit.c
+++ b/src/lib/commands/edit.c
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@ edit(void)
     int num;
     int arg;
     int err;
+    int arg_index = 3;
     coord x, y;
     float farg;
     natid nat;
@@ -158,34 +159,44 @@ edit(void)
 	    pr_land(&land);
 	    break;
 	}
-    } else if (player->argp[4] != 0)
-	(void)strcat(player->argp[3], player->argp[4]);
+    }
     ptr = &buf[0];
     *ptr = 0;
     for (;;) {
-	if ((err = getin(&thing, &ptr, &arg, buf)) != RET_OK) {
-	    if (err == END) {
-		switch (ewhat) {
-		case 'c':
-		    prnat(nat);
-		    break;
-		case 'l':
-		    prsect(&sect);
-		    break;
-		case 's':
-		    pr_ship(&ship);
-		    break;
-		case 'u':
-		    pr_land(&land);
-		    break;
-		case 'p':
-		    pr_plane(&plane);
-		    break;
-		}
-		break;
+    	if (player->argp[arg_index] != 0) {
+    	    if (player->argp[arg_index+1] != 0) {
+		thing = player->argp[arg_index++];
+		ptr = player->argp[arg_index++];
+		arg = atoi(ptr);
 	    } else
-		return err;
+		return RET_SYN;
 	}
+	else if (arg_index == 3) {
+	    if ((err = getin(&thing, &ptr, &arg, buf)) != RET_OK) {
+		if (err == END) {
+		    switch (ewhat) {
+		    case 'c':
+			prnat(nat);
+			break;
+		    case 'l':
+			prsect(&sect);
+			break;
+		    case 's':
+			pr_ship(&ship);
+			break;
+		    case 'u':
+			pr_land(&land);
+			break;
+		    case 'p':
+			pr_plane(&plane);
+			break;
+		    }
+		    break;
+		} else
+		    return err;
+	    }
+	} else
+	    break;
 	switch (ewhat) {
 	case 'c':
 	    farg = atof(ptr);
@@ -206,7 +217,6 @@ edit(void)
 		return RET_FAIL;
 	    break;
 	case 'u':
-	    farg = atof(ptr);
 	    if ((err = dounit(thing[0], arg, ptr, &land))
 		!= RET_OK)
 		return err;
diff --git a/src/lib/player/empmod.c b/src/lib/player/empmod.c
index 21874f3b..06ee64d2 100644
--- a/src/lib/player/empmod.c
+++ b/src/lib/player/empmod.c
@@ -287,7 +287,7 @@ struct cmndstr player_coms[] = {
     {"drop <cargo-PLANES> <fighter-PLANES> <ap-SECT> <PATH|DESTINATION> <COMM>", 1, drop, C_MOD, NORM + MONEY + CAP},
     {"dump <SECTS> [<fields>]", 0, dump, 0, NORM},
     {"echo [<string>]", 0, echo, 0, NORM},
-    {"edit <country|land|unit|ship|plane|nuke>", 0, edit, C_MOD, GOD},
+    {"edit <country|land|unit|ship|plane|nuke> [<KEY> <VALUE>]...", 0, edit, C_MOD, GOD},
     {"enable", 0, enab, C_MOD, GOD},
     {"enlist <SECTS> <NUM>", 2, enli, C_MOD, NORM + MONEY + CAP},
     {"execute <INPUT FILE>", 0, execute, 0, VIS},