diff -Naur include/flag.h include/flag.h
--- include/flag.h	2003-12-07 23:39:13.000000000 +0000
+++ include/flag.h	2014-08-05 00:28:00.384982808 +0000
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@
 	boolean  friday13;	/* it's Friday the 13th */
 	boolean  help;		/* look in data file for info about stuff */
 	boolean  ignintr;	/* ignore interrupts */
+        boolean  initprompt;    /* Determines if the starting prompt is shown */
 #ifdef INSURANCE
 	boolean  ins_chkpt;	/* checkpoint as appropriate */
 #endif
diff -Naur src/options.c src/options.c
--- src/options.c	2003-12-07 23:39:13.000000000 +0000
+++ src/options.c	2014-08-05 00:24:46.131155167 +0000
@@ -106,6 +106,7 @@
 #else
 	{"IBMgraphics", (boolean *)0, FALSE, SET_IN_FILE},
 #endif
+        {"initprompt", &flags.initprompt, TRUE, SET_IN_FILE},
 #ifndef MAC
 	{"ignintr", &flags.ignintr, FALSE, SET_IN_GAME},
 #else
diff -Naur win/tty/wintty.c win/tty/wintty.c
--- win/tty/wintty.c	2003-12-07 23:39:14.000000000 +0000
+++ win/tty/wintty.c	2014-08-05 00:24:48.861082077 +0000
@@ -331,28 +331,33 @@
 	if (!flags.randomall &&
 	    (flags.initrole == ROLE_NONE || flags.initrace == ROLE_NONE ||
 	     flags.initgend == ROLE_NONE || flags.initalign == ROLE_NONE)) {
-	    int echoline;
-	    char *prompt = build_plselection_prompt(pbuf, QBUFSZ, flags.initrole,
-				flags.initrace, flags.initgend, flags.initalign);
+		int echoline;
+		if(flags.initprompt) {
+			char *prompt = build_plselection_prompt(pbuf, QBUFSZ, flags.initrole,
+						flags.initrace, flags.initgend, flags.initalign);
 
-	    tty_putstr(BASE_WINDOW, 0, "");
-	    echoline = wins[BASE_WINDOW]->cury;
-	    tty_putstr(BASE_WINDOW, 0, prompt);
-	    do {
-		pick4u = lowc(readchar());
-		if (index(quitchars, pick4u)) pick4u = 'y';
-	    } while(!index(ynqchars, pick4u));
-	    if ((int)strlen(prompt) + 1 < CO) {
-		/* Echo choice and move back down line */
-		tty_putsym(BASE_WINDOW, (int)strlen(prompt)+1, echoline, pick4u);
-		tty_putstr(BASE_WINDOW, 0, "");
-	    } else
-		/* Otherwise it's hard to tell where to echo, and things are
-		 * wrapping a bit messily anyway, so (try to) make sure the next
-		 * question shows up well and doesn't get wrapped at the
-		 * bottom of the window.
-		 */
-		tty_clear_nhwindow(BASE_WINDOW);
+			tty_putstr(BASE_WINDOW, 0, "");
+			echoline = wins[BASE_WINDOW]->cury;
+			tty_putstr(BASE_WINDOW, 0, prompt);
+			do {
+				pick4u = lowc(readchar());
+				if (index(quitchars, pick4u)) pick4u = 'y';
+			} while(!index(ynqchars, pick4u));
+			
+			if ((int)strlen(prompt) + 1 < CO) {
+				/* Echo choice and move back down line */
+				tty_putsym(BASE_WINDOW, (int)strlen(prompt)+1, echoline, pick4u);
+				tty_putstr(BASE_WINDOW, 0, "");
+			} else
+			/* Otherwise it's hard to tell where to echo, and things are
+			* wrapping a bit messily anyway, so (try to) make sure the next
+			* question shows up well and doesn't get wrapped at the
+			* bottom of the window.
+		 	*/
+			tty_clear_nhwindow(BASE_WINDOW);
+		} else {
+			pick4u = 'n';
+		}
 	    
 	    if (pick4u != 'y' && pick4u != 'n') {
 give_up:	/* Quit */