diff --git a/defs.h b/defs.h
index 9e0d7c8..3866910 100644
--- a/defs.h
+++ b/defs.h
@@ -266,6 +266,8 @@
 // >= MAXFLAGS
 #define MAXCANDIDATES	2048 
 
+#define LASTSHORTCUT 	9
+
 #define MAXCHOICES	400
 #define MAXDEPTH	25 // max dungeon depth
 #define MAXDIR_ORTH	4
diff --git a/io.c b/io.c
index da18a61..7736482 100644
--- a/io.c
+++ b/io.c
@@ -13255,26 +13255,28 @@ void showlfstats(lifeform_t *lf, int showall) {
 			getflags(lf->flags, retflag, &nretflags, F_NOBODYPART, F_NONE);
 			for (i = 0; i < nretflags; i++) {
 				bp = retflag[i]->val[0];
-				if (bp == BP_RIGHTFINGER) {
-					if (!lfhasflagval(lf, F_NOBODYPART, BP_HANDS, NA, NA, NULL)) {
+				if (retflag[i]->lifetime != FROMINJURY) {
+					if (bp == BP_RIGHTFINGER) {
+						if (!lfhasflagval(lf, F_NOBODYPART, BP_HANDS, NA, NA, NULL)) {
+							missingbp[nmissingbp] = bp;
+							nmissingbp++;
+						}
+					} else if (bp == BP_LEFTFINGER) {
+						if (!lfhasflagval(lf, F_NOBODYPART, BP_HANDS, NA, NA, NULL) &&
+						    !lfhasflagval(lf, F_NOBODYPART, BP_SECWEAPON, NA, NA, NULL) 
+							) {
+							missingbp[nmissingbp] = bp;
+							nmissingbp++;
+						}
+					} else if (bp == BP_SECWEAPON) {
+						if (!lfhasflagval(lf, F_NOBODYPART, BP_HANDS, NA, NA, NULL)) {
+							missingbp[nmissingbp] = bp;
+							nmissingbp++;
+						}
+					} else {
 						missingbp[nmissingbp] = bp;
 						nmissingbp++;
 					}
-				} else if (bp == BP_LEFTFINGER) {
-					if (!lfhasflagval(lf, F_NOBODYPART, BP_HANDS, NA, NA, NULL) &&
-					    !lfhasflagval(lf, F_NOBODYPART, BP_SECWEAPON, NA, NA, NULL) 
-						) {
-						missingbp[nmissingbp] = bp;
-						nmissingbp++;
-					}
-				} else if (bp == BP_SECWEAPON) {
-					if (!lfhasflagval(lf, F_NOBODYPART, BP_HANDS, NA, NA, NULL)) {
-						missingbp[nmissingbp] = bp;
-						nmissingbp++;
-					}
-				} else {
-					missingbp[nmissingbp] = bp;
-					nmissingbp++;
 				}
 			}
 
diff --git a/lf.c b/lf.c
index d459a32..a2ee84f 100644
--- a/lf.c
+++ b/lf.c
@@ -9401,16 +9401,34 @@ int getnaturalflightheight(lifeform_t *lf) {
 	return 0;
 }
 
+// returns a number from 1 - LASTSHORTCUT containing the first avilaable shortcut slot.
+//
+// if none available, return NA.
+//
 int getnextshortcut(lifeform_t *lf) {
         flag_t *retflag[MAXCANDIDATES];
-        int nretflags,i,min = 0;
+        int nretflags,i,slotnum = 0;
+	// get all currently assigned shortcuts
 	getflags(lf->flags, retflag, &nretflags, F_SHORTCUT, F_NONE);
-	for (i = 0; i < nretflags; i++) {
-		if (retflag[i]->val[0] > min) {
-			min = retflag[i]->val[0];
+
+	// use 1=10 instead of 0=9, so that '0' is last.
+	for (slotnum = 1; slotnum <= (LASTSHORTCUT+1); slotnum++) {
+		int found = B_FALSE;
+		// technically this is faster than using hasflagval()
+		for (i = 0; i < nretflags; i++) {
+			if (retflag[i]->val[0] == slotnum) {
+				found = B_TRUE;
+				break;
+			}
+		}
+		if (!found) {
+			// this slot is available
+			if (slotnum == 10) slotnum = 0;
+			return slotnum;
 		}
 	}
-	return min + 1;
+
+	return NA;
 }
 
 int getnightvisrange(lifeform_t *lf) {
@@ -16758,18 +16776,36 @@ void autolearnspellsfrombook(lifeform_t *lf, object_t *book) {
 	}
 }
 
-void autoshortcut(lifeform_t *lf, enum OBTYPE spellid) {
+// If spellid = OT_NONE, automatically assign slots for all job/race/skill abilities,
+// starting at 'startslot'
+//
+// If spellid = <specific spell>, auto assign a shortcut just for that one.  Use 'startslot'
+// if given, otherwise pick the next available one.
+//
+void autoshortcut(lifeform_t *lf, enum OBTYPE spellid, int startslot) {
         flag_t *retflag[MAXCANDIDATES],*f;
         int nretflags,i;
-	int min = 1;
+	int min = 0;
 	objecttype_t *ot = NULL;
+
+
+	if (startslot == NA) {
+		min = getnextshortcut(lf);
+		if (min == NA) return;
+	} else {
+		min = startslot;
+	} 
+	if (min == 10) min = 0;
+	limit(&min, 0, LASTSHORTCUT);
+
 	getflags(lf->flags, retflag, &nretflags, F_CANCAST, F_CANWILL, F_NONE);
 
-	min = getnextshortcut(lf);
-	for (i = 0; (i < nretflags) && (min < 10); i++) {
+	for (i = 0; (i < nretflags) && (min <= LASTSHORTCUT); i++) {
 		f = retflag[i];
 		ot = findot(f->val[0]);
 		if (!ot) continue;
+		// already have a shortcut for this?
+		if (lfhasflagval(lf, F_SHORTCUT, NA, NA, NA, ot->name)) continue;
 
 		if (spellid == OT_NONE) {
 			// autoshortcut everything from your job/race
@@ -16779,6 +16815,7 @@ void autoshortcut(lifeform_t *lf, enum OBTYPE spellid) {
 				if (!lfhasflagval(lf, F_SHORTCUT, NA, NA, NA, ot->name)) {
 					addflag(lf->flags, F_SHORTCUT, min, NA, NA, ot->name);
 					min = getnextshortcut(lf);
+					if (min == NA) return;
 				}
 			}
 		} else {
diff --git a/lf.h b/lf.h
index 530e0a0..54a8267 100644
--- a/lf.h
+++ b/lf.h
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ int askforinfo(lifeform_t *lf, int diffmod);
 char *assignnpcname(flagpile_t *fp);
 int attrincreasable(enum ATTRIB a);
 void autolearnspellsfrombook(lifeform_t *lf, object_t *book);
-void autoshortcut(lifeform_t *lf, enum OBTYPE spellid);
+void autoshortcut(lifeform_t *lf, enum OBTYPE spellid, int startslot);
 void autoskill(lifeform_t *lf);
 void autospells(lifeform_t *lf, int howmany);
 void autotarget(lifeform_t *lf);
diff --git a/nexus.c b/nexus.c
index b67392c..4347154 100644
--- a/nexus.c
+++ b/nexus.c
@@ -496,10 +496,13 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
 		}
 
 
-		// we always want 'cook' to be shortcut number one.
-		autoshortcut(player, OT_A_COOK);
+		// some abilities should always use certain shortcut numbers
+		autoshortcut(player, OT_A_TRAIN, 9);
+		autoshortcut(player, OT_A_TIPTOE, 0);
+		autoshortcut(player, OT_A_COOK, 1);
+		autoshortcut(player, OT_S_SIXTHSENSE, 6);
 		// populate the remainder with our other abilities
-		autoshortcut(player, OT_NONE);
+		autoshortcut(player, OT_NONE, NA);
 
 		getplayernamefull(pname);
 		snprintf(welcomemsg, BUFLEN, "Greetings %s, welcome to nexus!", pname);