diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index b8ad53830..9cb34fcb8 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ DFHack future
     - removebadthoughts: add --dry-run option
     - superdwarf: work in adventure mode too
     - tweak stable-cursor: carries cursor location from/to Build menu.
+    - deathcause: allow selection from the unitlist screen
   New tweaks:
     - tweak military-training: speed up melee squad training up to 10x (normally 3-5x).
   New scripts:
diff --git a/scripts/deathcause.rb b/scripts/deathcause.rb
index ab3e44a39..b85a85ac2 100644
--- a/scripts/deathcause.rb
+++ b/scripts/deathcause.rb
@@ -11,33 +11,40 @@ def display_death_event(e)
 end
 
 item = df.item_find(:selected)
+unit = df.unit_find(:selected)
 
 if !item or !item.kind_of?(DFHack::ItemBodyComponent)
 	item = df.world.items.other[:ANY_CORPSE].find { |i| df.at_cursor?(i) }
 end
 
-if !item or !item.kind_of?(DFHack::ItemBodyComponent)
-	puts "Please select a corpse in the loo'k' menu"
-else
+if item and item.kind_of?(DFHack::ItemBodyComponent)
 	hf = item.hist_figure_id
-	if hf == -1
-		# TODO try to retrieve info from the unit (u = item.unit_tg)
-		puts "Not a historical figure, cannot death find info"
+elsif unit
+	hf = unit.hist_figure_id
+end
+
+if not hf
+	puts "Please select a corpse in the loo'k' menu, or an unit in the 'u'nitlist screen"
+
+elsif hf == -1
+	# TODO try to retrieve info from the unit (u = item.unit_tg)
+	puts "Not a historical figure, cannot death find info"
+
+else
+	histfig = df.world.history.figures.binsearch(hf)
+	unit = histfig ? df.unit_find(histfig.unit_id) : nil
+	if unit and not unit.flags1.dead
+		puts "#{unit.name} is not dead yet !"
+
 	else
 		events = df.world.history.events
-		found = false
 		(0...events.length).reverse_each { |i|
 			e = events[i]
 			if e.kind_of?(DFHack::HistoryEventHistFigureDiedst) and e.victim_hf == hf
 				display_death_event(e)
-				found = true
 				break
 			end
 		}
-		if not found
-			u = item.unit_tg
-			puts "#{u.name} is not dead yet !" if u and not u.flags1.dead
-		end
 	end
 end