diff --git a/c/Mf-a6fb b/c/Mf-a6fb
index 9a55d7ae89..8e37cda54a 100644
--- a/c/Mf-a6fb
+++ b/c/Mf-a6fb
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ m = a6fb
 Cpu = X86_64
 
 mdinclude = -I/usr/local/include -I/usr/X11R6/include
-mdclib = -L/usr/local/lib -liconv -lm -lncurses
+mdclib = -L/usr/local/lib -liconv -lm $(LIBNCURSES)
 C = ${CC} ${CPPFLAGS} -Wpointer-arith -Wextra -Werror -O ${CFLAGS}
 o = o
 mdsrc = i3le.c
diff --git a/c/Mf-a6le b/c/Mf-a6le
index c6b9b93389..222c065370 100644
--- a/c/Mf-a6le
+++ b/c/Mf-a6le
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 m = a6le
 Cpu = X86_64
 
-mdclib = -lm -ldl -lncurses -lrt
+mdclib = -lm -ldl $(LIBNCURSES) -lrt
 C = ${CC} ${CPPFLAGS} -m64 -msse2 -Wpointer-arith -Wall -Wextra -Werror -Wno-implicit-fallthrough -O2 ${CFLAGS}
 o = o
 mdsrc = i3le.c
diff --git a/c/Mf-a6ob b/c/Mf-a6ob
index 03ab059065..c38031af0f 100644
--- a/c/Mf-a6ob
+++ b/c/Mf-a6ob
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ m = a6ob
 Cpu = X86_64
 
 mdinclude = -I/usr/local/include -I/usr/X11R6/include
-mdclib = -L/usr/local/lib -liconv -lm -lncurses
+mdclib = -L/usr/local/lib -liconv -lm $(LIBNCURSES)
 C = ${CC} ${CPPFLAGS} -Wpointer-arith -Werror -O ${CFLAGS}
 o = o
 mdsrc = i3le.c
diff --git a/c/Mf-a6osx b/c/Mf-a6osx
index 8293937baa..1362491a7e 100644
--- a/c/Mf-a6osx
+++ b/c/Mf-a6osx
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 m = a6osx
 Cpu = X86_64
 
-mdclib = -liconv -lm -lncurses
+mdclib = -liconv -lm $(LIBNCURSES)
 C = ${CC} ${CPPFLAGS} -m64 -Wpointer-arith -Wall -Wextra -Wno-implicit-fallthrough -Werror -O2 -I/opt/X11/include/ ${CFLAGS}
 o = o
 mdsrc = i3le.c
diff --git a/c/Mf-a6s2 b/c/Mf-a6s2
index 6d172cc73b..00833c428e 100644
--- a/c/Mf-a6s2
+++ b/c/Mf-a6s2
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 m = a6s2
 Cpu = X86_64
 
-mdclib = -lnsl -ldl -lm -lcurses -lrt
+mdclib = -lnsl -ldl -lm $(LIBCURSES) -lrt
 C = ${CC} ${CPPFLAGS} -m64 -Wpointer-arith -Wextra -Werror -O ${CFLAGS}
 o = o
 mdsrc = i3le.c
diff --git a/c/Mf-arm32le b/c/Mf-arm32le
index c4564a5264..291c88921b 100644
--- a/c/Mf-arm32le
+++ b/c/Mf-arm32le
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 m = arm32le
 Cpu = ARMV6
 
-mdclib = -lm -ldl -lncurses -lrt
+mdclib = -lm -ldl $(LIBNCURSES) -lrt
 C = ${CC} ${CPPFLAGS} -Wpointer-arith -Wextra -Werror -Wno-implicit-fallthrough -O2 ${CFLAGS}
 o = o
 mdsrc = arm32le.c
diff --git a/c/Mf-base b/c/Mf-base
index cc23047ba7..83c5e07ffb 100644
--- a/c/Mf-base
+++ b/c/Mf-base
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ kernelsrc=statics.c segment.c alloc.c symbol.c intern.c gcwrapper.c gc-ocd.c gc-
 
 kernelobj=${kernelsrc:%.c=%.$o} ${mdobj}
 
-kernelhdr=system.h types.h version.h globals.h externs.h segment.h gc.c sort.h thread.h config.h itest.c 
+kernelhdr=system.h types.h version.h globals.h externs.h segment.h gc.c sort.h thread.h config.h itest.c nocurses.h
 
 mainsrc=main.c
 
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ endif
 
 scheme.o: itest.c
 scheme.o main.o: config.h
-${kernelobj}: system.h types.h version.h externs.h globals.h segment.h thread.h sort.h
+${kernelobj}: system.h types.h version.h externs.h globals.h segment.h thread.h sort.h nocurses.h
 ${kernelobj}: ${Include}/equates.h ${Include}/scheme.h
 ${mainobj}: ${Include}/scheme.h
 ${kernelobj}: ../zlib/zconf.h ../zlib/zlib.h
diff --git a/c/Mf-i3fb b/c/Mf-i3fb
index 834d8ab846..b76a285881 100644
--- a/c/Mf-i3fb
+++ b/c/Mf-i3fb
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ m = i3fb
 Cpu = I386
 
 mdinclude = -I/usr/local/include -I/usr/X11R6/include
-mdclib = -L/usr/local/lib -liconv -lm -lncurses
+mdclib = -L/usr/local/lib -liconv -lm $(LIBNCURSES)
 C = ${CC} ${CPPFLAGS} -Wpointer-arith -Wextra -Werror -O ${CFLAGS}
 o = o
 mdsrc = i3le.c
diff --git a/c/Mf-i3le b/c/Mf-i3le
index 9d3b30db49..732092a4e8 100644
--- a/c/Mf-i3le
+++ b/c/Mf-i3le
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 m = i3le
 Cpu = I386
 
-mdclib = -lm -ldl -lncurses -lrt
+mdclib = -lm -ldl $(LIBNCURSES) -lrt
 C = ${CC} ${CPPFLAGS} -m32 -msse2 -Wpointer-arith -Wall -Wextra -Werror -Wno-implicit-fallthrough -O2 -fno-stack-protector ${CFLAGS}
 o = o
 mdsrc = i3le.c
diff --git a/c/Mf-i3ob b/c/Mf-i3ob
index ee9ceec21b..2d1bed20dd 100644
--- a/c/Mf-i3ob
+++ b/c/Mf-i3ob
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ m = i3ob
 Cpu = I386
 
 mdinclude = -I/usr/local/include -I/usr/X11R6/include
-mdclib = -L/usr/local/lib -liconv -lm -lncurses
+mdclib = -L/usr/local/lib -liconv -lm $(LIBNCURSES)
 C = ${CC} ${CPPFLAGS} -Wpointer-arith -Werror -O ${CFLAGS}
 o = o
 mdsrc = i3le.c
diff --git a/c/Mf-i3osx b/c/Mf-i3osx
index 8ca333d76d..e6bd3c9dd1 100644
--- a/c/Mf-i3osx
+++ b/c/Mf-i3osx
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 m = i3osx
 Cpu = I386
 
-mdclib = -liconv -lm -lncurses
+mdclib = -liconv -lm $(LIBNCURSES)
 C = ${CC} ${CPPFLAGS} -m32 -Wpointer-arith -Wall -Wextra -Wno-implicit-fallthrough -Werror -O2 -msse2 -I/opt/X11/include/ ${CFLAGS}
 o = o
 mdsrc = i3le.c
diff --git a/c/Mf-i3qnx b/c/Mf-i3qnx
index 25c24fd5ce..a3d5aed1ac 100644
--- a/c/Mf-i3qnx
+++ b/c/Mf-i3qnx
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 m = i3qnx
 Cpu = I386
 
-mdclib = -lm /usr/local/lib/libiconv.so -lsocket -lncurses
+mdclib = -lm /usr/local/lib/libiconv.so -lsocket $(LIBNCURSES)
 C = qcc ${CPPFLAGS} -m32 -Wpointer-arith -Wextra -Werror -O2 -N2048K ${CFLAGS}
 o = o
 mdsrc = i3le.c
diff --git a/c/Mf-i3s2 b/c/Mf-i3s2
index 7f2c52963d..b7ec489f8a 100644
--- a/c/Mf-i3s2
+++ b/c/Mf-i3s2
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 m = i3s2
 Cpu = I386
 
-mdclib = -lnsl -ldl -lm -lcurses -lrt
+mdclib = -lnsl -ldl -lm $(LIBCURSES) -lrt
 C = ${CC} ${CFLAGS} -m32 -Wpointer-arith -Wextra -Werror -O ${CPPFLAGS}
 o = o
 mdsrc = i3le.c
diff --git a/c/Mf-ppc32le b/c/Mf-ppc32le
index bf209fb233..30f2214b5f 100644
--- a/c/Mf-ppc32le
+++ b/c/Mf-ppc32le
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 m = ppc32le
 Cpu = PPC32
 
-mdclib = -lm -ldl -lncurses -lrt
+mdclib = -lm -ldl $(LIBNCURSES) -lrt
 C = ${CC} ${CPPFLAGS} -m32 -Wpointer-arith -Wextra -Werror -Wno-implicit-fallthrough -O2 ${CFLAGS}
 o = o
 mdsrc = ppc32.c
diff --git a/c/Mf-ta6fb b/c/Mf-ta6fb
index 81800dcacc..5033552533 100644
--- a/c/Mf-ta6fb
+++ b/c/Mf-ta6fb
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ m = ta6fb
 Cpu = X86_64
 
 mdinclude = -I/usr/local/include -I/usr/X11R6/include
-mdclib = -L/usr/local/lib -liconv -lm -lncurses -lpthread
+mdclib = -L/usr/local/lib -liconv -lm $(LIBNCURSES) -lpthread
 C = ${CC} ${CPPFLAGS} -Wpointer-arith -Wextra -Werror -O2 -D_REENTRANT -pthread ${CFLAGS}
 o = o
 mdsrc = i3le.c
diff --git a/c/Mf-ta6le b/c/Mf-ta6le
index 206afc5070..6be72728d5 100644
--- a/c/Mf-ta6le
+++ b/c/Mf-ta6le
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 m = ta6le
 Cpu = X86_64
 
-mdclib = -lm -ldl -lncurses -lpthread -lrt
+mdclib = -lm -ldl $(LIBNCURSES) -lpthread -lrt
 C = ${CC} ${CPPFLAGS} -m64 -msse2 -Wpointer-arith -Wall -Wextra -Werror -Wno-implicit-fallthrough -O2 -D_REENTRANT -pthread ${CFLAGS}
 o = o
 mdsrc = i3le.c
diff --git a/c/Mf-ta6ob b/c/Mf-ta6ob
index 45e29e8955..68acdf9665 100644
--- a/c/Mf-ta6ob
+++ b/c/Mf-ta6ob
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ m = ta6ob
 Cpu = X86_64
 
 mdinclude = -I/usr/local/include -I/usr/X11R6/include
-mdclib = -L/usr/local/lib -liconv -lm -lncurses -lpthread
+mdclib = -L/usr/local/lib -liconv -lm $(LIBNCURSES) -lpthread
 C = ${CC} ${CPPFLAGS} -Wpointer-arith -Werror -O2 -D_REENTRANT -pthread ${CFLAGS}
 o = o
 mdsrc = i3le.c
diff --git a/c/Mf-ta6osx b/c/Mf-ta6osx
index 9626f36489..f0ac3451c1 100644
--- a/c/Mf-ta6osx
+++ b/c/Mf-ta6osx
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 m = ta6osx
 Cpu = X86_64
 
-mdclib = -liconv -lm -lncurses
+mdclib = -liconv -lm $(LIBNCURSES)
 C = ${CC} ${CPPFLAGS} -m64 -Wpointer-arith -Wall -Wextra -Wno-implicit-fallthrough -Werror -O2 -I/opt/X11/include/ ${CFLAGS}
 o = o
 mdsrc = i3le.c
diff --git a/c/Mf-ta6s2 b/c/Mf-ta6s2
index ed260d054c..f219b9b270 100644
--- a/c/Mf-ta6s2
+++ b/c/Mf-ta6s2
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 m = ta6s2
 Cpu = X86_64
 
-mdclib = -lnsl -ldl -lm -lpthread -lcurses -lrt
+mdclib = -lnsl -ldl -lm -lpthread $(LIBCURSES) -lrt
 C = ${CC} ${CPPFLAGS} -m64 -Wpointer-arith -Wextra -Werror -O2 -D_REENTRANT ${CFLAGS}
 o = o
 mdsrc = i3le.c
diff --git a/c/Mf-ti3fb b/c/Mf-ti3fb
index 58af09cfcd..448bde6b22 100644
--- a/c/Mf-ti3fb
+++ b/c/Mf-ti3fb
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ m = ti3fb
 Cpu = I386
 
 mdinclude = -I/usr/local/include -I/usr/X11R6/include
-mdclib = -L/usr/local/lib -liconv -lm -lncurses -lpthread
+mdclib = -L/usr/local/lib -liconv -lm $(LIBNCURSES) -lpthread
 C = ${CC} ${CPPFLAGS} -Wpointer-arith -Wextra -Werror -O2 -D_REENTRANT -pthread ${CFLAGS}
 o = o
 mdsrc = i3le.c
diff --git a/c/Mf-ti3le b/c/Mf-ti3le
index 388360282b..56462a213c 100644
--- a/c/Mf-ti3le
+++ b/c/Mf-ti3le
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 m = ti3le
 Cpu = I386
 
-mdclib = -lm -ldl -lncurses -lpthread -lrt
+mdclib = -lm -ldl $(LIBNCURSES) -lpthread -lrt
 C = ${CC} ${CPPFLAGS} -m32 -msse2 -Wpointer-arith -Wall -Wextra -Werror -Wno-implicit-fallthrough -O2 -D_REENTRANT -pthread ${CFLAGS}
 o = o
 mdsrc = i3le.c
diff --git a/c/Mf-ti3ob b/c/Mf-ti3ob
index b6b529fd91..c9ebb50795 100644
--- a/c/Mf-ti3ob
+++ b/c/Mf-ti3ob
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ m = ti3ob
 Cpu = I386
 
 mdinclude = -I/usr/local/include -I/usr/X11R6/include
-mdclib = -L/usr/local/lib -liconv -lm -lncurses -lpthread
+mdclib = -L/usr/local/lib -liconv -lm $(LIBNCURSES) -lpthread
 C = ${CC} ${CPPFLAGS} -Wpointer-arith -Werror -O2 -D_REENTRANT -pthread ${CFLAGS}
 o = o
 mdsrc = i3le.c
diff --git a/c/Mf-ti3osx b/c/Mf-ti3osx
index f78817db7d..1dfeba7a1e 100644
--- a/c/Mf-ti3osx
+++ b/c/Mf-ti3osx
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 m = ti3osx
 Cpu = I386
 
-mdclib = -liconv -lm -lncurses
+mdclib = -liconv -lm $(LIBNCURSES)
 C = ${CC} ${CPPFLAGS} -m32 -Wpointer-arith -Wall -Wextra -Wno-implicit-fallthrough -Werror -O2 -msse2 -I/opt/X11/include/ ${CFLAGS}
 o = o
 mdsrc = i3le.c
diff --git a/c/Mf-ti3s2 b/c/Mf-ti3s2
index 2f9ec15e5f..63da1be12d 100644
--- a/c/Mf-ti3s2
+++ b/c/Mf-ti3s2
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 m = ti3s2
 Cpu = I386
 
-mdclib = -lnsl -ldl -lm -lpthread -lcurses -lrt
+mdclib = -lnsl -ldl -lm -lpthread $(LIBCURSES) -lrt
 C = ${CC} ${CPPFLAGS} -m32 -Wpointer-arith -Wextra -Werror -O2 -D_REENTRANT ${CFLAGS}
 o = o
 mdsrc = i3le.c
diff --git a/c/Mf-tppc32le b/c/Mf-tppc32le
index c888664fe1..42dbfa11a8 100644
--- a/c/Mf-tppc32le
+++ b/c/Mf-tppc32le
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 m = tppc32le
 Cpu = PPC32
 
-mdclib = -lm -ldl -lncurses -lpthread -lrt
+mdclib = -lm -ldl $(LIBNCURSES) -lpthread -lrt
 C = ${CC} ${CPPFLAGS} -m32 -Wpointer-arith -Wextra -Werror -Wno-implicit-fallthrough -O2 -D_REENTRANT -pthread ${CFLAGS}
 o = o
 mdsrc = ppc32le.c
diff --git a/c/expeditor.c b/c/expeditor.c
index 78f6be3bfb..40c9b72f67 100644
--- a/c/expeditor.c
+++ b/c/expeditor.c
@@ -527,7 +527,9 @@ static void s_ee_write_char(wchar_t c) {
 }
 
 #else /* WIN32 */
-#ifdef SOLARIS
+#ifdef DISABLE_CURSES
+#include "nocurses.h"
+#elif defined(SOLARIS)
 #define NCURSES_CONST
 #define CHTYPE int
 #include </usr/include/curses.h>
diff --git a/c/nocurses.h b/c/nocurses.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4b17450243
--- /dev/null
+++ b/c/nocurses.h
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+#ifndef ERR
+# define ERR               -1
+#endif
+
+#define setupterm(a, b, e) (*(e) = 0, ERR)
+#define tputs(c, x, f)     (f(c))
+
+#define lines              0
+#define columns            0
+
+#define cursor_left        0
+#define cursor_right       0
+#define cursor_up          0
+#define cursor_down        0
+#define enter_am_mode      0
+#define exit_am_mode       0
+#define clr_eos            0
+#define clr_eol            0
+#define clear_screen       0
+#define carriage_return    0
+#define bell               0
+#define scroll_reverse     0
+#define auto_right_margin  0
+#define eat_newline_glitch 0
diff --git a/configure b/configure
index edbb9a544e..f26066054b 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ installschemename="scheme"
 installpetitename="petite"
 installscriptname="scheme-script"
 disablex11=no
+disablecurses=no
 : ${CC:="gcc"}
 : ${CPPFLAGS:=""}
 : ${CFLAGS:=""}
@@ -204,6 +205,9 @@ while [ $# != 0 ] ; do
     --disable-x11)
       disablex11=yes
       ;;
+    --disable-curses)
+      disablecurses=yes
+      ;;
     CC=*)
       CC=`echo $1 | sed -e 's/^CC=//'`
       ;;
@@ -385,9 +389,20 @@ if [ "$disablex11" = "yes" ]; then
   echo '#define DISABLE_X11' >> $w/c/config.h
 fi
 
+LIBCURSES=-lcurses
+LIBNCURSES=-lncurses
+
+if [ "$disablecurses" = "yes" ]; then
+  echo '#define DISABLE_CURSES' >> $w/c/config.h
+  LIBCURSES=
+  LIBNCURSES=
+fi
+
 cat > $w/c/Mf-config << END
 CC=$CC
 CPPFLAGS=$CPPFLAGS
 CFLAGS=$CFLAGS
 LDFLAGS=$LDFLAGS
+LIBCURSES=$LIBCURSES
+LIBNCURSES=$LIBNCURSES
 END