diff --git a/mouse.cpp b/mouse.cpp
index 753b3d6..49fdc75 100644
--- a/mouse.cpp
+++ b/mouse.cpp
@@ -1209,7 +1209,7 @@ void GraphicsWindow::EditControlDone(const char *s) {
 }
 
 bool GraphicsWindow::KeyDown(int c) {
-    if(c == ('h' - 'a') + 1) {
+    if(c == '\b') {
         // Treat backspace identically to escape.
         MenuEdit(MNU_UNSELECT_ALL);
         return true;
diff --git a/win32/w32main.cpp b/win32/w32main.cpp
index d00cc39..339e6a8 100644
--- a/win32/w32main.cpp
+++ b/win32/w32main.cpp
@@ -538,7 +538,7 @@ static BOOL ProcessKeyDown(WPARAM wParam)
         case VK_TAB:            c = '\t';           break;
 
         case VK_BROWSER_BACK:
-        case VK_BACK:           c = 1 + 'h' - 'a';  break;
+        case VK_BACK:           c = '\b';           break;
 
         case VK_F1:
         case VK_F2: