diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 0d06c466..866bfd27 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -569,6 +569,28 @@ foreach h : headers
   endif
 endforeach
 
+if want_textui and conf.get('HAVE_TERM_H', 0) == 1
+  if not cc.links('''
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <term.h>
+int main () {
+  return tputs("x", 1, putchar);
+}
+''', dependencies : textui_dep)
+    if cc.has_header('curses.h') and cc.links('''
+#include <curses.h>
+#include <term.h>
+int main () {
+  return tputs("x", 1, putchar);
+}
+''', dependencies : textui_dep, name : 'working Curses')
+      conf.set('NEED_CURSES_H', 1, description : 'tputs needs curses.h')
+    else
+      error('could not link terminfo')
+    endif
+  endif
+endif
+
 conf.set('HAVE_LIBUTF8PROC', have_libutf8proc)
 conf.set_quoted('PACKAGE_VERSION', package_version)
 conf.set_quoted('PACKAGE_TARNAME', meson.project_name())
diff --git a/src/fe-text/term-terminfo.c b/src/fe-text/term-terminfo.c
index 06310cc9..698ff84c 100644
--- a/src/fe-text/term-terminfo.c
+++ b/src/fe-text/term-terminfo.c
@@ -31,6 +31,9 @@
 #include <stdio.h>
 
 #ifdef HAVE_TERM_H
+#ifdef NEED_CURSES_H
+#include <curses.h>
+#endif
 #include <term.h>
 #else
 /* TODO: This needs arguments, starting with C2X. */
@@ -40,14 +43,13 @@ int tputs();
 /* returns number of characters in the beginning of the buffer being a
    a single character, or -1 if more input is needed. The character will be
    saved in result */
-typedef int (*TERM_INPUT_FUNC)(const unsigned char *buffer, int size,
-			       unichar *result);
+typedef int (*TERM_INPUT_FUNC)(const unsigned char *buffer, int size, unichar *result);
 
 struct _TERM_WINDOW {
-        /* Terminal to use for window */
+	/* Terminal to use for window */
 	TERM_REC *term;
 
-        /* Area for window in terminal */
+	/* Area for window in terminal */
 	int x, y;
 	int width, height;
 };
diff --git a/src/fe-text/terminfo-core.c b/src/fe-text/terminfo-core.c
index 7c21d509..bd735731 100644
--- a/src/fe-text/terminfo-core.c
+++ b/src/fe-text/terminfo-core.c
@@ -13,6 +13,9 @@ inline static int term_putchar(int c)
 }
 
 #ifdef HAVE_TERM_H
+#ifdef NEED_CURSES_H
+#include <curses.h>
+#endif
 #include <term.h>
 #else
 /* Don't bother including curses.h because of these -