diff --git a/include/notcurses.h b/include/notcurses.h
index 16ec36fde..8253de712 100644
--- a/include/notcurses.h
+++ b/include/notcurses.h
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 #define NOTCURSES_NOTCURSES
 
 #include <time.h>
+#include <uchar.h>
 #include <wchar.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <stdint.h>
@@ -147,16 +148,15 @@ API struct ncplane* notcurses_top(struct notcurses* n);
 // notcurses_getc_blocking() blocks until a codepoint or special key is read,
 // or until interrupted by a signal.
 //
-// In the case of a valid read, a positive value is returned corresponding to
-// the number of bytes in the UTF-8 character, or '1' for all special keys.
-// 0 is returned to indicate that no input was available, but only by
-// notcurses_getc(). Otherwise (including on EOF) -1 is returned.
+// In the case of a valid read, a 32-bit Unicode codepoint is returned. 0 is
+// returned to indicate that no input was available, but only by
+// notcurses_getc(). Otherwise (including on EOF) (char32_t)-1 is returned.
 
 #define suppuabize(w) ((w) + 0x100000)
 
 // is this wide character a Supplementary Private Use Area-B codepoint?
 static inline bool
-wchar_supppuab_p(wchar_t w){
+wchar_supppuab_p(char32_t w){
   return w >= 0x100000 && w <= 0x10fffd;
 }
 
@@ -226,11 +226,11 @@ wchar_supppuab_p(wchar_t w){
 // of 0 for non-blocking operation, and otherwise a timespec to bound blocking.
 // Signals in sigmask (less several we handle internally) will be atomically
 // masked and unmasked per ppoll(2). It should generally contain all signals.
-// Returns a single Unicode code point, or (wchar_t)-1 on error. 'sigmask' may
+// Returns a single Unicode code point, or (char32_t)-1 on error. 'sigmask' may
 // be NULL.
-API wchar_t notcurses_getc(struct notcurses* n, const struct timespec* ts, sigset_t* sigmask);
+API char32_t notcurses_getc(struct notcurses* n, const struct timespec* ts, sigset_t* sigmask);
 
-static inline wchar_t
+static inline char32_t
 notcurses_getc_nblock(struct notcurses* n){
   sigset_t sigmask;
   sigfillset(&sigmask);
@@ -238,7 +238,7 @@ notcurses_getc_nblock(struct notcurses* n){
   return notcurses_getc(n, &ts, &sigmask);
 }
 
-static inline wchar_t
+static inline char32_t
 notcurses_getc_blocking(struct notcurses* n){
   sigset_t sigmask;
   sigemptyset(&sigmask);
diff --git a/src/lib/input.c b/src/lib/input.c
index d4726c2c0..6f08a0267 100644
--- a/src/lib/input.c
+++ b/src/lib/input.c
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ void input_free_esctrie(esctrie** eptr){
 }
 
 static int
-notcurses_add_input_escape(notcurses* nc, const char* esc, wchar_t special){
+notcurses_add_input_escape(notcurses* nc, const char* esc, char32_t special){
   if(esc[0] != ESC || strlen(esc) < 2){ // assume ESC prefix + content
     fprintf(stderr, "Not an escape: %s (0x%x)\n", esc, special);
     return -1;
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ notcurses_add_input_escape(notcurses* nc, const char* esc, wchar_t special){
 // add the keypress we just read to our input queue (assuming there is room).
 // if there is a full UTF8 codepoint or keystroke (composed or otherwise),
 // return it, and pop it from the queue.
-static wchar_t
+static char32_t
 handle_getc(notcurses* nc, int kpress){
 // fprintf(stderr, "KEYPRESS: %d\n", kpress);
   if(kpress < 0){
@@ -148,6 +148,7 @@ handle_getc(notcurses* nc, int kpress){
   }
   cpoint[cpointlen] = '\0';
   wchar_t w;
+  // FIXME how the hell does this work with 16-bit wchar_t?
   if(mbtowc(&w, cpoint, cpointlen) < 0){
     return (wchar_t)-1;
   }
@@ -180,7 +181,7 @@ input_queue_full(const notcurses* nc){
   return nc->inputbuf_occupied == sizeof(nc->inputbuf) / sizeof(*nc->inputbuf);
 }
 
-static wchar_t
+static char32_t
 handle_input(notcurses* nc){
   int r;
   // getc() returns unsigned chars cast to ints
@@ -206,23 +207,23 @@ handle_input(notcurses* nc){
 }
 
 // infp has always been set non-blocking
-wchar_t notcurses_getc(notcurses* nc, const struct timespec *ts, sigset_t* sigmask){
+char32_t notcurses_getc(notcurses* nc, const struct timespec *ts, sigset_t* sigmask){
   errno = 0;
-  int r = handle_input(nc);
-  if(r > 0){
+  char32_t r = handle_input(nc);
+  if(r == (char32_t)-1){
+    if(errno == EAGAIN || errno == EWOULDBLOCK){
+      block_on_input(nc->ttyinfp, ts, sigmask);
+      return handle_input(nc);
+    }
     return r;
   }
-  if(errno == EAGAIN || errno == EWOULDBLOCK){
-    block_on_input(nc->ttyinfp, ts, sigmask);
-    return handle_input(nc);
-  }
   return r;
 }
 
 int prep_special_keys(notcurses* nc){
   static const struct {
     const char* tinfo;
-    wchar_t key;
+    char32_t key;
   } keys[] = {
     { .tinfo = "kcub1", .key = NCKEY_LEFT, },
     { .tinfo = "kcuf1", .key = NCKEY_RIGHT, },