diff --git a/src/lib/internal.h b/src/lib/internal.h
index c35937d9c..6f64c00fb 100644
--- a/src/lib/internal.h
+++ b/src/lib/internal.h
@@ -110,6 +110,15 @@ typedef struct notcurses {
   ncplane* top;   // the contents of our topmost plane (initially entire screen)
   ncplane* stdscr;// aliases some plane from the z-buffer, covers screen
   FILE* renderfp; // debugging FILE* to which renderings are written
+  char inputbuf[BUFSIZ];
+  // we keep a wee ringbuffer of input queued up for delivery. if
+  // inputbuf_occupied == sizeof(inputbuf), there is no room. otherwise, data
+  // can be read to inputbuf_write_at until we fill up. the first datum
+  // available for the app is at inputbuf_valid_starts iff inputbuf_occupied is
+  // not 0. the main purpose is working around bad predictions of escapes.
+  unsigned inputbuf_occupied;
+  unsigned inputbuf_valid_starts;
+  unsigned inputbuf_write_at;
 } notcurses;
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
diff --git a/src/lib/notcurses.c b/src/lib/notcurses.c
index 8502091e7..beac01259 100644
--- a/src/lib/notcurses.c
+++ b/src/lib/notcurses.c
@@ -613,6 +613,9 @@ notcurses* notcurses_init(const notcurses_options* opts){
     free(ret);
     return NULL;
   }
+  ret->inputbuf_occupied = 0;
+  ret->inputbuf_valid_starts = 0;
+  ret->inputbuf_write_at = 0;
   if((ret->ttyfd = fileno(ret->ttyfp)) < 0){
     fprintf(stderr, "No file descriptor was available in opts->outfp\n");
     free(ret);