diff --git a/src/lib/direct.c b/src/lib/direct.c
index 289a5fe86..84233b60d 100644
--- a/src/lib/direct.c
+++ b/src/lib/direct.c
@@ -861,11 +861,14 @@ ncdirect* ncdirect_core_init(const char* termtype, FILE* outfp, uint64_t flags){
   }
   // we don't need a controlling tty for everything we do; allow a failure here
   ret->ctermfd = get_tty_fd(ret->ttyfp);
+  // FIXME factor this out, and share it with rendered mode #2023
+#ifndef __MINGW__
   int termerr;
   if(setupterm(termtype, ret->ctermfd, &termerr)){
     fprintf(stderr, "Terminfo error %d (see terminfo(3ncurses))\n", termerr);
     goto err;
   }
+#endif
   int cursor_y = -1;
   int cursor_x = -1;
   if(interrogate_terminfo(&ret->tcache, ret->ctermfd, utf8,