diff --git a/src/lib/termdesc.h b/src/lib/termdesc.h
index b4b722ec4..6d83a0c81 100644
--- a/src/lib/termdesc.h
+++ b/src/lib/termdesc.h
@@ -48,22 +48,21 @@ typedef struct tinfo {
   uint16_t escindices[ESCAPE_MAX]; // table of 1-biased indices into esctable
   char* esctable;                  // packed table of escape sequences
   char* sgr;      // set many graphics properties at once
-  unsigned colors;// number of colors terminfo reported usable for this screen
   char* sgr0;     // restore default presentation properties
+  char* civis;    // hide cursor
+  char* cnorm;    // restore cursor to default state
+  unsigned colors;// number of colors terminfo reported usable for this screen
   char* cuu;      // move N cells up
   char* cub;      // move N cells left
   char* cuf;      // move N cells right
   char* cud;      // move N cells down
   char* cuf1;     // move 1 cell right
   char* home;     // home cursor
-  char* civis;    // hide cursor
-  char* cnorm;    // restore cursor to default state
   char* standout; // NCSTYLE_STANDOUT
   char* uline;    // NCSTYLE_UNDERLINK
   char* reverse;  // NCSTYLE_REVERSE
   char* blink;    // NCSTYLE_BLINK
   char* dim;      // NCSTYLE_DIM
-  char* bold;     // NCSTYLE_BOLD
   char* italics;  // NCSTYLE_ITALIC
   char* italoff;  // NCSTYLE_ITALIC (disable)
   char* struck;   // NCSTYLE_STRUCK
@@ -122,6 +121,7 @@ typedef struct tinfo {
   bool CCCflag;   // "CCC" flag for palette set capability
   bool BCEflag;   // "BCE" flag for erases with background color
   bool AMflag;    // "AM" flag for automatic movement to next line
+  bool bold;      // can we do bold via sgr?
 
   // assigned based off nl_langinfo() in notcurses_core_init()
   bool utf8;      // are we using utf-8 encoding, as hoped?
diff --git a/src/lib/terminfo.c b/src/lib/terminfo.c
index defe51f9e..e450ab51e 100644
--- a/src/lib/terminfo.c
+++ b/src/lib/terminfo.c
@@ -242,7 +242,13 @@ int interrogate_terminfo(tinfo* ti, int fd, const char* termname,
   terminfostr(&ti->reverse, "rev");   // begin reverse video mode
   terminfostr(&ti->blink, "blink");   // turn on blinking
   terminfostr(&ti->dim, "dim");       // turn on half-bright mode
-  terminfostr(&ti->bold, "bold");     // turn on extra-bright mode
+  // we don't actually use the bold capability -- we use sgr exclusively.
+  // but we use the presence of the bold capability to determine whether
+  // we think sgr supports bold, which...might be valid? i'm unsure.
+  char* bold;
+  if(terminfostr(&bold, "bold") == 0){
+    ti->bold = true;
+  }
   terminfostr(&ti->italics, "sitm");  // begin italic mode
   terminfostr(&ti->italoff, "ritm");  // end italic mode
   terminfostr(&ti->sgr, "sgr");       // define video attributes
@@ -277,7 +283,7 @@ int interrogate_terminfo(tinfo* ti, int fd, const char* termname,
       ti->dim = NULL;
     }
     if(nocolor_stylemask & A_BOLD){
-      ti->bold = NULL;
+      ti->bold = false;
     }
     if(nocolor_stylemask & A_ITALIC){
       ti->italics = NULL;