diff --git a/src/conio/ciolib.c b/src/conio/ciolib.c
index 8ee0f0d8d4bb2ec9737c6371facddfa410d18490..90dd2f32eb2548777ebfb6c73f4be08d9007a47b 100644
--- a/src/conio/ciolib.c
+++ b/src/conio/ciolib.c
@@ -202,6 +202,9 @@ int try_curses_init(int mode)
 		cio_api.hidemouse=curs_hidemouse;
 		cio_api.suspend=curs_suspend;
 		cio_api.resume=curs_resume;
+#ifdef NCURSES_VERSION_MAJOR
+		cio_api.ESCDELAY=&ESCDELAY;
+#endif
 		return(1);
 	}
 	return(0);
diff --git a/src/conio/ciolib.h b/src/conio/ciolib.h
index 4ee8e4d940c33cea569151572d21a8797bce3989..83cad45cefcc4819053c01bf182ba6cbfdc1c1fb 100644
--- a/src/conio/ciolib.h
+++ b/src/conio/ciolib.h
@@ -244,6 +244,7 @@ typedef struct {
 	int		(*setfont)		(int font, int force);
 	int		(*getfont)		(void);
 	int		(*loadfont)		(char *filename);
+	int		*ESCDELAY;
 } cioapi_t;
 
 CIOLIBEXPORTVAR cioapi_t cio_api;