diff --git a/TODO b/TODO
index 0391ee67..865472bb 100644
--- a/TODO
+++ b/TODO
@@ -20,3 +20,4 @@
 - some of the uses of buffers really sucks. buffer_reverse_add/remove,
   and buffer_insert_range/delete_range are abominations. this should be
   rethought
+- figure out once and for all what is going on with backspace and del
diff --git a/input.c b/input.c
index 8441bae1..6dc44ecc 100644
--- a/input.c
+++ b/input.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* $Id: input.c,v 1.4 2007-08-28 09:19:50 nicm Exp $ */
+/* $Id: input.c,v 1.5 2007-09-21 19:24:37 nicm Exp $ */
 
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2007 Nicholas Marriott <nicm@users.sourceforge.net>
@@ -48,29 +48,29 @@ struct input_key {
 };
 
 struct input_key input_keys[] = {
-	{ KEYC_BACKSPACE, "" },
-	{ KEYC_DC,     "[3~" },
-	{ KEYC_DOWN,   "OB" },
-	{ KEYC_F1,     "OP" },
-	{ KEYC_F10,    "[21~" },
-	{ KEYC_F11,    "[23~" },
-	{ KEYC_F12,    "[24~" },
-	{ KEYC_F2,     "OQ" },
-	{ KEYC_F3,     "OR" },
-	{ KEYC_F4,     "OS" },
-	{ KEYC_F5,     "[15~" },
-	{ KEYC_F6,     "[17~" },
-	{ KEYC_F7,     "[18~" },
-	{ KEYC_F8,     "[19~" },
-	{ KEYC_F9,     "[20~" },
-	{ KEYC_HOME,   "[1~" },
-	{ KEYC_IC,     "[2~" },
-	{ KEYC_LEFT,   "OD" },
-	{ KEYC_LL,     "[4~" },
-	{ KEYC_NPAGE,  "[6~" },
-	{ KEYC_PPAGE,  "[5~" },
-	{ KEYC_RIGHT,  "OC" },
-	{ KEYC_UP,     "OA" }
+/*	{ KEYC_BACKSPACE, "\010" }, */
+	{ KEYC_DC,     "\e[3~" },
+	{ KEYC_DOWN,   "\eOB" },
+	{ KEYC_F1,     "\eOP" },
+	{ KEYC_F10,    "\e[21~" },
+	{ KEYC_F11,    "\e[23~" },
+	{ KEYC_F12,    "\e[24~" },
+	{ KEYC_F2,     "\eOQ" },
+	{ KEYC_F3,     "\eOR" },
+	{ KEYC_F4,     "\eOS" },
+	{ KEYC_F5,     "\e[15~" },
+	{ KEYC_F6,     "\e[17~" },
+	{ KEYC_F7,     "\e[18~" },
+	{ KEYC_F8,     "\e[19~" },
+	{ KEYC_F9,     "\e[20~" },
+	{ KEYC_HOME,   "\e[1~" },
+	{ KEYC_IC,     "\e[2~" },
+	{ KEYC_LEFT,   "\eOD" },
+	{ KEYC_LL,     "\e[4~" },
+	{ KEYC_NPAGE,  "\e[6~" },
+	{ KEYC_PPAGE,  "\e[5~" },
+	{ KEYC_RIGHT,  "\eOC" },
+	{ KEYC_UP,     "\eOA" }
 };
 
 /*
diff --git a/local.c b/local.c
index 8ba0c340..648e70bc 100644
--- a/local.c
+++ b/local.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* $Id: local.c,v 1.6 2007-09-20 09:43:33 nicm Exp $ */
+/* $Id: local.c,v 1.7 2007-09-21 19:24:37 nicm Exp $ */
 
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2007 Nicholas Marriott <nicm@users.sourceforge.net>
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ struct local_key local_keys[] = {
 	{ "ka1",   NULL, 0, KEYC_A1 },
 	{ "ka3",   NULL, 0, KEYC_A3 },
 	{ "kb2",   NULL, 0, KEYC_B2 },
-	{ "kbs",   NULL, 0, KEYC_BACKSPACE },
+/*	{ "kbs",   NULL, 0, KEYC_BACKSPACE }, */
 	{ "kbeg",  NULL, 0, KEYC_BEG },
 	{ "kcbt",  NULL, 0, KEYC_BTAB },
 	{ "kc1",   NULL, 0, KEYC_C1 },
@@ -348,7 +348,8 @@ local_key(size_t *used)
 		if (strncmp(BUFFER_OUT(local_in), lk->string, size) == 0) {
 			if (size < lk->size)
 				return (KEYC_NONE);
-			log_debug("got key: %s %d", lk->name, lk->code);
+			log_debug("got key: "
+			    "%s %d \"%s\"", lk->name, lk->code, lk->string);
 			buffer_remove(local_in, lk->size);
 			if (used != NULL)
 				*used = lk->size;
diff --git a/screen.c b/screen.c
index 7ca722bb..1d968e4f 100644
--- a/screen.c
+++ b/screen.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* $Id: screen.c,v 1.10 2007-09-21 18:00:58 nicm Exp $ */
+/* $Id: screen.c,v 1.11 2007-09-21 19:24:37 nicm Exp $ */
 
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2007 Nicholas Marriott <nicm@users.sourceforge.net>
@@ -395,6 +395,9 @@ screen_character(struct screen *s, u_char ch)
 		if (s->cx > 0)
 			s->cx--;
 		break;
+	case '\177':	/* DC */
+		/* XXX */
+		break;
 	default:
 		if (ch < ' ')
 			fatalx("bad control");
diff --git a/server.c b/server.c
index 7dd68769..b56ec012 100644
--- a/server.c
+++ b/server.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* $Id: server.c,v 1.9 2007-09-20 18:03:23 nicm Exp $ */
+/* $Id: server.c,v 1.10 2007-09-21 19:24:37 nicm Exp $ */
 
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2007 Nicholas Marriott <nicm@users.sourceforge.net>
@@ -575,6 +575,12 @@ user_input(struct client *c, size_t in)
 			case '\005':
 				key = KEYC_LL;
 				goto again;
+			case '\010':
+				key = KEYC_BACKSPACE;
+				goto again;
+			case '\177':
+				key = KEYC_DC;
+				goto again;
 			case '\013':
 				c->buf[c->idx + 1] = '\0';
 				input_store_zero(c->out, CODE_CURSOROFF);