diff --git a/utf8.c b/utf8.c
index 56281aa2..22ab62c1 100644
--- a/utf8.c
+++ b/utf8.c
@@ -119,6 +119,14 @@ utf8_width(wchar_t wc)
 	width = wcwidth(wc);
 	if (width < 0 || width > 0xff) {
 		log_debug("Unicode %04x, wcwidth() %d", wc, width);
+
+		/*
+		 * Many platforms have no width for relatively common
+		 * characters (wcwidth() returns -1); assume width 1 in this
+		 * case and hope for the best.
+		 */
+		if (width < 0)
+			return (1);
 		return (-1);
 	}
 	return (width);