diff --git a/options-table.c b/options-table.c
index 2555147a..724f3af0 100644
--- a/options-table.c
+++ b/options-table.c
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ const struct options_table_entry options_table[] = {
 	{ .name = "default-terminal",
 	  .type = OPTIONS_TABLE_STRING,
 	  .scope = OPTIONS_TABLE_SERVER,
-	  .default_str = "screen",
+	  .default_str = TMUX_TERM,
 	  .text = "Default for the 'TERM' environment variable."
 	},
 
diff --git a/tmux.h b/tmux.h
index b775c219..beaec718 100644
--- a/tmux.h
+++ b/tmux.h
@@ -75,6 +75,9 @@ struct winlink;
 #ifndef TMUX_SOCK
 #define TMUX_SOCK "$TMUX_TMPDIR:" _PATH_TMP
 #endif
+#ifndef TMUX_TERM
+#define TMUX_TERM "screen"
+#endif
 
 /* Minimum layout cell size, NOT including border lines. */
 #define PANE_MINIMUM 1