diff --git a/tty-term.c b/tty-term.c
index 37826dab..50b2520a 100644
--- a/tty-term.c
+++ b/tty-term.c
@@ -338,10 +338,6 @@ tty_term_find(char *name, int fd, const char *overrides, char **cause)
 		    "terminal does not support ich1 or ich or smir and rmir");
 		goto error;
 	}
-	if (!tty_term_has(term, TTYC_DCH1) && !tty_term_has(term, TTYC_DCH)) {
-		xasprintf(cause, "terminal does not support dch1 or dch");
-		goto error;
-	}
 
 	/*
 	 * Figure out if terminal support default colours. AX is a screen
diff --git a/tty.c b/tty.c
index 0428a0cc..158bd527 100644
--- a/tty.c
+++ b/tty.c
@@ -596,7 +596,9 @@ tty_cmd_deletecharacter(struct tty *tty, const struct tty_ctx *ctx)
   	struct window_pane	*wp = ctx->wp;
 	struct screen		*s = wp->screen;
 
-	if (wp->xoff != 0 || screen_size_x(s) < tty->sx) {
+	if (wp->xoff != 0 || screen_size_x(s) < tty->sx ||
+	    (!tty_term_has(tty->term, TTYC_DCH) &&
+	    !tty_term_has(tty->term, TTYC_DCH1))) {
 		tty_draw_line(tty, wp->screen, ctx->ocy, wp->xoff, wp->yoff);
 		return;
 	}
@@ -604,7 +606,9 @@ tty_cmd_deletecharacter(struct tty *tty, const struct tty_ctx *ctx)
 	tty_reset(tty);
 
  	tty_cursor(tty, ctx->ocx, ctx->ocy, wp->xoff, wp->yoff);
-	tty_emulate_repeat(tty, TTYC_DCH, TTYC_DCH1, ctx->num);
+	if (tty_term_has(tty->term, TTYC_DCH) ||
+	    tty_term_has(tty->term, TTYC_DCH1))
+		tty_emulate_repeat(tty, TTYC_DCH, TTYC_DCH1, ctx->num);
 }
 
 void