diff --git a/contrib/ncurses/ncurses/curses.priv.h b/contrib/ncurses/ncurses/curses.priv.h
index 97582786d04a..efac8ae3e6e2 100644
--- a/contrib/ncurses/ncurses/curses.priv.h
+++ b/contrib/ncurses/ncurses/curses.priv.h
@@ -220,6 +220,8 @@ struct tries {
 #define S_QUOTE '\''
 #define D_QUOTE '"'
 
+#define VT_ACSC "``aaffggiijjkkllmmnnooppqqrrssttuuvvwwxxyyzz{{||}}~~"
+
 /*
  * Structure for palette tables
  */
diff --git a/contrib/ncurses/ncurses/tinfo/comp_parse.c b/contrib/ncurses/ncurses/tinfo/comp_parse.c
index d59e4a55348e..f11843828e09 100644
--- a/contrib/ncurses/ncurses/tinfo/comp_parse.c
+++ b/contrib/ncurses/ncurses/tinfo/comp_parse.c
@@ -465,6 +465,14 @@ sanity_check(TERMTYPE * tp)
 	    PAIRED(enter_underline_mode, exit_underline_mode)
     }
 
+    /* we do this check/fix in postprocess_termcap(), but some packagers
+     * prefer to bypass it...
+     */
+    if (acs_chars == 0
+	&& enter_alt_charset_mode != 0
+	&& exit_alt_charset_mode != 0)
+	acs_chars = strdup(VT_ACSC);
+
     /* listed in structure-member order of first argument */
     PAIRED(enter_alt_charset_mode, exit_alt_charset_mode);
     ANDMISSING(enter_alt_charset_mode, acs_chars);