diff --git a/usr.bin/col/col.c b/usr.bin/col/col.c
index e811a5247c6c..511188a89ffe 100644
--- a/usr.bin/col/col.c
+++ b/usr.bin/col/col.c
@@ -63,9 +63,9 @@ __FBSDID("$FreeBSD$");
 #define	SI	'\017'		/* shift in to normal character set */
 #define	SO	'\016'		/* shift out to alternate character set */
 #define	VT	'\013'		/* vertical tab (aka reverse line feed) */
-#define	RLF	'\007'		/* ESC-07 reverse line feed */
-#define	RHLF	'\010'		/* ESC-010 reverse half-line feed */
-#define	FHLF	'\011'		/* ESC-011 forward half-line feed */
+#define	RLF	'7'		/* ESC-7 reverse line feed */
+#define	RHLF	'8'		/* ESC-8 reverse half-line feed */
+#define	FHLF	'9'		/* ESC-9 forward half-line feed */
 
 /* build up at least this many lines before flushing them out */
 #define	BUFFER_MARGIN		32
@@ -378,7 +378,7 @@ flush_blanks(void)
 		PUTC('\n');
 	if (half) {
 		PUTC('\033');
-		PUTC('\011');
+		PUTC('9');
 		if (!nb)
 			PUTC('\r');
 	}