diff --git a/include/extern.h b/include/extern.h
index 7f0e72aaa..cb0234696 100644
--- a/include/extern.h
+++ b/include/extern.h
@@ -3410,6 +3410,10 @@ extern void choose_windows(const char *);
 void addto_windowchain(const char *s);
 void commit_windowchain(void);
 #endif
+#ifdef TTY_GRAPHICS
+extern boolean check_tty_wincap(unsigned long);
+extern boolean check_tty_wincap2(unsigned long);
+#endif
 extern boolean genl_can_suspend_no(void);
 extern boolean genl_can_suspend_yes(void);
 extern char genl_message_menu(char, int, const char *);
diff --git a/src/options.c b/src/options.c
index a3c9f1688..fabb8a96c 100644
--- a/src/options.c
+++ b/src/options.c
@@ -5155,9 +5155,16 @@ can_set_perm_invent(void)
      * and is about to be changed to True.
      */
     uchar old_perminv_mode = iflags.perminv_mode;
-
-    if (!(windowprocs.wincap & WC_PERM_INVENT))
-        return FALSE; /* should never happen */
+    if (!(windowprocs.wincap & WC_PERM_INVENT)) {
+#ifdef TTY_GRAPHICS
+#ifdef TTY_PERM_INVENT
+        /* check tty, not necessarily the active window port;
+           windows early startup can still be set to safeprocs */
+        if (!check_tty_wincap(WC_PERM_INVENT))
+#endif
+#endif
+            return FALSE; /* should never happen */
+    }
 
     if (iflags.perminv_mode == InvOptNone)
         iflags.perminv_mode = InvOptOn;
diff --git a/src/windows.c b/src/windows.c
index 7f9d28d7e..dfcf4e168 100644
--- a/src/windows.c
+++ b/src/windows.c
@@ -59,6 +59,10 @@ extern void trace_procs_init(int);
 extern void *trace_procs_chain(int, int, void *, void *, void *);
 #endif
 
+#if defined(WINCHAIN) || defined(TTY_GRAPHICS)
+static struct win_choices *win_choices_find(const char *s);
+#endif
+
 static void def_raw_print(const char *s);
 static void def_wait_synch(void);
 static boolean get_menu_coloring(const char *, int *, int *);
@@ -222,7 +226,29 @@ def_wait_synch(void)
      return;
 }
 
-#ifdef WINCHAIN
+#ifdef TTY_GRAPHICS
+boolean
+check_tty_wincap(unsigned long wincap)
+{
+    struct win_choices *wc = win_choices_find("tty");
+
+    if (wc)
+        return ((wc->procs->wincap & wincap) == wincap);
+    return FALSE;
+}
+
+boolean
+check_tty_wincap2(unsigned long wincap2)
+{
+    struct win_choices *wc = win_choices_find("tty");
+
+    if (wc)
+        return ((wc->procs->wincap2 & wincap2) == wincap2);
+    return FALSE;
+}
+#endif
+
+#if defined(WINCHAIN) || defined(TTY_GRAPHICS)
 static struct win_choices *
 win_choices_find(const char *s)
 {