diff --git a/win/curses/cursdial.c b/win/curses/cursdial.c
index 8dff91223..2b1615270 100644
--- a/win/curses/cursdial.c
+++ b/win/curses/cursdial.c
@@ -1541,7 +1541,7 @@ menu_get_selections(WINDOW *win, nhmenu *menu, int how)
             if (isdigit(curletter) && !groupaccels[curletter]) {
                 count = curses_get_count(curletter);
                 /* after count, we know some non-digit is already pending */
-                curletter = getch();
+                curletter = curses_getch();
                 count_letter = (count > 0L) ? curletter : '\0';
 
                 /* remove the count wind (erases last line of message wind) */
diff --git a/win/curses/cursmisc.c b/win/curses/cursmisc.c
index 35860bd7f..4e4f3c38e 100644
--- a/win/curses/cursmisc.c
+++ b/win/curses/cursmisc.c
@@ -44,35 +44,16 @@ int
 curses_read_char(void)
 {
     int ch;
-#if defined(ALT_0) || defined(ALT_9) || defined(ALT_A) || defined(ALT_Z)
-    int tmpch;
-#endif
 
     /* cancel message suppression; all messages have had a chance to be read */
     curses_got_input();
 
     ch = curses_getch();
-#if defined(ALT_0) || defined(ALT_9) || defined(ALT_A) || defined(ALT_Z)
-    tmpch = ch;
-#endif
     ch = curses_convert_keys(ch);
 
     if (ch == 0) {
         ch = '\033'; /* map NUL to ESC since nethack doesn't expect NUL */
     }
-#if defined(ALT_0) && defined(ALT_9)    /* PDCurses, maybe others */
-    if ((ch >= ALT_0) && (ch <= ALT_9)) {
-        tmpch = (ch - ALT_0) + '0';
-        ch = M(tmpch);
-    }
-#endif
-
-#if defined(ALT_A) && defined(ALT_Z)    /* PDCurses, maybe others */
-    if ((ch >= ALT_A) && (ch <= ALT_Z)) {
-        tmpch = (ch - ALT_A) + 'a';
-        ch = M(tmpch);
-    }
-#endif
 
 #ifdef KEY_RESIZE
     /* Handle resize events via get_nh_event, not this code */
@@ -882,6 +863,22 @@ curses_convert_keys(int key)
         ret = C('H');
         /*FALLTHRU*/
     default:
+#if defined(ALT_A) && defined(ALT_Z)
+        /* for PDcurses, but doesn't handle Alt+X for upper case X;
+           ncurses doesn't have ALT_x definitions so we achieve a similar
+           effect via parse_escape_sequence(), and that works for upper
+           case and other non-letter, non-digit keys */
+        if (ret >= ALT_A && ret <= ALT_Z) {
+            ret = (ret - ALT_A) + 'a';
+            ret = M(ret);
+        }
+#endif
+#if defined(ALT_0) && defined(ALT_9)
+        if (ret >= ALT_0 && ret <= ALT_9) {
+            ret = (ret - ALT_0) + '0';
+            ret = M(ret);
+        }
+#endif
         /* use key as-is unless it's out of normal char range */
         reject = ((uchar) ret < 1 || ret > 255);
         as_is = TRUE;
@@ -939,36 +936,6 @@ curses_convert_keys(int key)
         ret = iflags.num_pad ? '5' : 'g';
         break;
 #endif /* KEY_B2 */
-#ifdef PDCURSES
-    case ALT_A:
-    case ALT_B:
-    case ALT_C:
-    case ALT_D:
-    case ALT_E:
-    case ALT_F:
-    case ALT_G:
-    case ALT_H:
-    case ALT_I:
-    case ALT_J:
-    case ALT_K:
-    case ALT_L:
-    case ALT_M:
-    case ALT_N:
-    case ALT_O:
-    case ALT_P:
-    case ALT_Q:
-    case ALT_R:
-    case ALT_S:
-    case ALT_T:
-    case ALT_U:
-    case ALT_V:
-    case ALT_W:
-    case ALT_X:
-    case ALT_Y:
-    case ALT_Z:
-        ret = M((ret - ALT_A) + 'a');
-        break;
-#endif
     }
 
     /* phone layout is inverted, 123 on top and 789 on bottom; if player has
@@ -1073,6 +1040,9 @@ curses_mouse_support(int mode) /* 0: off, 1: on, 2: alternate on */
 #endif
 }
 
+/* caller just got an input character of ESC;
+   note: curses converts a lot of escape sequences to single values greater
+   than 255 and those won't look like ESC to caller so won't get here */
 static int
 parse_escape_sequence(void)
 {
@@ -1083,19 +1053,21 @@ parse_escape_sequence(void)
 
     ret = getch();
 
-    if (ret != ERR) {           /* Likely an escape sequence */
-        if ((ret >= 'a' && ret <= 'z') || (ret >= '0' && ret <= '9')) {
-            ret |= 0x80;        /* Meta key support for most terminals */
-        } else if (ret == 'O') {        /* Numeric keypad */
-            ret = getch();
-            if (ret != ERR && ret >= 112 && ret <= 121) {
-                ret = ret - 112 + '0';  /* Convert to number */
-            } else {
-                ret = '\033';   /* Escape */
-            }
-        }
+    if (ret == 'O') {               /* Numeric keypad */
+        /* ESC O <something> */
+        ret = getch();
+        if (ret >= 112 && ret <= 121)
+            return ret - 112 + '0'; /* Convert to number */
+
+        if (ret == ERR)
+            ret = 'O'; /* there was no third char; treat as ESC O below */
+    }
+
+    if (ret != ERR && ret <= 255) {
+        /* ESC <something>; effectively 'altmeta' behind player's back */
+        ret = M(ret);               /* Meta key support for most terminals */
     } else {
-        ret = '\033';           /* Just an escape character */
+        ret = '\033';               /* Just an escape character */
     }
 
     timeout(-1);