diff --git a/src/keyboard.c b/src/keyboard.c
index bc1299b..5f368f4 100644
--- a/src/keyboard.c
+++ b/src/keyboard.c
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ void vterm_keyboard_unichar(VTerm *vt, uint32_t c, VTermModifier mod)
   if(mod & VTERM_MOD_CTRL)
     c &= 0x1f;
 
-  vterm_push_output_sprintf(vt, "%s%c", mod & VTERM_MOD_ALT ? "\e" : "", c);
+  vterm_push_output_sprintf(vt, "%s%c", mod & VTERM_MOD_ALT ? "\x1b" : "", c);
 }
 
 typedef struct {
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ static keycodes_s keycodes[] = {
   { KEYCODE_ENTER,   '\r'   }, // ENTER
   { KEYCODE_TAB,     '\t'   }, // TAB
   { KEYCODE_LITERAL, '\x7f' }, // BACKSPACE == ASCII DEL
-  { KEYCODE_LITERAL, '\e'   }, // ESCAPE
+  { KEYCODE_LITERAL, '\x1b' }, // ESCAPE
 
   { KEYCODE_CSI_CURSOR, 'A' }, // UP
   { KEYCODE_CSI_CURSOR, 'B' }, // DOWN
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ void vterm_keyboard_key(VTerm *vt, VTermKey key, VTermModifier mod)
     if(mod & (VTERM_MOD_SHIFT|VTERM_MOD_CTRL))
       vterm_push_output_sprintf_ctrl(vt, C1_CSI, "%d;%du", k.literal, mod+1);
     else
-      vterm_push_output_sprintf(vt, mod & VTERM_MOD_ALT ? "\e%c" : "%c", k.literal);
+      vterm_push_output_sprintf(vt, mod & VTERM_MOD_ALT ? "\x1b%c" : "%c", k.literal);
     break;
 
   case KEYCODE_SS3: case_SS3:
diff --git a/src/vterm.c b/src/vterm.c
index 826df93..262b3fc 100644
--- a/src/vterm.c
+++ b/src/vterm.c
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ INTERNAL void vterm_push_output_sprintf_ctrl(VTerm *vt, unsigned char ctrl, cons
   size_t orig_cur = vt->outbuffer_cur;
 
   if(ctrl >= 0x80 && !vt->mode.ctrl8bit)
-    vterm_push_output_sprintf(vt, "\e%c", ctrl - 0x40);
+    vterm_push_output_sprintf(vt, "\x1b%c", ctrl - 0x40);
   else
     vterm_push_output_sprintf(vt, "%c", ctrl);
 
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ INTERNAL void vterm_push_output_sprintf_dcs(VTerm *vt, const char *fmt, ...)
   size_t orig_cur = vt->outbuffer_cur;
 
   if(!vt->mode.ctrl8bit)
-    vterm_push_output_sprintf(vt, "\e%c", C1_DCS - 0x40);
+    vterm_push_output_sprintf(vt, "\x1b%c", C1_DCS - 0x40);
   else
     vterm_push_output_sprintf(vt, "%c", C1_DCS);