diff --git a/src/settings.cpp b/src/settings.cpp
index a7708229..6d736709 100644
--- a/src/settings.cpp
+++ b/src/settings.cpp
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ void DefaultKeys(ncmpcpp_keys &keys)
 	keys.ToggleAutoCenter[0] = 'U';
 	keys.ToggleDisplayMode[0] = 'p';
 	keys.ToggleLyricsDB[0] = 'L';
-	keys.GoToParentDir[0] = 263;
+	keys.GoToParentDir[0] = KEY_BACKSPACE;
 	keys.SwitchTagTypeList[0] = '`';
 	keys.Quit[0] = 'q';
 	
diff --git a/src/window.cpp b/src/window.cpp
index d6074f3b..0b69b215 100644
--- a/src/window.cpp
+++ b/src/window.cpp
@@ -443,7 +443,7 @@ string Window::GetString(const string &base, size_t length, size_t width, bool e
 		// these key codes are special and should be ignored
 		if ((input < 10 || (input > 10 && input < 32))
 #		ifdef USE_PDCURSES
-		&&   input != 8) // backspace key in pdcurses
+		&&   input != KEY_BACKSPACE)
 #		else
 		)
 #		endif // USE_PDCURSES
@@ -467,9 +467,6 @@ string Window::GetString(const string &base, size_t length, size_t width, bool e
 				break;
 			}
 			case KEY_BACKSPACE: case 127:
-#			ifdef USE_PDCURSES
-			case 8: // backspace key in pdcurses
-#			endif // USE_PDCURSES
 			{
 				if (x <= minx && !beginning)
 					break;
@@ -483,11 +480,7 @@ string Window::GetString(const string &base, size_t length, size_t width, bool e
 				}
 				else if (beginning > 0)
 					beginning--;
-				if (input != KEY_BACKSPACE && input != 127
-#				ifdef USE_PDCURSES
-				&&  input != 8 // backspace key in pdcurses
-#				endif // USE_PDCURSES
-				   )
+				if (input != KEY_BACKSPACE && input != 127)
 					break; // backspace = left & delete.
 			}
 			case KEY_DC:
diff --git a/src/window.h b/src/window.h
index 580a3546..d3a65414 100644
--- a/src/window.h
+++ b/src/window.h
@@ -31,6 +31,10 @@
 #include <vector>
 #include <string>
 
+// this points to nothing, so redefine it
+#undef KEY_BACKSPACE
+#define KEY_BACKSPACE 8
+
 #ifdef _UTF8
 # define my_char_t wchar_t
 # define TO_STRING(x) ToString(x)