diff --git a/cursive/src/backends/curses/n.rs b/cursive/src/backends/curses/n.rs
index a17c96e2..dd8c0a27 100644
--- a/cursive/src/backends/curses/n.rs
+++ b/cursive/src/backends/curses/n.rs
@@ -110,7 +110,10 @@ impl Backend {
             let path = CString::new(output_path).unwrap();
             unsafe { libc::fopen(path.as_ptr(), mode.as_ptr()) }
         };
-        ncurses::newterm(None, output, input);
+        ncurses::newterm(None, output, input).map_err(|e| {
+            io::Error::new(io::ErrorKind::Other, format!("could not call newterm: {e}"))
+        })?;
+
         // Enable keypad (like arrows)
         ncurses::keypad(ncurses::stdscr(), true);