diff --git a/src/dispnew.c b/src/dispnew.c
index 3c4ba18ce35..312ec38f445 100644
--- a/src/dispnew.c
+++ b/src/dispnew.c
@@ -6893,8 +6893,12 @@ init_display ()
       exit (1);
     }
 
+#ifdef WINDOWSNT
+  terminal_type = "w32console";
+#else
   /* Look at the TERM variable.  */
   terminal_type = (char *) getenv ("TERM");
+#endif
   if (!terminal_type)
     {
 #ifdef VMS