diff --git a/client.go b/client.go
index 9c13b45..8640e31 100644
--- a/client.go
+++ b/client.go
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"os"
-	"os/exec"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"regexp"
 	"strconv"
@@ -19,6 +18,7 @@ import (
 	"tildegit.org/sloum/bombadillo/http"
 	"tildegit.org/sloum/bombadillo/local"
 	"tildegit.org/sloum/bombadillo/telnet"
+	"tildegit.org/sloum/bombadillo/termios"
 )
 
 //------------------------------------------------\\
@@ -43,14 +43,7 @@ type client struct {
 //--------------------------------------------------\\
 
 func (c *client) GetSizeOnce() {
-	cmd := exec.Command("stty", "size")
-	cmd.Stdin = os.Stdin
-	out, err := cmd.Output()
-	if err != nil {
-		cui.Exit(5, "Fatal error: Unable to retrieve terminal size")
-	}
-	var h, w int
-	_, _ = fmt.Sscan(string(out), &h, &w)
+	var w, h = termios.GetWindowSize()
 	c.Height = h
 	c.Width = w
 }
@@ -61,14 +54,7 @@ func (c *client) GetSize() {
 	c.Draw()
 
 	for {
-		cmd := exec.Command("stty", "size")
-		cmd.Stdin = os.Stdin
-		out, err := cmd.Output()
-		if err != nil {
-			cui.Exit(5, "Fatal error: Unable to retrieve terminal size")
-		}
-		var h, w int
-		_, _ = fmt.Sscan(string(out), &h, &w)
+		var w, h = termios.GetWindowSize()
 		if h != c.Height || w != c.Width {
 			c.Height = h
 			c.Width = w
diff --git a/cui/cui.go b/cui/cui.go
index 676fcc6..c3ee14a 100644
--- a/cui/cui.go
+++ b/cui/cui.go
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"os/exec"
+
+	"tildegit.org/sloum/bombadillo/termios"
 )
 
 var Shapes = map[string]string{
@@ -55,16 +57,17 @@ func Exit(exitCode int, msg string) {
 
 // InitTerm sets the terminal modes appropriate for Bombadillo
 func InitTerm() {
-	SetCharMode()
-	Tput("smcup") // use alternate screen
-	Tput("rmam")  // turn off line wrapping
+	termios.SetCharMode()
+	Tput("smcup")          // use alternate screen
+	Tput("rmam")           // turn off line wrapping
+	fmt.Print("\033[?25l") // hide cursor
 }
 
 // CleanupTerm reverts changs to terminal mode made by InitTerm
 func CleanupTerm() {
 	moveCursorToward("down", 500)
 	moveCursorToward("right", 500)
-	SetLineMode()
+	termios.SetLineMode()
 
 	fmt.Print("\n")
 	fmt.Print("\033[?25h") // reenables cursor blinking
@@ -98,7 +101,7 @@ func Getch() rune {
 }
 
 func GetLine(prefix string) (string, error) {
-	SetLineMode()
+	termios.SetLineMode()
 
 	reader := bufio.NewReader(os.Stdin)
 	fmt.Print(prefix)
@@ -107,32 +110,10 @@ func GetLine(prefix string) (string, error) {
 		return "", err
 	}
 
-	SetCharMode()
+	termios.SetCharMode()
 	return text[:len(text)-1], nil
 }
 
-func SetCharMode() {
-	cmd := exec.Command("stty", "cbreak", "-echo")
-	cmd.Stdin = os.Stdin
-	cmd.Stdout = os.Stdout
-	err := cmd.Run()
-	if err != nil {
-		panic(err)
-	}
-
-	fmt.Print("\033[?25l")
-}
-
-func SetLineMode() {
-	cmd := exec.Command("stty", "-cbreak", "echo")
-	cmd.Stdin = os.Stdin
-	cmd.Stdout = os.Stdout
-	err := cmd.Run()
-	if err != nil {
-		panic(err)
-	}
-}
-
 func Tput(opt string) {
 	cmd := exec.Command("tput", opt)
 	cmd.Stdin = os.Stdin
diff --git a/termios/consts_linux.go b/termios/consts_linux.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ae6e076
--- /dev/null
+++ b/termios/consts_linux.go
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+// +build linux
+
+package termios
+
+import "syscall"
+
+const (
+	getTermiosIoctl = syscall.TCGETS
+	setTermiosIoctl = syscall.TCSETS
+)
diff --git a/termios/consts_nonlinux.go b/termios/consts_nonlinux.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ca0daf7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/termios/consts_nonlinux.go
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+// +build !linux
+
+package termios
+
+import "syscall"
+
+const (
+	getTermiosIoctl = syscall.TIOCGETA
+	setTermiosIoctl = syscall.TIOCSETAF
+)
diff --git a/termios/termios.go b/termios/termios.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9e0a5e7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/termios/termios.go
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+package termios
+
+import (
+	"os"
+	"runtime"
+	"syscall"
+	"unsafe"
+)
+
+type winsize struct {
+	Row    uint16
+	Col    uint16
+	Xpixel uint16
+	Ypixel uint16
+}
+
+var fd = os.Stdin.Fd()
+
+func ioctl(fd, request, argp uintptr) error {
+	if _, _, e := syscall.Syscall(syscall.SYS_IOCTL, fd, request, argp); e != 0 {
+		return e
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func GetWindowSize() (int, int) {
+	var value winsize
+	ioctl(fd, syscall.TIOCGWINSZ, uintptr(unsafe.Pointer(&value)))
+	return int(value.Col), int(value.Row)
+}
+
+func getTermios() syscall.Termios {
+	var value syscall.Termios
+	err := ioctl(fd, getTermiosIoctl, uintptr(unsafe.Pointer(&value)))
+	if err != nil {
+		panic(err)
+	}
+	return value
+}
+
+func setTermios(termios syscall.Termios) {
+	err := ioctl(fd, setTermiosIoctl, uintptr(unsafe.Pointer(&termios)))
+	if err != nil {
+		panic(err)
+	}
+	runtime.KeepAlive(termios)
+}
+
+func SetCharMode() {
+	t := getTermios()
+	t.Lflag = t.Lflag ^ syscall.ICANON
+	t.Lflag = t.Lflag ^ syscall.ECHO
+	setTermios(t)
+}
+
+func SetLineMode() {
+	var t = getTermios()
+	t.Lflag = t.Lflag | (syscall.ICANON | syscall.ECHO)
+	setTermios(t)
+}