diff --git a/console-tools/clear.c b/console-tools/clear.c
index 3cc1625..09ef1ea 100644
--- a/console-tools/clear.c
+++ b/console-tools/clear.c
@@ -23,9 +23,11 @@
 
 #include "libbb.h"
 
+#define ESC "\033"
+
 int clear_main(int argc, char **argv) MAIN_EXTERNALLY_VISIBLE;
 int clear_main(int argc UNUSED_PARAM, char **argv UNUSED_PARAM)
 {
 	/* home; clear to the end of screen */
-	return full_write1_str("\033[H""\033[J") != 6;
+	return full_write1_str(ESC"[H" ESC"[J") != 6;
 }
diff --git a/console-tools/reset.c b/console-tools/reset.c
index f2b900d..471ef91 100644
--- a/console-tools/reset.c
+++ b/console-tools/reset.c
@@ -46,11 +46,11 @@
 		/* See 'man 4 console_codes' for details:
 		 * "ESC c"        -- Reset
 		 * "ESC ( B"      -- Select G0 Character Set (B = US)
-		 * "ESC [ 0 m"    -- Reset all display attributes
+		 * "ESC [ m"      -- Reset all display attributes
 		 * "ESC [ J"      -- Erase to the end of screen
 		 * "ESC [ ? 25 h" -- Make cursor visible
 		 */
-		printf(ESC"c" ESC"(B" ESC"[0m" ESC"[J" ESC"[?25h");
+		printf(ESC"c" ESC"(B" ESC"[m" ESC"[J" ESC"[?25h");
 		/* http://bugs.busybox.net/view.php?id=1414:
 		 * people want it to reset echo etc: */
 #if ENABLE_STTY
diff --git a/coreutils/ls.c b/coreutils/ls.c
index af5e6cb..a4e324b 100644
--- a/coreutils/ls.c
+++ b/coreutils/ls.c
@@ -347,6 +347,8 @@
 	IF_FEATURE_LS_TIMESTAMPS(time(&G.current_time_t);) \
 } while (0)
 
+#define ESC "\033"
+
 
 /*** Output code ***/
 
@@ -586,12 +588,12 @@
 		if (!mode)
 			if (lstat(dn->fullname, &statbuf) == 0)
 				mode = statbuf.st_mode;
-		printf("\033[%u;%um", bold(mode), fgcolor(mode));
+		printf(ESC"[%u;%um", bold(mode), fgcolor(mode));
 	}
 #endif
 	column += print_name(dn->name);
 	if (G_show_color) {
-		printf("\033[0m");
+		printf(ESC"[m");
 	}
 
 	if (lpath) {
@@ -609,7 +611,7 @@
 # endif
 # if ENABLE_FEATURE_LS_COLOR
 			if (G_show_color) {
-				printf("\033[%u;%um", bold(mode), fgcolor(mode));
+				printf(ESC"[%u;%um", bold(mode), fgcolor(mode));
 			}
 # endif
 		}
@@ -617,7 +619,7 @@
 		column += print_name(lpath) + 4;
 		free(lpath);
 		if (G_show_color) {
-			printf("\033[0m");
+			printf(ESC"[m");
 		}
 	}
 #if ENABLE_FEATURE_LS_FILETYPES
diff --git a/editors/vi.c b/editors/vi.c
index 116022c..c010f79 100644
--- a/editors/vi.c
+++ b/editors/vi.c
@@ -224,24 +224,25 @@
  * See "Xterm Control Sequences"
  * http://invisible-island.net/xterm/ctlseqs/ctlseqs.html
  */
+#define ESC "\033"
 /* Inverse/Normal text */
-#define ESC_BOLD_TEXT "\033[7m"
-#define ESC_NORM_TEXT "\033[0m"
+#define ESC_BOLD_TEXT ESC"[7m"
+#define ESC_NORM_TEXT ESC"[m"
 /* Bell */
 #define ESC_BELL "\007"
 /* Clear-to-end-of-line */
-#define ESC_CLEAR2EOL "\033[K"
+#define ESC_CLEAR2EOL ESC"[K"
 /* Clear-to-end-of-screen.
  * (We use default param here.
  * Full sequence is "ESC [ <num> J",
  * <num> is 0/1/2 = "erase below/above/all".)
  */
-#define ESC_CLEAR2EOS "\033[J"
+#define ESC_CLEAR2EOS ESC"[J"
 /* Cursor to given coordinate (1,1: top left) */
-#define ESC_SET_CURSOR_POS "\033[%u;%uH"
+#define ESC_SET_CURSOR_POS ESC"[%u;%uH"
 //UNUSED
 ///* Cursor up and down */
-//#define ESC_CURSOR_UP "\033[A"
+//#define ESC_CURSOR_UP   ESC"[A"
 //#define ESC_CURSOR_DOWN "\n"
 
 #if ENABLE_FEATURE_VI_DOT_CMD || ENABLE_FEATURE_VI_YANKMARK
@@ -696,14 +697,14 @@
 	save_argc = argc;
 	optind = 0;
 	// "Save cursor, use alternate screen buffer, clear screen"
-	write1("\033[?1049h");
+	write1(ESC"[?1049h");
 	while (1) {
 		edit_file(argv[optind]); /* param might be NULL */
 		if (++optind >= argc)
 			break;
 	}
 	// "Use normal screen buffer, restore cursor"
-	write1("\033[?1049l");
+	write1(ESC"[?1049l");
 	//-----------------------------------------------------------
 
 	return 0;
@@ -772,7 +773,7 @@
 #if ENABLE_FEATURE_VI_ASK_TERMINAL
 	if (G.get_rowcol_error /* TODO? && no input on stdin */) {
 		uint64_t k;
-		write1("\033[999;999H" "\033[6n");
+		write1(ESC"[999;999H" ESC"[6n");
 		fflush_all();
 		k = read_key(STDIN_FILENO, readbuffer, /*timeout_ms:*/ 100);
 		if ((int32_t)k == KEYCODE_CURSOR_POS) {
@@ -4454,7 +4455,7 @@
 				sleeptime = 0;  // how fast to type
 			}
 		}
-		strcat(readbuffer, "\033");
+		strcat(readbuffer, ESC);
 	}
 	readbuffer[0] = strlen(readbuffer + 1);
  cd1:
diff --git a/libbb/lineedit.c b/libbb/lineedit.c
index 0106093..17766a1 100644
--- a/libbb/lineedit.c
+++ b/libbb/lineedit.c
@@ -2868,7 +2868,7 @@
 #if ENABLE_FEATURE_EDITING_FANCY_PROMPT
 		"\\[\\033[32;1m\\]\\u@\\[\\x1b[33;1m\\]\\h:"
 		"\\[\\033[34;1m\\]\\w\\[\\033[35;1m\\] "
-		"\\!\\[\\e[36;1m\\]\\$ \\[\\E[0m\\]";
+		"\\!\\[\\e[36;1m\\]\\$ \\[\\E[m\\]";
 #else
 		"% ";
 #endif
diff --git a/miscutils/fbsplash.c b/miscutils/fbsplash.c
index 9ac91e0..5b2e5ac 100644
--- a/miscutils/fbsplash.c
+++ b/miscutils/fbsplash.c
@@ -65,6 +65,8 @@
 /* If you want logging messages on /tmp/fbsplash.log... */
 #define DEBUG 0
 
+#define ESC "\033"
+
 struct globals {
 #if DEBUG
 	bool bdebug_messages;	// enable/disable logging
@@ -514,7 +516,7 @@
 
 	if (fifo_filename && bCursorOff) {
 		// hide cursor (BEFORE any fb ops)
-		full_write(STDOUT_FILENO, "\033[?25l", 6);
+		full_write(STDOUT_FILENO, ESC"[?25l", 6);
 	}
 
 	fb_drawimage();
@@ -559,7 +561,7 @@
 	}
 
 	if (bCursorOff) // restore cursor
-		full_write(STDOUT_FILENO, "\033[?25h", 6);
+		full_write(STDOUT_FILENO, ESC"[?25h", 6);
 
 	return EXIT_SUCCESS;
 }
diff --git a/miscutils/less.c b/miscutils/less.c
index f37c80a..241f7f8 100644
--- a/miscutils/less.c
+++ b/miscutils/less.c
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@
 #define ESC "\033"
 /* The escape codes for highlighted and normal text */
 #define HIGHLIGHT   ESC"[7m"
-#define NORMAL      ESC"[0m"
+#define NORMAL      ESC"[m"
 /* The escape code to home and clear to the end of screen */
 #define CLEAR       ESC"[H"ESC"[J"
 /* The escape code to clear to the end of line */
@@ -1042,7 +1042,7 @@
 	open_file_and_read_lines();
 #if ENABLE_FEATURE_LESS_ASK_TERMINAL
 	if (G.winsize_err)
-		printf("\033[999;999H" "\033[6n");
+		printf(ESC"[999;999H" ESC"[6n");
 #endif
 	buffer_fill_and_print();
 }
diff --git a/procps/powertop.c b/procps/powertop.c
index 5d522bf..2872035 100644
--- a/procps/powertop.c
+++ b/procps/powertop.c
@@ -51,6 +51,8 @@
 /* Max filename length of entry in /sys/devices subsystem */
 #define BIG_SYSNAME_LEN    16
 
+#define ESC "\033"
+
 typedef unsigned long long ullong;
 
 struct line {
@@ -776,8 +778,8 @@
 			}
 		}
 
-		/* Clear the screen */
-		printf("\033[H\033[J");
+		/* Home; clear screen */
+		printf(ESC"[H" ESC"[J");
 
 		/* Clear C-state lines */
 		memset(&cstate_lines, 0, sizeof(cstate_lines));
diff --git a/procps/top.c b/procps/top.c
index f97ded5..b777c49 100644
--- a/procps/top.c
+++ b/procps/top.c
@@ -117,6 +117,7 @@
 
 #include "libbb.h"
 
+#define ESC "\033"
 
 typedef struct top_status_t {
 	unsigned long vsz;
@@ -580,7 +581,7 @@
 		meminfo[MI_BUFFERS],
 		meminfo[MI_CACHED]);
 	/* Go to top & clear to the end of screen */
-	printf(OPT_BATCH_MODE ? "%s\n" : "\033[H\033[J%s\n", scrbuf);
+	printf(OPT_BATCH_MODE ? "%s\n" : ESC"[H" ESC"[J" "%s\n", scrbuf);
 	(*lines_rem_p)--;
 
 	/* Display CPU time split as percentage of total time.
@@ -618,7 +619,7 @@
 #endif
 
 	/* what info of the processes is shown */
-	printf(OPT_BATCH_MODE ? "%.*s" : "\033[7m%.*s\033[0m", scr_width,
+	printf(OPT_BATCH_MODE ? "%.*s" : ESC"[7m" "%.*s" ESC"[m", scr_width,
 		"  PID  PPID USER     STAT   VSZ %VSZ"
 		IF_FEATURE_TOP_SMP_PROCESS(" CPU")
 		IF_FEATURE_TOP_CPU_USAGE_PERCENTAGE(" %CPU")
@@ -802,7 +803,7 @@
 		meminfo[MI_ANONPAGES],
 		meminfo[MI_MAPPED],
 		meminfo[MI_MEMFREE]);
-	printf(OPT_BATCH_MODE ? "%.*s\n" : "\033[H\033[J%.*s\n", scr_width, line_buf);
+	printf(OPT_BATCH_MODE ? "%.*s\n" : ESC"[H" ESC"[J" "%.*s\n", scr_width, line_buf);
 
 	snprintf(line_buf, LINE_BUF_SIZE,
 		" slab:%lu buf:%lu cache:%lu dirty:%lu write:%lu",
@@ -844,7 +845,7 @@
 	cp[6] = ch;
 	do *cp++ = ch; while (*cp == ' ');
 
-	printf(OPT_BATCH_MODE ? "%.*s" : "\e[7m%.*s\e[0m", scr_width, line_buf);
+	printf(OPT_BATCH_MODE ? "%.*s" : ESC"[7m" "%.*s" ESC"[m", scr_width, line_buf);
 	lines_rem--;
 
 	if (lines_rem > ntop - G_scroll_ofs)
diff --git a/procps/watch.c b/procps/watch.c
index 6fc9f7d..e58fd1f 100644
--- a/procps/watch.c
+++ b/procps/watch.c
@@ -37,6 +37,8 @@
 
 #include "libbb.h"
 
+#define ESC "\033"
+
 // procps 2.0.18:
 // watch [-d] [-n seconds]
 //   [--differences[=cumulative]] [--interval=seconds] command
@@ -77,7 +79,7 @@
 	header = NULL;
 	while (1) {
 		/* home; clear to the end of screen */
-		printf("\033[H""\033[J");
+		printf(ESC"[H" ESC"[J");
 		if (!(opt & 0x2)) { // no -t
 			const unsigned time_len = sizeof("1234-67-90 23:56:89");