1 files changed, 2 insertions, 2 deletions

diff --git a/st.c b/st.c
index e76aaf3..aaf868d 100644
--- a/st.c
+++ b/st.c
@@ -2896,15 +2896,15 @@ tputc(Rune u)
         int width, len;
         Glyph *gp;
 
+        control = ISCONTROL(u);
         len = utf8encode(u, c);
-        if ((width = wcwidth(u)) == -1) {
+        if (!control && (width = wcwidth(u)) == -1) {
                 memcpy(c, "\357\277\275", 4); /* UTF_INVALID */
                 width = 1;
         }
 
         if (IS_SET(MODE_PRINT))
                 tprinter(c, len);
-        control = ISCONTROL(u);
 
         /*
          * STR sequence must be checked before anything else