diff --git a/NEWS.md b/NEWS.md
index ee9ff20a5..771f6e5af 100644
--- a/NEWS.md
+++ b/NEWS.md
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ This document attempts to list user-visible changes and any major internal
 rearrangements of Notcurses.
 
 * 2.3.9 (not yet released)
+  * Fixed two major regressions in 2.3.8: menu highlighting is working once
+    more, as are pointer inputs (mice). Sorry about that!
   * `notcurses_detected_terminal()` and `ncdirect_detected_terminal()` now
     both return a heap-allocated string, which will contain the terminal
     version if Notcurses was able to detect it. This result ought be free()d.
diff --git a/src/lib/internal.h b/src/lib/internal.h
index ebc71ed84..7cffe914e 100644
--- a/src/lib/internal.h
+++ b/src/lib/internal.h
@@ -1152,14 +1152,14 @@ static inline int
 mouse_enable(FILE* out){
   return term_emit("\x1b[?" SET_BTN_EVENT_MOUSE ";"
                    /*SET_FOCUS_EVENT_MOUSE ";" */SET_SGR_MODE_MOUSE "h",
-                   out, false);
+                   out, true);
 }
 
 static inline int
 mouse_disable(FILE* out){
   return term_emit("\x1b[?" SET_BTN_EVENT_MOUSE ";"
                    /*SET_FOCUS_EVENT_MOUSE ";" */SET_SGR_MODE_MOUSE "l",
-                   out, false);
+                   out, true);
 }
 
 // how many edges need touch a corner for it to be printed?
diff --git a/src/lib/notcurses.c b/src/lib/notcurses.c
index e1c25bc76..d1f7495c9 100644
--- a/src/lib/notcurses.c
+++ b/src/lib/notcurses.c
@@ -2161,7 +2161,8 @@ ncplane* ncplane_above(ncplane* n){
 }
 
 int notcurses_mouse_enable(notcurses* n){
-  if(n->ttyfd >= 0){
+  if(mouse_enable(n->ttyfp)){
+    return -1;
   }
   return 0;
 }
@@ -2169,7 +2170,8 @@ int notcurses_mouse_enable(notcurses* n){
 // this seems to work (note difference in suffix, 'l' vs 'h'), but what about
 // the sequences 1000 etc?
 int notcurses_mouse_disable(notcurses* n){
-  if(n->ttyfd >= 0){
+  if(mouse_disable(n->ttyfp)){
+    return -1;
   }
   return 0;
 }