diff --git a/src/demo/jungle.c b/src/demo/jungle.c
index e24d1b0ed..c4d592942 100644
--- a/src/demo/jungle.c
+++ b/src/demo/jungle.c
@@ -26590,6 +26590,11 @@ int jungle_demo(struct notcurses* nc){
   if(!notcurses_canchangecolor(nc)){
     return 0; // skip
   }
+  // FIXME once we rewrite the garbage below using a modern ncvisual, we
+  // can rely on blitter degradation, and run this in ASCII mode.
+  if(!notcurses_canutf8(nc)){
+    return 0;
+  }
   struct timespec start, now;
   clock_gettime(CLOCK_MONOTONIC_RAW, &start);
   size_t have = 0, out = 0;
@@ -26623,6 +26628,7 @@ int jungle_demo(struct notcurses* nc){
   }
   int dimx, dimy;
   struct ncplane* n = notcurses_stddim_yx(nc, &dimy, &dimx);
+  // FIXME rewrite all of this using modern ncvisual, sheesh
   dimy *= 2; // use half blocks
   const int xiter = ORIGWIDTH / dimx + !!(ORIGWIDTH % dimx);
   const int yiter = ORIGHEIGHT / dimy + !!(ORIGHEIGHT % dimy);
diff --git a/src/demo/normal.c b/src/demo/normal.c
index 692b8fee7..e78b1e1d2 100644
--- a/src/demo/normal.c
+++ b/src/demo/normal.c
@@ -196,10 +196,12 @@ int normal_demo(struct notcurses* nc){
   if(n == NULL){
     goto err;
   }
-  ncplane_erase(nstd);
-  ncplane_cursor_move_yx(n, 0, 0);
-  if(rotate_plane(nc, n)){
-    goto err;
+  if(notcurses_canutf8(nc)){
+    ncplane_erase(nstd);
+    ncplane_cursor_move_yx(n, 0, 0);
+    if(rotate_plane(nc, n)){
+      goto err;
+    }
   }
   ncplane_cursor_move_yx(n, 0, 0);
   uint64_t tl, tr, bl, br;