diff --git a/USAGE.md b/USAGE.md
index c0c412a0c..64a59b3f9 100644
--- a/USAGE.md
+++ b/USAGE.md
@@ -900,10 +900,26 @@ int ncplane_mergedown_simple(struct ncplane* restrict src,
 void ncplane_erase(struct ncplane* n);
 
 // Erase every cell in the region starting at {ystart, xstart} and having size
-// {ylen, xlen}. It is an error if any of ystart, xstart, ylen, or xlen is
-// negative. A value of 0 may be provided for ylen and/or xlen, meaning to
-// erase everything along that dimension. It is an error if ystart + ylen
-// or xstart + xlen is not in the plane.
+// {|ylen|x|xlen|} for non-zero lengths. If ystart and/or xstart are -1, the current
+// cursor position along that axis is used; other negative values are an error. A
+// negative ylen means to move up from the origin, and a negative xlen means to move
+// left from the origin. A positive ylen moves down, and a positive xlen moves right.
+// A value of 0 for the length erases everything along that dimension. It is an error
+// if the starting coordinate is not in the plane, but the ending coordinate may be
+// outside the plane.
+//
+// For example, on a plane of 20 rows and 10 columns, with the cursor at row 10 and
+// column 5, the following would hold:
+//
+//  (-1, -1, 0, 1): clears the column to the right of the cursor (column 6)
+//  (-1, -1, 0, -1): clears the column to the left of the cursor (column 4)
+//  (-1, -1, INT_MAX, 0): clears all rows with or below the cursor (rows 10--19)
+//  (-1, -1, -INT_MAX, 0): clears all rows with or above the cursor (rows 0--10)
+//  (-1, 4, 3, 3): clears from row 10, column 4 through row 12, column 6
+//  (-1, 4, 3, 3): clears from row 10, column 4 through row 8, column 2
+//  (4, -1, 0, 3): clears columns 5, 6, and 7
+//  (-1, -1, 0, 0): clears the plane *if the cursor is in a legal position*
+//  (0, 0, 0, 0): clears the plane in all cases
 int ncplane_erase_region(struct ncplane* n, int ystart, int xstart,
                          int ylen, int xlen);
 ```
diff --git a/doc/man/man3/notcurses_plane.3.md b/doc/man/man3/notcurses_plane.3.md
index 7fc658dd9..9672d0cf6 100644
--- a/doc/man/man3/notcurses_plane.3.md
+++ b/doc/man/man3/notcurses_plane.3.md
@@ -320,7 +320,11 @@ might see changes. It is an error to merge a plane onto itself.
 homes the cursor. The base cell is preserved, as are the active attributes.
 **ncplane_erase_region** does the same for a subregion of the plane. For the
 latter, supply 0 for ***ylen*** and/or ***xlen*** to erase through that
-dimension, starting at the specified point. See [BUGS][] below.
+dimension, starting at the specified point. Supply -1 for ***ystart*** and/or
+***xstart*** to use the cursor's current position along that axis for a starting
+point. Negative ***ylen*** and ***xlen*** move up and to the left from the starting
+coordinate; positive ***ylen*** and ***xlen*** move down and to the right from same.
+See [BUGS][] below.
 
 When a plane is resized (whether by **ncplane_resize**, **SIGWINCH**, or any
 other mechanism), a depth-first recursion is performed on its children.
@@ -444,8 +448,8 @@ plane is destroyed. The caller should release this **nccell** with
 **ncplane_as_rgba** returns a heap-allocated array of **uint32_t** values,
 each representing a single RGBA pixel, or **NULL** on failure.
 
-**ncplane_erase_region** returns -1 if any of its parameters are negative, or
-if they specify any area beyond the plane.
+**ncplane_erase_region** returns -1 if **ystart** or **xstart** are less than -1,
+or outside the plane.
 
 **ncplane_cursor_move_yx** returns -1 if the coordinates are beyond the
 dimensions of the specified plane (except for the special value -1).
@@ -480,6 +484,12 @@ ncplane_set_base(notcurses_stdplane(nc), " ", 0, 0);
 notcurses_render(nc);
 ```
 
+or simply:
+
+```c
+notcurses_refresh(nc);
+```
+
 # SEE ALSO
 
 **notcurses(3)**,
diff --git a/include/notcurses/notcurses.h b/include/notcurses/notcurses.h
index 89d557f3f..39f065d1a 100644
--- a/include/notcurses/notcurses.h
+++ b/include/notcurses/notcurses.h
@@ -2231,10 +2231,26 @@ API int ncplane_mergedown(struct ncplane* RESTRICT src,
 API void ncplane_erase(struct ncplane* n);
 
 // Erase every cell in the region starting at {ystart, xstart} and having size
-// {ylen, xlen}. It is an error if any of ystart, xstart, ylen, or xlen is
-// negative. A value of 0 may be provided for ylen and/or xlen, meaning to
-// erase everything along that dimension. It is an error if ystart + ylen
-// or xstart + xlen is not in the plane.
+// {|ylen|x|xlen|} for non-zero lengths. If ystart and/or xstart are -1, the current
+// cursor position along that axis is used; other negative values are an error. A
+// negative ylen means to move up from the origin, and a negative xlen means to move
+// left from the origin. A positive ylen moves down, and a positive xlen moves right.
+// A value of 0 for the length erases everything along that dimension. It is an error
+// if the starting coordinate is not in the plane, but the ending coordinate may be
+// outside the plane.
+//
+// For example, on a plane of 20 rows and 10 columns, with the cursor at row 10 and
+// column 5, the following would hold:
+//
+//  (-1, -1, 0, 1): clears the column to the right of the cursor (column 6)
+//  (-1, -1, 0, -1): clears the column to the left of the cursor (column 4)
+//  (-1, -1, INT_MAX, 0): clears all rows with or below the cursor (rows 10--19)
+//  (-1, -1, -INT_MAX, 0): clears all rows with or above the cursor (rows 0--10)
+//  (-1, 4, 3, 3): clears from row 10, column 4 through row 12, column 6
+//  (-1, 4, 3, 3): clears from row 10, column 4 through row 8, column 2
+//  (4, -1, 0, 3): clears columns 5, 6, and 7
+//  (-1, -1, 0, 0): clears the plane *if the cursor is in a legal position*
+//  (0, 0, 0, 0): clears the plane in all cases
 API int ncplane_erase_region(struct ncplane* n, int ystart, int xstart,
                              int ylen, int xlen)
   __attribute__ ((nonnull (1)));
diff --git a/src/lib/notcurses.c b/src/lib/notcurses.c
index c3bb05eb8..9887599cb 100644
--- a/src/lib/notcurses.c
+++ b/src/lib/notcurses.c
@@ -2122,27 +2122,44 @@ void ncplane_erase(ncplane* n){
 }
 
 int ncplane_erase_region(ncplane* n, int ystart, int xstart, int ylen, int xlen){
-  if(ylen < 0 || xlen < 0){
-    logerror("Won't erase section of negative length (%d, %d)\n", ylen, xlen);
-    return -1;
+  if(ystart == -1){
+    ystart = n->y;
+  }
+  if(xstart == -1){
+    xstart = n->x;
   }
   if(ystart < 0 || xstart < 0){
     logerror("Illegal start of erase (%d, %d)\n", ystart, xstart);
     return -1;
   }
-  if(ystart >= ncplane_dim_y(n) || ystart + ylen > ncplane_dim_y(n)){
-    logerror("Illegal y spec for erase (%d, %d)\n", ystart, ylen);
+  if(ystart >= ncplane_dim_y(n) || xstart >= ncplane_dim_x(n)){
+    logerror("Illegal start of erase (%d, %d)\n", ystart, xstart);
     return -1;
   }
   if(ylen == 0){
-    ylen = ncplane_dim_y(n) - ystart;
+    ystart = 0;
+    ylen = ncplane_dim_y(n);
   }
-  if(xstart >= ncplane_dim_x(n) || xstart + xlen > ncplane_dim_x(n)){
-    logerror("Illegal x spec for erase (%d, %d)\n", xstart, xlen);
+  if(ystart + ylen > ncplane_dim_y(n) || ystart + ylen < -1){
+    logerror("Illegal y spec for erase (%d, %d)\n", ystart, ylen);
     return -1;
   }
   if(xlen == 0){
-    xlen = ncplane_dim_x(n) - xstart;
+    xstart = 0;
+    xlen = ncplane_dim_x(n);
+  }
+  if(xstart + xlen > ncplane_dim_x(n) || xstart + xlen < -1){
+    logerror("Illegal x spec for erase (%d, %d)\n", xstart, xlen);
+    return -1;
+  }
+  if(xlen < 0){
+    xstart = xstart + xlen;
+    xlen = -xlen;
+  }
+  if(ylen < 0){
+    ystart = ystart + ylen;
+    ylen = -ylen;
+>>>>>>> 4e10ad795 ([ncplane_erase_region] generalize #2181)
   }
   for(int y = ystart ; y < ystart + ylen ; ++y){
     for(int x = xstart ; x < xstart + xlen ; ++x){
diff --git a/src/tests/erase.cpp b/src/tests/erase.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..21cd502a4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/tests/erase.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+#include <array>
+#include <cstdlib>
+#include "main.h"
+
+TEST_CASE("Erase") {
+  auto nc_ = testing_notcurses();
+  if(!nc_){
+    return;
+  }
+  struct ncplane* n_ = notcurses_stdplane(nc_);
+  REQUIRE(n_);
+
+  // clear all columns to the left of cursor, inclusive
+  SUBCASE("EraseColumnsLeft") {
+  }
+
+  // clear all columns to the right of cursor, inclusive
+  SUBCASE("EraseColumnsRight") {
+  }
+
+  // clear all rows above cursor, inclusive
+  SUBCASE("EraseRowsLeft") {
+  }
+
+  // clear all rows below cursor, inclusive
+  SUBCASE("EraseRowsBelow") {
+  }
+
+  CHECK(0 == notcurses_stop(nc_));
+
+}