diff --git a/ncurses-6.4.orig/ncurses/win32con/win32_driver.c b/ncurses-6.4/ncurses/win32con/win32_driver.c
index 45aadf2f59..354015ba62 100644
--- a/ncurses-6.4.orig/ncurses/win32con/win32_driver.c
+++ b/ncurses-6.4/ncurses/win32con/win32_driver.c
@@ -2213,14 +2196,23 @@ InitConsole(void)
 	for (i = 0; i < NUMPAIRS; i++)
 	    CON.pairs[i] = a;
 
-	CON.inp = GetStdHandle(STD_INPUT_HANDLE);
-	CON.out = GetStdHandle(STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE);
-
 	b = AllocConsole();
 
 	if (!b)
 	    b = AttachConsole(ATTACH_PARENT_PROCESS);
 
+	/* When the standard handles have been redirected (such as inside
+	 * a text editor or the less utility), keystrokes must be read from
+	 * the console rather than the redirected handle.  The standard
+	 * output handle suffers from a similar problem.
+	 * Both handles are not closed once opened.  The console shall be
+	 * considered reachable throughout the process.
+	 */
+	CON.inp = CreateFile(TEXT("CONIN$"), GENERIC_READ | GENERIC_WRITE,
+	                     FILE_SHARE_READ, 0, OPEN_EXISTING, 0, 0);
+	CON.out = CreateFile(TEXT("CONOUT$"), GENERIC_READ | GENERIC_WRITE,
+	                     FILE_SHARE_WRITE, 0, OPEN_EXISTING, 0, 0);
+
 	if (getenv("NCGDB") || getenv("NCURSES_CONSOLE2")) {
 	    T(("... will not buffer console"));
 	    buffered = FALSE;