diff --git a/term_util.c b/term_util.c
index 4cc282c..ee49034 100644
--- a/term_util.c
+++ b/term_util.c
@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@
 #include "oso.h"
 #include <ctype.h>
 #include <form.h>
-#include <menu.h>
+
+ORCA_NOINLINE static void qmenu_reprint(Qmenu *qm);
 
 void term_util_init_colors() {
   if (has_colors()) {
@@ -38,20 +39,18 @@ struct Qmsg {
   Qmsg_dismiss_mode dismiss_mode;
 };
 
-struct Qmenu_item_extra {
-  int user_id;
+typedef struct Qmenu_item {
+  char const *text;
+  int id;
   U8 owns_string : 1, is_spacer : 1;
-};
+} Qmenu_item;
 
 struct Qmenu {
   Qblock qblock;
-  MENU *ncurses_menu;
-  ITEM **ncurses_items;
+  Qmenu_item *items;
   Usz items_count, items_cap;
-  ITEM *initial_item;
-  int id;
-  // Flag for right-padding hack. Temp until we do our own menus
-  U8 has_submenu_item : 1;
+  int current_item, id;
+  U8 needs_reprint : 1, is_frontmost : 1;
 };
 
 struct Qform {
@@ -175,18 +174,26 @@ bool qnav_draw(void) {
   getmaxyx(stdscr, term_h, term_w);
   for (Usz i = 0; i < qnav_stack.count; ++i) {
     Qblock *qb = qnav_stack.blocks[i];
-    if (qnav_stack.occlusion_dirty) {
-      bool is_frontmost = i == qnav_stack.count - 1;
+    bool is_frontmost = i == qnav_stack.count - 1;
+    if (qnav_stack.occlusion_dirty)
       qblock_print_frame(qb, is_frontmost);
-      switch (qb->tag) {
-      case Qblock_type_qmsg:
-        break;
-      case Qblock_type_qmenu:
-        qmenu_set_displayed_active(qmenu_of(qb), is_frontmost);
-        break;
-      case Qblock_type_qform:
-        break;
+    switch (qb->tag) {
+    case Qblock_type_qmsg:
+      break;
+    case Qblock_type_qmenu: {
+      Qmenu *qm = qmenu_of(qb);
+      if (qm->is_frontmost != is_frontmost) {
+        qm->is_frontmost = is_frontmost;
+        qm->needs_reprint = 1;
+      }
+      if (qm->needs_reprint) {
+        qmenu_reprint(qm);
+        qm->needs_reprint = 0;
       }
+      break;
+    }
+    case Qblock_type_qform:
+      break;
     }
     touchwin(qb->outer_window); // here? or after continue?
     if (term_h < 1 || term_w < 1)
@@ -222,7 +229,7 @@ void qblock_print_title(Qblock *qb, char const *title, int attr) {
   wattr_get(qb->outer_window, &attrs, &pair, NULL);
   wattrset(qb->outer_window, attr);
   waddch(qb->outer_window, ' ');
-  wprintw(qb->outer_window, title);
+  waddstr(qb->outer_window, title);
   waddch(qb->outer_window, ' ');
   wattr_set(qb->outer_window, attrs, pair, NULL);
 }
@@ -343,91 +350,65 @@ Qmsg *qmsg_of(Qblock *qb) { return ORCA_CONTAINER_OF(qb, Qmsg, qblock); }
 Qmenu *qmenu_create(int id) {
   Qmenu *qm = (Qmenu *)malloc(sizeof(Qmenu));
   qblock_init(&qm->qblock, Qblock_type_qmenu);
-  qm->ncurses_menu = NULL;
-  qm->ncurses_items = NULL;
+  qm->items = NULL;
   qm->items_count = 0;
   qm->items_cap = 0;
-  qm->initial_item = NULL;
+  qm->current_item = 0;
   qm->id = id;
-  qm->has_submenu_item = 0;
+  qm->needs_reprint = 1;
+  qm->is_frontmost = 0;
   return qm;
 }
 void qmenu_destroy(Qmenu *qm) { qmenu_free(qm); }
 int qmenu_id(Qmenu const *qm) { return qm->id; }
-static ORCA_NOINLINE void
-qmenu_allocitems(Qmenu *qm, Usz count, Usz *out_idx, ITEM ***out_items,
-                 struct Qmenu_item_extra **out_extras) {
+static ORCA_NOINLINE Qmenu_item *qmenu_allocitems(Qmenu *qm, Usz count) {
   Usz old_count = qm->items_count;
-  // Add 1 for the extra null terminator guy
-  Usz new_count = old_count + count + 1;
+  if (old_count > SIZE_MAX - count) // overflow
+    exit(1);
+  Usz new_count = old_count + count;
   Usz items_cap = qm->items_cap;
-  ITEM **items = qm->ncurses_items;
+  Qmenu_item *items = qm->items;
   if (new_count > items_cap) {
     // todo overflow check, realloc fail check
-    Usz old_cap = items_cap;
     Usz new_cap = new_count < 32 ? 32 : orca_round_up_power2(new_count);
-    Usz new_size = new_cap * (sizeof(ITEM *) + sizeof(struct Qmenu_item_extra));
-    ITEM **new_items = (ITEM **)realloc(items, new_size);
+    Usz new_size = new_cap * sizeof(Qmenu_item);
+    Qmenu_item *new_items = (Qmenu_item *)realloc(items, new_size);
     if (!new_items)
       exit(1);
     items = new_items;
     items_cap = new_cap;
-    // Move old extras data to new position
-    Usz old_extras_offset = sizeof(ITEM *) * old_cap;
-    Usz new_extras_offset = sizeof(ITEM *) * new_cap;
-    Usz old_extras_size = sizeof(struct Qmenu_item_extra) * old_count;
-    memmove((char *)items + new_extras_offset,
-            (char *)items + old_extras_offset, old_extras_size);
-    qm->ncurses_items = new_items;
+    qm->items = new_items;
     qm->items_cap = new_cap;
   }
-  // Not using new_count here in order to leave an extra 1 for the null
-  // terminator as required by ncurses.
-  qm->items_count = old_count + count;
-  Usz extras_offset = sizeof(ITEM *) * items_cap;
-  *out_idx = old_count;
-  *out_items = items + old_count;
-  *out_extras =
-      (struct Qmenu_item_extra *)((char *)items + extras_offset) + old_count;
-}
-ORCA_FORCEINLINE static struct Qmenu_item_extra *
-qmenu_item_extras_ptr(Qmenu *qm) {
-  Usz offset = sizeof(ITEM *) * qm->items_cap;
-  return (struct Qmenu_item_extra *)((char *)qm->ncurses_items + offset);
-}
-// Get the curses menu item user pointer out, turn it to an int, and use it as
-// an index into the 'extras' arrays.
-ORCA_FORCEINLINE static struct Qmenu_item_extra *
-qmenu_itemextra(struct Qmenu_item_extra *extras, ITEM *item) {
-  return extras + (int)(intptr_t)(item_userptr(item));
+  qm->items_count = new_count;
+  return items + old_count;
+}
+ORCA_NOINLINE static void qmenu_reprint(Qmenu *qm) {
+  WINDOW *win = qm->qblock.content_window;
+  Qmenu_item *items = qm->items;
+  bool isfront = qm->is_frontmost;
+  werase(win);
+  for (Usz i = 0, n = qm->items_count; i < n; ++i) {
+    bool iscur = items[i].id == qm->current_item;
+    wattrset(win, isfront ? iscur ? A_BOLD : A_NORMAL : A_DIM);
+    wmove(win, (int)i, iscur ? 1 : 3);
+    if (iscur)
+      waddstr(win, "> ");
+    waddstr(win, items[i].text);
+  }
 }
 void qmenu_set_title(Qmenu *qm, char const *title) {
   qblock_set_title(&qm->qblock, title);
 }
 void qmenu_add_choice(Qmenu *qm, int id, char const *text) {
   assert(id != 0);
-  Usz idx;
-  ITEM **items;
-  struct Qmenu_item_extra *extras;
-  qmenu_allocitems(qm, 1, &idx, &items, &extras);
-  items[0] = new_item(text, NULL);
-  set_item_userptr(items[0], (void *)(uintptr_t)idx);
-  extras[0].user_id = id;
-  extras[0].owns_string = false;
-  extras[0].is_spacer = false;
-}
-void qmenu_add_submenu(Qmenu *qm, int id, char const *text) {
-  assert(id != 0);
-  qm->has_submenu_item = true; // don't add +1 right padding to subwindow
-  Usz idx;
-  ITEM **items;
-  struct Qmenu_item_extra *extras;
-  qmenu_allocitems(qm, 1, &idx, &items, &extras);
-  items[0] = new_item(text, ">");
-  set_item_userptr(items[0], (void *)(uintptr_t)idx);
-  extras[0].user_id = id;
-  extras[0].owns_string = false;
-  extras[0].is_spacer = false;
+  Qmenu_item *item = qmenu_allocitems(qm, 1);
+  item->text = text;
+  item->id = id;
+  item->owns_string = false;
+  item->is_spacer = false;
+  if (!qm->current_item)
+    qm->current_item = id;
 }
 void qmenu_add_printf(Qmenu *qm, int id, char const *fmt, ...) {
   va_list ap;
@@ -442,85 +423,42 @@ void qmenu_add_printf(Qmenu *qm, int id, char const *fmt, ...) {
   va_end(ap);
   if (printedsize != textsize)
     exit(1); // todo better handling?
-  Usz idx;
-  ITEM **items;
-  struct Qmenu_item_extra *extras;
-  qmenu_allocitems(qm, 1, &idx, &items, &extras);
-  items[0] = new_item(buffer, NULL);
-  set_item_userptr(items[0], (void *)(uintptr_t)idx);
-  extras[0].user_id = id;
-  extras[0].owns_string = true;
-  extras[0].is_spacer = false;
+  Qmenu_item *item = qmenu_allocitems(qm, 1);
+  item->text = buffer;
+  item->id = id;
+  item->owns_string = true;
+  item->is_spacer = false;
+  if (!qm->current_item)
+    qm->current_item = id;
 }
 void qmenu_add_spacer(Qmenu *qm) {
-  Usz idx;
-  ITEM **items;
-  struct Qmenu_item_extra *extras;
-  qmenu_allocitems(qm, 1, &idx, &items, &extras);
-  items[0] = new_item(" ", NULL);
-  item_opts_off(items[0], O_SELECTABLE);
-  set_item_userptr(items[0], (void *)(uintptr_t)idx);
-  extras[0].user_id = 0;
-  extras[0].owns_string = false;
-  extras[0].is_spacer = true;
+  Qmenu_item *item = qmenu_allocitems(qm, 1);
+  item->text = " ";
+  item->id = 0;
+  item->owns_string = false;
+  item->is_spacer = true;
 }
 void qmenu_set_current_item(Qmenu *qm, int id) {
-  ITEM **items = qm->ncurses_items;
-  struct Qmenu_item_extra *extras = qmenu_item_extras_ptr(qm);
-  ITEM *found = NULL;
-  for (Usz i = 0, n = qm->items_count; i < n; i++) {
-    ITEM *item = items[i];
-    if (qmenu_itemextra(extras, item)->user_id == id) {
-      found = item;
-      break;
-    }
-  }
-  if (!found)
+  if (qm->current_item == id)
     return;
-  if (qm->ncurses_menu) {
-    set_current_item(qm->ncurses_menu, found);
-  } else {
-    qm->initial_item = found;
-  }
-}
-int qmenu_current_item(Qmenu *qm) {
-  ITEM *item = NULL;
-  if (qm->ncurses_menu)
-    item = current_item(qm->ncurses_menu);
-  if (!item)
-    item = qm->initial_item;
-  if (!item)
-    return 0;
-  struct Qmenu_item_extra *extras = qmenu_item_extras_ptr(qm);
-  return qmenu_itemextra(extras, item)->user_id;
-}
-void qmenu_set_displayed_active(Qmenu *qm, bool active) {
-  // Could add a flag in the Qmenu to avoid redundantly changing this stuff.
-  set_menu_fore(qm->ncurses_menu, active ? A_BOLD : A_DIM);
-  set_menu_back(qm->ncurses_menu, active ? A_NORMAL : A_DIM);
-  set_menu_grey(qm->ncurses_menu, active ? A_DIM : A_DIM);
+  qm->current_item = id;
+  qm->needs_reprint = 1;
 }
+int qmenu_current_item(Qmenu *qm) { return qm->current_item; }
 void qmenu_push_to_nav(Qmenu *qm) {
-  // new_menu() will get angry if there are no items in the menu. We'll get a
-  // null pointer back, and our code will get angry. Instead, just add an empty
-  // spacer item. This will probably only ever occur as a programming error,
-  // but we should try to avoid having to deal with qmenu_push_to_nav()
-  // returning a non-ignorable error for now.
+  // Probably a programming error if there are no items. Make the menu visible
+  // so the programmer knows something went wrong.
   if (qm->items_count == 0)
     qmenu_add_spacer(qm);
-  // Allocating items always leaves an extra available item at the end. This is
-  // so we can assign a NULL to it here, since ncurses requires the array to be
-  // null terminated instead of using a count.
-  qm->ncurses_items[qm->items_count] = NULL;
-  qm->ncurses_menu = new_menu(qm->ncurses_items);
-  set_menu_mark(qm->ncurses_menu, " > ");
-  set_menu_fore(qm->ncurses_menu, A_BOLD);
-  set_menu_grey(qm->ncurses_menu, A_DIM);
-  set_menu_format(qm->ncurses_menu, 30, 1); // temp to allow large Y
-  int menu_min_h, menu_min_w;
-  scale_menu(qm->ncurses_menu, &menu_min_h, &menu_min_w);
-  if (!qm->has_submenu_item)
-    menu_min_w += 1; // temp hack
+  Usz n = qm->items_count;
+  Qmenu_item *items = qm->items;
+  int menu_min_h = (int)n, menu_min_w = 0;
+  for (Usz i = 0; i < n; ++i) {
+    int item_w = (int)strlen(items[i].text);
+    if (item_w > menu_min_w)
+      menu_min_w = item_w;
+  }
+  menu_min_w += 3 + 1; // left " > " plus 1 empty space on right
   if (qm->qblock.title) {
     // Stupid lack of wcswidth() means we can't know how wide this string is
     // actually displayed. Just fake it for now, until we have Unicode strings
@@ -529,58 +467,50 @@ void qmenu_push_to_nav(Qmenu *qm) {
     if (title_w > menu_min_w)
       menu_min_w = title_w;
   }
-  if (qm->initial_item)
-    set_current_item(qm->ncurses_menu, qm->initial_item);
   qnav_stack_push(&qm->qblock, menu_min_h, menu_min_w);
-  set_menu_win(qm->ncurses_menu, qm->qblock.outer_window);
-  set_menu_sub(qm->ncurses_menu, qm->qblock.content_window);
-  // TODO use this to set how "big" the menu is, visually, for scrolling.
-  // (ncurses can't figure that out on its own, aparently...)
-  // We'll need to split apart some work chunks so that we calculate the size
-  // beforehand.
-  // set_menu_format(qm->ncurses_menu, 5, 1);
-  post_menu(qm->ncurses_menu);
 }
 
 void qmenu_free(Qmenu *qm) {
-  unpost_menu(qm->ncurses_menu);
-  free_menu(qm->ncurses_menu);
-  struct Qmenu_item_extra *extras = qmenu_item_extras_ptr(qm);
-  for (Usz i = 0; i < qm->items_count; ++i) {
-    ITEM *item = qm->ncurses_items[i];
-    struct Qmenu_item_extra *extra = qmenu_itemextra(extras, item);
-    char const *freed_str = NULL;
-    if (extra->owns_string)
-      freed_str = item_name(item);
-    free_item(qm->ncurses_items[i]);
-    if (freed_str)
-      free((void *)freed_str);
+  Qmenu_item *items = qm->items;
+  for (Usz i = 0, n = qm->items_count; i < n; ++i) {
+    if (items[i].owns_string)
+      free((void *)items[i].text);
   }
-  free(qm->ncurses_items);
+  free(qm->items);
   free(qm);
 }
 
-ORCA_NOINLINE
-static void qmenu_drive_upordown(Qmenu *qm, int req_up_or_down) {
-  struct Qmenu_item_extra *extras = qmenu_item_extras_ptr(qm);
-  ITEM *starting = current_item(qm->ncurses_menu);
-  menu_driver(qm->ncurses_menu, req_up_or_down);
-  ITEM *cur = current_item(qm->ncurses_menu);
+ORCA_NOINLINE static void qmenu_drive_upordown(Qmenu *qm, bool downwards) {
+  Qmenu_item *items = qm->items;
+  Usz n = qm->items_count;
+  if (n <= 1)
+    return;
+  int cur_id = qm->current_item;
+  Usz starting = 0;
+  for (; starting < n; ++starting) {
+    if (items[starting].id == cur_id)
+      goto found;
+  }
+  return;
+found:;
+  Usz current = starting;
   for (;;) {
-    if (!cur || cur == starting)
-      break;
-    if (!qmenu_itemextra(extras, cur)->is_spacer)
+    if (downwards && current < n - 1)
+      current++;
+    else if (!downwards && current > 0)
+      current--;
+    if (current == starting)
       break;
-    ITEM *prev = cur;
-    menu_driver(qm->ncurses_menu, req_up_or_down);
-    cur = current_item(qm->ncurses_menu);
-    if (cur == prev)
+    if (!items[current].is_spacer)
       break;
   }
+  if (current != starting) {
+    qm->current_item = items[current].id;
+    qm->needs_reprint = 1;
+  }
 }
 
 bool qmenu_drive(Qmenu *qm, int key, Qmenu_action *out_action) {
-  struct Qmenu_item_extra *extras = qmenu_item_extras_ptr(qm);
   switch (key) {
   case 27: {
     out_action->any.type = Qmenu_action_type_canceled;
@@ -588,17 +518,15 @@ bool qmenu_drive(Qmenu *qm, int key, Qmenu_action *out_action) {
   }
   case ' ':
   case '\r':
-  case KEY_ENTER: {
-    ITEM *cur = current_item(qm->ncurses_menu);
+  case KEY_ENTER:
     out_action->picked.type = Qmenu_action_type_picked;
-    out_action->picked.id = cur ? qmenu_itemextra(extras, cur)->user_id : 0;
+    out_action->picked.id = qm->current_item;
     return true;
-  }
   case KEY_UP:
-    qmenu_drive_upordown(qm, REQ_UP_ITEM);
+    qmenu_drive_upordown(qm, false);
     return false;
   case KEY_DOWN:
-    qmenu_drive_upordown(qm, REQ_DOWN_ITEM);
+    qmenu_drive_upordown(qm, true);
     return false;
   }
   return false;
diff --git a/term_util.h b/term_util.h
index fdcc3e0..3f0d3dd 100644
--- a/term_util.h
+++ b/term_util.h
@@ -141,12 +141,10 @@ void qmenu_destroy(Qmenu *qm);
 int qmenu_id(Qmenu const *qm);
 void qmenu_set_title(Qmenu *qm, char const *title);
 void qmenu_add_choice(Qmenu *qm, int id, char const *text);
-void qmenu_add_submenu(Qmenu *qm, int id, char const *text);
 void qmenu_add_printf(Qmenu *qm, int id, char const *fmt, ...)
     ORCA_TERM_UTIL_PRINTF(3, 4);
 void qmenu_add_spacer(Qmenu *qm);
 void qmenu_set_current_item(Qmenu *qm, int id);
-void qmenu_set_displayed_active(Qmenu *qm, bool active);
 void qmenu_push_to_nav(Qmenu *qm);
 int qmenu_current_item(Qmenu *qm);
 bool qmenu_drive(Qmenu *qm, int key, Qmenu_action *out_action);
diff --git a/tool b/tool
index 48f43d5..877cd43 100755
--- a/tool
+++ b/tool
@@ -409,7 +409,7 @@ build_target() {
           add cc_flags -D_POSIX_C_SOURCE=200809L
         ;;
       esac
-      add libraries -lmenuw -lformw -lncursesw
+      add libraries -lformw -lncursesw
       if [[ $portmidi_enabled = 1 ]]; then
         add libraries -lportmidi
         add cc_flags -DFEAT_PORTMIDI