diff --git a/src/libs/solutions/terminal/terminalsurface.cpp b/src/libs/solutions/terminal/terminalsurface.cpp
index e51c09d8944..00f26ce188f 100644
--- a/src/libs/solutions/terminal/terminalsurface.cpp
+++ b/src/libs/solutions/terminal/terminalsurface.cpp
@@ -456,6 +456,9 @@ std::u32string::value_type TerminalSurface::fetchCharAt(int x, int y) const
     if (cell->width == 0)
         return 0;
 
+    if (cell->chars[0] == 0xffffffff)
+        return 0;
+
     QString s = QString::fromUcs4(cell->chars, 6).normalized(QString::NormalizationForm_C);
     const QList<uint> ucs4 = s.toUcs4();
     return std::u32string(ucs4.begin(), ucs4.end()).front();