diff --git a/src/testdir/test19.in b/src/testdir/test19.in
index 0d9b421..bdcfb77 100644
--- a/src/testdir/test19.in
+++ b/src/testdir/test19.in
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 
 STARTTEST
 :set smarttab expandtab ts=8 sw=4
+:" make sure that backspace works, no matter what termcap is used
+:set t_kD=x7f t_kb=x08
 /some
 r	:set noexpandtab
 /other
diff --git a/src/testdir/test38.in b/src/testdir/test38.in
index 885bd09..3e02362 100644
--- a/src/testdir/test38.in
+++ b/src/testdir/test38.in
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 
 STARTTEST
 :so small.vim
+:" make sure that backspace works, no matter what termcap is used
+:set t_kD=x7f t_kb=x08
 ggdGa
 abcdefghi
 jk	lmn