diff --git a/CMake/Modules/FindCurses.cmake b/CMake/Modules/FindCurses.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3107d758e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/CMake/Modules/FindCurses.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,179 @@
+# - Find the curses include file and library
+#
+#  CURSES_FOUND - system has Curses
+#  CURSES_INCLUDE_DIR - the Curses include directory
+#  CURSES_LIBRARIES - The libraries needed to use Curses
+#  CURSES_HAVE_CURSES_H - true if curses.h is available
+#  CURSES_HAVE_NCURSES_H - true if ncurses.h is available
+#  CURSES_HAVE_NCURSES_NCURSES_H - true if ncurses/ncurses.h is available
+#  CURSES_HAVE_NCURSES_CURSES_H - true if ncurses/curses.h is available
+#  CURSES_LIBRARY - set for backwards compatibility with 2.4 CMake
+#
+# Set CURSES_NEED_NCURSES to TRUE before the FIND_PACKAGE() command if NCurses 
+# functionality is required.
+
+# Set CURSES_NEED_WIDE to TRUE before the FIND_PACKAGE() command if unicode
+# functionality is required
+
+SET(CURSES_LIBRARY_NAME "curses")
+SET(NCURSES_LIBRARY_NAME "ncurses")
+IF(CURSES_NEED_WIDE)
+  SET(CURSES_LIBRARY_NAME "cursesw")
+  SET(NCURSES_LIBRARY_NAME "ncursesw")
+ENDIF(CURSES_NEED_WIDE)
+
+FIND_LIBRARY(CURSES_CURSES_LIBRARY "${CURSES_LIBRARY_NAME}")
+# MESSAGE(STATUS "CURSES! " ${CURSES_CURSES_LIBRARY})
+
+FIND_LIBRARY(CURSES_NCURSES_LIBRARY "${NCURSES_LIBRARY_NAME}")
+# MESSAGE(STATUS "NCURSES! " ${CURSES_NCURSES_LIBRARY})
+
+SET(CURSES_USE_NCURSES FALSE)
+
+IF(CURSES_NCURSES_LIBRARY  AND NOT  CURSES_CURSES_LIBRARY)
+  SET(CURSES_USE_NCURSES TRUE)
+ENDIF(CURSES_NCURSES_LIBRARY  AND NOT  CURSES_CURSES_LIBRARY)
+
+
+# Not sure the logic is correct here.
+# If NCurses is required, use the function wsyncup() to check if the library
+# has NCurses functionality (at least this is where it breaks on NetBSD).
+# If wsyncup is in curses, use this one.
+# If not, try to find ncurses and check if this has the symbol.
+# Once the ncurses library is found, search the ncurses.h header first, but
+# some web pages also say that even with ncurses there is not always a ncurses.h:
+# http://osdir.com/ml/gnome.apps.mc.devel/2002-06/msg00029.html
+# So at first try ncurses.h, if not found, try to find curses.h under the same
+# prefix as the library was found, if still not found, try curses.h with the 
+# default search paths.
+IF(CURSES_CURSES_LIBRARY  AND  CURSES_NEED_NCURSES)
+  INCLUDE(CheckLibraryExists)
+  CHECK_LIBRARY_EXISTS("${CURSES_CURSES_LIBRARY}" 
+    wsyncup "" CURSES_CURSES_HAS_WSYNCUP)
+
+  IF(CURSES_NCURSES_LIBRARY  AND NOT  CURSES_CURSES_HAS_WSYNCUP)
+    CHECK_LIBRARY_EXISTS("${CURSES_NCURSES_LIBRARY}" 
+      wsyncup "" CURSES_NCURSES_HAS_WSYNCUP)
+    IF( CURSES_NCURSES_HAS_WSYNCUP)
+      SET(CURSES_USE_NCURSES TRUE)
+    ENDIF( CURSES_NCURSES_HAS_WSYNCUP)
+  ENDIF(CURSES_NCURSES_LIBRARY  AND NOT  CURSES_CURSES_HAS_WSYNCUP)
+
+ENDIF(CURSES_CURSES_LIBRARY  AND  CURSES_NEED_NCURSES)
+
+
+IF(NOT CURSES_USE_NCURSES)
+  FIND_FILE(CURSES_HAVE_CURSES_H curses.h )
+  FIND_FILE(CURSES_HAVE_CURSESW_H cursesw.h )
+  FIND_PATH(CURSES_CURSES_H_PATH curses.h )
+  FIND_PATH(CURSES_CURSESW_H_PATH cursesw.h )
+  GET_FILENAME_COMPONENT(_cursesLibDir "${CURSES_CURSES_LIBRARY}" PATH)
+  GET_FILENAME_COMPONENT(_cursesParentDir "${_cursesLibDir}" PATH)
+
+  # for compatibility with older FindCurses.cmake this has to be in the cache
+  # FORCE must not be used since this would break builds which preload a cache wqith these variables set
+  SET(CURSES_INCLUDE_PATH "${CURSES_CURSES_H_PATH} ${CURSES_CURSESW_H_PATH}"
+    CACHE FILEPATH "The curses include path")
+  SET(CURSES_LIBRARY "${CURSES_CURSES_LIBRARY}"
+    CACHE FILEPATH "The curses library")
+ELSE(NOT CURSES_USE_NCURSES)
+# we need to find ncurses
+  GET_FILENAME_COMPONENT(_cursesLibDir "${CURSES_NCURSES_LIBRARY}" PATH)
+  GET_FILENAME_COMPONENT(_cursesParentDir "${_cursesLibDir}" PATH)
+
+  FIND_FILE(CURSES_HAVE_NCURSES_H         ncurses.h)
+  FIND_FILE(CURSES_HAVE_NCURSES_NCURSES_H ncurses/ncurses.h)
+  FIND_FILE(CURSES_HAVE_NCURSES_CURSES_H  ncurses/curses.h)
+  FIND_FILE(CURSES_HAVE_CURSES_H          curses.h 
+    HINTS "${_cursesParentDir}/include")
+
+  FIND_FILE(CURSES_HAVE_NCURSESW_H         ncursesw.h)
+  FIND_FILE(CURSES_HAVE_NCURSESW_NCURSES_H ncursesw/ncurses.h)
+  FIND_FILE(CURSES_HAVE_NCURSESW_CURSES_H  ncursesw/curses.h)
+  FIND_FILE(CURSES_HAVE_CURSESW_H          cursesw.h 
+    HINTS "${_cursesParentDir}/include")
+
+  FIND_PATH(CURSES_NCURSES_INCLUDE_PATH ncurses.h ncurses/ncurses.h 
+    ncurses/curses.h ncursesw.h ncursesw/ncurses.h ncursesw/curses.h cursesw.h)
+  FIND_PATH(CURSES_NCURSES_INCLUDE_PATH curses.h
+    HINTS "${_cursesParentDir}/include")
+
+  # for compatibility with older FindCurses.cmake this has to be in the cache
+  # FORCE must not be used since this would break builds which preload
+  # a cache wqith these variables set
+  # only put ncurses include and library into 
+  # variables if they are found
+  IF(CURSES_NCURSES_INCLUDE_PATH AND CURSES_NCURSES_LIBRARY)
+
+    SET(CURSES_INCLUDE_PATH "${CURSES_NCURSES_INCLUDE_PATH} ${CURSES_NCURSESW_INCLUDE_PATH}"
+      CACHE FILEPATH "The curses include path")
+    SET(CURSES_LIBRARY "${CURSES_NCURSES_LIBRARY}" 
+      CACHE FILEPATH "The curses library")
+  ENDIF(CURSES_NCURSES_INCLUDE_PATH AND CURSES_NCURSES_LIBRARY)
+
+ENDIF(NOT CURSES_USE_NCURSES)
+
+
+
+FIND_LIBRARY(CURSES_EXTRA_LIBRARY cur_colr HINTS "${_cursesLibDir}")
+FIND_LIBRARY(CURSES_EXTRA_LIBRARY cur_colr )
+
+SET(CURSES_FORM_LIBRARY_NAME "form")
+IF(CURSES_NEED_WIDE)
+  SET(CURSES_FORM_LIBRARY_NAME "formw")
+ENDIF(CURSES_NEED_WIDE)
+
+FIND_LIBRARY(CURSES_CURSES_LIBRARY "${CURSES_LIBRARY_NAME}")
+FIND_LIBRARY(CURSES_FORM_LIBRARY "${CURSES_FORM_LIBRARY_NAME}" HINTS "${_cursesLibDir}")
+FIND_LIBRARY(CURSES_FORM_LIBRARY "${CURSES_FORM_LIBRARY_NAME}" )
+
+# for compatibility with older FindCurses.cmake this has to be in the cache
+# FORCE must not be used since this would break builds which preload a cache
+# qith these variables set
+SET(FORM_LIBRARY "${CURSES_FORM_LIBRARY}"         
+  CACHE FILEPATH "The curses form library")
+
+# Need to provide the *_LIBRARIES
+SET(CURSES_LIBRARIES ${CURSES_LIBRARY})
+
+IF(CURSES_EXTRA_LIBRARY)
+  SET(CURSES_LIBRARIES ${CURSES_LIBRARIES} ${CURSES_EXTRA_LIBRARY})
+ENDIF(CURSES_EXTRA_LIBRARY)
+
+IF(CURSES_FORM_LIBRARY)
+  SET(CURSES_LIBRARIES ${CURSES_LIBRARIES} ${CURSES_FORM_LIBRARY})
+ENDIF(CURSES_FORM_LIBRARY)
+
+# Proper name is *_INCLUDE_DIR
+SET(CURSES_INCLUDE_DIR ${CURSES_INCLUDE_PATH})
+
+# handle the QUIETLY and REQUIRED arguments and set CURSES_FOUND to TRUE if 
+# all listed variables are TRUE
+INCLUDE(FindPackageHandleStandardArgs)
+FIND_PACKAGE_HANDLE_STANDARD_ARGS(Curses DEFAULT_MSG
+  CURSES_LIBRARY CURSES_INCLUDE_PATH)
+
+MARK_AS_ADVANCED(
+  CURSES_INCLUDE_PATH
+  CURSES_LIBRARY
+  CURSES_CURSES_INCLUDE_PATH
+  CURSES_CURSES_LIBRARY
+  CURSES_NCURSES_INCLUDE_PATH
+  CURSES_NCURSES_LIBRARY
+  CURSES_EXTRA_LIBRARY
+  FORM_LIBRARY
+  CURSES_FORM_LIBRARY
+  CURSES_LIBRARIES
+  CURSES_INCLUDE_DIR
+  CURSES_CURSES_HAS_WSYNCUP
+  CURSES_NCURSES_HAS_WSYNCUP
+  CURSES_HAVE_CURSESW_H
+  CURSES_HAVE_CURSES_H
+  CURSES_HAVE_NCURSESW_CURSES_H
+  CURSES_HAVE_NCURSESW_H
+  CURSES_HAVE_NCURSESW_NCURSES_H
+  CURSES_HAVE_NCURSES_CURSES_H
+  CURSES_HAVE_NCURSES_H
+  CURSES_HAVE_NCURSES_NCURSES_H
+  )
+
diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 74cbb8bf3..de66d3c76 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 # main project file. use it from a build sub-folder, see COMPILE for details
 PROJECT (dfhack)
 cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 2.6)
+SET(CMAKE_MODULE_PATH ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/CMake/Modules)
 
 # disable warning, autosearch
 if(COMMAND cmake_policy)
diff --git a/examples/CMakeLists.txt b/examples/CMakeLists.txt
index 9a8dfb791..f91f3ee15 100644
--- a/examples/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/examples/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -57,9 +57,33 @@ ADD_EXECUTABLE(dfvecc veccheck.cpp)
 TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES(dfvecc dfhack)
 
 IF(UNIX)
-    # veinlook - look at the map... sort of
-    ADD_EXECUTABLE(dfveinlook veinlook.cpp)
-    TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES(dfveinlook dfhack ncursesw)
+    SET(CURSES_NEED_WIDE "YES")
+    SET(CURSES_USE_NCURSES "YES")
+    
+    find_package(Curses)
+    IF(CURSES_FOUND)
+        if(CURSES_HAVE_NCURSESW_NCURSES_H)
+            SET(NCURSES_H "ncursesw/ncurses.h")
+        elseif(CURSES_HAVE_NCURSESW_CURSES_H)
+            SET(NCURSES_H "ncursesw/curses.h")
+        elseif(CURSES_HAVE_NCURSESW_H)
+            SET(NCURSES_H "ncursesw.h")
+        elseif(CURSES_HAVE_CURSESW_H)
+            SET(NCURSES_H "cursesw.h")
+        endif(CURSES_HAVE_NCURSESW_H)
+        IF(NCURSES_H)
+            # OPTION( VARIABLE "Description" Initial state)
+            #OPTION( WITH_FOO "Enable FOO support" ON )
+            #OPTION( WITH_BAR "Enable BAR component" OFF )
+            #SET( BAZ 18 )
+            CONFIGURE_FILE( ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/fake-curses.h.cmake ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/fake-curses.h )
+            
+            # veinlook - look at the map... sort of
+            ADD_EXECUTABLE(dfveinlook veinlook.cpp)
+            INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES(${CURSES_INCLUDE_DIR})
+            TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES(dfveinlook dfhack ${CURSES_LIBRARIES})
+        ENDIF(NCURSES_H)
+    ENDIF(CURSES_FOUND)
 ENDIF(UNIX)
 
 # renamer - change the custom names and professions of creatures, sends keys to df directly
diff --git a/examples/fake-curses.h.cmake b/examples/fake-curses.h.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4e148a2f7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/fake-curses.h.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+#ifndef CURSES_FAKE_H
+#define CURSES_FAKE_H
+
+#include <@NCURSES_H@>
+
+#endif // CURSES_FAKE_H
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/examples/veinlook.cpp b/examples/veinlook.cpp
index 5b085757a..a23f30e60 100644
--- a/examples/veinlook.cpp
+++ b/examples/veinlook.cpp
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ using namespace std;
 #include <DFMemInfo.h>
 using namespace DFHack;
 #include <sstream>
-#include <cursesw.h>
+#include "fake-curses.h"
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <signal.h>
 #include <locale.h>