diff --git a/org/text-input.org b/org/text-input.org
index 7d15408..8395234 100644
--- a/org/text-input.org
+++ b/org/text-input.org
@@ -440,16 +440,17 @@ is interrupted by a signal.
 
 #+BEGIN_SRC lisp :tangle ../src/components/input.lisp
 (defun read-raw-byte (&key timeout)
-  (let* ((buf (sb-alien:make-alien sb-alien:unsigned-char 1))
-         (fd 0))
-    (unwind-protect
-         (if timeout
-             (progn (sb-unix:unix-simple-poll fd :input timeout)
-                    (let ((n (sb-unix:unix-read fd buf 1)))
-                      (if (= n 1) (sb-alien:deref buf 0) (values nil :eof))))
-             (let ((n (sb-unix:unix-read fd buf 1)))
-               (if (= n 1) (sb-alien:deref buf 0) (values nil :eof))))
-      (sb-alien:free-alien buf))))
+  (let* ((buf (make-array 1 :element-type '(unsigned-byte 8)))
+         (fd 0)
+         (timeout-ms (when timeout (max 1 (round (* timeout 1000))))))
+    (sb-sys:with-pinned-objects (buf)
+      (let ((sap (sb-sys:vector-sap buf)))
+        (if timeout-ms
+            (progn (sb-unix:unix-simple-poll fd :input timeout-ms)
+                   (let ((n (sb-unix:unix-read fd sap 1)))
+                     (if (= n 1) (aref buf 0) (values nil :eof))))
+            (let ((n (sb-unix:unix-read fd sap 1)))
+              (if (= n 1) (aref buf 0) (values nil :eof))))))))
 #+END_SRC
 
 ** Escape sequence reader
diff --git a/src/components/input.lisp b/src/components/input.lisp
index 5caeb0b..6e95a7d 100644
--- a/src/components/input.lisp
+++ b/src/components/input.lisp
@@ -68,16 +68,17 @@
                         :raw (format nil "~C[~{~d~};~d~C" #\Esc params terminator)))))
 
 (defun read-raw-byte (&key timeout)
-  (let* ((buf (sb-alien:make-alien sb-alien:unsigned-char 1))
-         (fd 0))
-    (unwind-protect
-         (if timeout
-             (progn (sb-unix:unix-simple-poll fd :input timeout)
-                    (let ((n (sb-unix:unix-read fd buf 1)))
-                      (if (= n 1) (sb-alien:deref buf 0) (values nil :eof))))
-             (let ((n (sb-unix:unix-read fd buf 1)))
-               (if (= n 1) (sb-alien:deref buf 0) (values nil :eof))))
-      (sb-alien:free-alien buf))))
+  (let* ((buf (make-array 1 :element-type '(unsigned-byte 8)))
+         (fd 0)
+         (timeout-ms (when timeout (max 1 (round (* timeout 1000))))))
+    (sb-sys:with-pinned-objects (buf)
+      (let ((sap (sb-sys:vector-sap buf)))
+        (if timeout-ms
+            (progn (sb-unix:unix-simple-poll fd :input timeout-ms)
+                   (let ((n (sb-unix:unix-read fd sap 1)))
+                     (if (= n 1) (aref buf 0) (values nil :eof))))
+            (let ((n (sb-unix:unix-read fd sap 1)))
+              (if (= n 1) (aref buf 0) (values nil :eof))))))))
 
 (defun %read-escape-sequence ()
   (flet ((read-next (&optional (timeout nil))