diff --git a/src/backend/modern.lisp b/src/backend/modern.lisp
index 4362763..7f806b6 100644
--- a/src/backend/modern.lisp
+++ b/src/backend/modern.lisp
@@ -205,6 +205,16 @@ as a fallback when a keyword is not in *named-colors*.")
                              (rows (sb-alien:deref winsize 0)))
                          (values cols rows)))))
               (sb-unix:unix-close tty-fd)))))
+      ;; $COLUMNS/$LINES env vars — set by bash, may be available
+      ;; even when ioctl fails (SBCL strips them in some contexts
+      ;; but not all).
+      (ignore-errors
+        (let* ((cstr (sb-ext:posix-getenv "COLUMNS"))
+               (rstr (sb-ext:posix-getenv "LINES"))
+               (cols (when cstr (parse-integer cstr :junk-allowed t)))
+               (rows (when rstr (parse-integer rstr :junk-allowed t))))
+          (when (and cols rows (> cols 0) (> rows 0))
+            (values cols rows))))
       (values 80 24)))
 
 (defmethod backend-write ((b modern-backend) string)
diff --git a/src/backend/simple.lisp b/src/backend/simple.lisp
index 2fbfdb3..47f103f 100644
--- a/src/backend/simple.lisp
+++ b/src/backend/simple.lisp
@@ -62,7 +62,15 @@
                        (values (sb-alien:deref winsize 1)
                                (sb-alien:deref winsize 0))))
                    (sb-alien:free-alien winsize))
-              (sb-unix:unix-close tty-fd)))))
+               (sb-unix:unix-close tty-fd)))))
+      ;; $COLUMNS/$LINES env vars
+      (ignore-errors
+        (let* ((cstr (sb-ext:posix-getenv "COLUMNS"))
+               (rstr (sb-ext:posix-getenv "LINES"))
+               (cols (when cstr (parse-integer cstr :junk-allowed t)))
+               (rows (when rstr (parse-integer rstr :junk-allowed t))))
+          (when (and cols rows (> cols 0) (> rows 0))
+            (values cols rows))))
       (values 80 24)))
 
 (defmethod backend-write ((b simple-backend) string)