diff --git a/lib/global.c b/lib/global.c
index ade80f2f0..a1afc3580 100644
--- a/lib/global.c
+++ b/lib/global.c
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ mc_global_t mc_global = {
         .ugly_line_drawing = FALSE,
         .old_mouse = FALSE,
         .alternate_plus_minus = FALSE,
-        .winch_flag = FALSE
+        .winch_flag = 0
     },
 
     .vfs =
diff --git a/lib/global.h b/lib/global.h
index d8e2bef95..505100dca 100644
--- a/lib/global.h
+++ b/lib/global.h
@@ -21,6 +21,9 @@
 #include <sys/param.h>
 #endif
 
+/* for sig_atomic_t */
+#include <signal.h>
+
 /*** typedefs(not structures) and defined constants **********************************************/
 
 /* The O_BINARY definition was taken from gettext */
@@ -258,7 +261,7 @@ typedef struct
         gboolean alternate_plus_minus;
 
         /* Set if the window has changed it's size */
-        gboolean winch_flag;
+        volatile sig_atomic_t winch_flag;
     } tty;
 
     struct
diff --git a/lib/tty/key.c b/lib/tty/key.c
index 1d834e49c..9667652a0 100644
--- a/lib/tty/key.c
+++ b/lib/tty/key.c
@@ -2106,7 +2106,7 @@ tty_get_event (struct Gpm_Event *event, gboolean redo_event, gboolean block)
             }
         }
 
-        if (!block || mc_global.tty.winch_flag)
+        if (!block || mc_global.tty.winch_flag != 0)
         {
             time_addr = &time_out;
             time_out.tv_sec = 0;
@@ -2126,7 +2126,7 @@ tty_get_event (struct Gpm_Event *event, gboolean redo_event, gboolean block)
         {
             if (redo_event)
                 return EV_MOUSE;
-            if (!block || mc_global.tty.winch_flag)
+            if (!block || mc_global.tty.winch_flag != 0)
                 return EV_NONE;
             vfs_timeout_handler ();
         }
diff --git a/lib/tty/tty-ncurses.c b/lib/tty/tty-ncurses.c
index 67dea4ee9..fe2d4cca0 100644
--- a/lib/tty/tty-ncurses.c
+++ b/lib/tty/tty-ncurses.c
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ sigwinch_handler (int dummy)
 {
     (void) dummy;
 
-    mc_global.tty.winch_flag = TRUE;
+    mc_global.tty.winch_flag = 1;
 }
 
 /* --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
diff --git a/lib/tty/tty-slang.c b/lib/tty/tty-slang.c
index 99af2384b..0800571fc 100644
--- a/lib/tty/tty-slang.c
+++ b/lib/tty/tty-slang.c
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ sigwinch_handler (int dummy)
     (void) dummy;
 
     tty_change_screen_size ();
-    mc_global.tty.winch_flag = TRUE;
+    mc_global.tty.winch_flag = 1;
 }
 
 /* --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
diff --git a/lib/widget/dialog-switch.c b/lib/widget/dialog-switch.c
index 7d851a71c..79a11dce3 100644
--- a/lib/widget/dialog-switch.c
+++ b/lib/widget/dialog-switch.c
@@ -358,7 +358,7 @@ mc_refresh (void)
     if (mc_global.we_are_background)
         return;
 #endif /* ENABLE_BACKGROUND */
-    if (!mc_global.tty.winch_flag)
+    if (mc_global.tty.winch_flag == 0)
         tty_refresh ();
     else
     {
@@ -373,7 +373,7 @@ mc_refresh (void)
 void
 dialog_change_screen_size (void)
 {
-    mc_global.tty.winch_flag = FALSE;
+    mc_global.tty.winch_flag = 0;
 #if defined(HAVE_SLANG) || NCURSES_VERSION_MAJOR >= 4
 #if defined TIOCGWINSZ
 
diff --git a/lib/widget/dialog.c b/lib/widget/dialog.c
index 0bf4250f2..2aa286b78 100644
--- a/lib/widget/dialog.c
+++ b/lib/widget/dialog.c
@@ -532,7 +532,7 @@ frontend_run_dlg (Dlg_head * h)
 
     while (h->state == DLG_ACTIVE)
     {
-        if (mc_global.tty.winch_flag)
+        if (mc_global.tty.winch_flag != 0)
             dialog_change_screen_size ();
 
         if (is_idle ())