diff --git a/src/global.c b/src/global.c
index 6d379d389bde575a0132630d6c0acedbef7b7f5e..8c39dabef3e6ee7c4e9ac5edfafd27bcedc570fc 100644
--- a/src/global.c
+++ b/src/global.c
@@ -32,8 +32,8 @@ volatile sig_atomic_t the_window_resized = FALSE;
 #endif
 
 #ifdef __linux__
-bool console;
-		/* Whether we're running on a Linux VC (TRUE) or under X (FALSE). */
+bool on_a_vt;
+		/* Whether we're running on a Linux VT or on something else. */
 #endif
 
 bool meta_key;
diff --git a/src/nano.c b/src/nano.c
index 091f774ab3b58d46a37b480f639b9183a7034445..d76edcec1201be1053bdd773e92ed8a8394f8099 100644
--- a/src/nano.c
+++ b/src/nano.c
@@ -1994,7 +1994,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 	struct vt_stat dummy;
 
 	/* Check whether we're running on a Linux console. */
-	console = (ioctl(0, VT_GETSTATE, &dummy) == 0);
+	on_a_vt = (ioctl(0, VT_GETSTATE, &dummy) == 0);
 #endif
 
 	/* Back up the terminal settings so that they can be restored. */
diff --git a/src/proto.h b/src/proto.h
index 18995490cc184b1f07234401043d4e0d096b9353..0145e99ad6b1fc365af5e5be79a7510195bb9947 100644
--- a/src/proto.h
+++ b/src/proto.h
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ extern volatile sig_atomic_t the_window_resized;
 #endif
 
 #ifdef __linux__
-extern bool console;
+extern bool on_a_vt;
 #endif
 
 extern bool meta_key;
diff --git a/src/winio.c b/src/winio.c
index 97373a10b567f843c8962ecd47bd3cf0907c959c..5a5447ae4ce9f9f9803c948c48d72d909d009137 100644
--- a/src/winio.c
+++ b/src/winio.c
@@ -573,7 +573,7 @@ int parse_kbinput(WINDOW *win)
 	 * Shift/Ctrl/Alt are being held together with them. */
 	unsigned char modifiers = 6;
 
-	if (console && ioctl(0, TIOCLINUX, &modifiers) >= 0) {
+	if (on_a_vt && ioctl(0, TIOCLINUX, &modifiers) >= 0) {
 #ifndef NANO_TINY
 		/* Is Shift being held? */
 		if (modifiers & 0x01) {