diff --git a/.terminfo/t/tmux-256color-italic b/.terminfo/t/tmux-256color-italic
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fab849a
Binary files /dev/null and b/.terminfo/t/tmux-256color-italic differ
diff --git a/.terminfo/tmux-256color-italic.terminfo b/.terminfo/tmux-256color-italic.terminfo
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..576c03b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.terminfo/tmux-256color-italic.terminfo
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+# A xterm-256color based TERMINFO that adds the escape sequences for italic.
+#
+# Install:
+#
+#   tic xterm-256color-italic.terminfo
+#
+# Usage:
+#
+#   export TERM=xterm-256color-italic
+#
+tmux-256color-italic|tmux with 256 colors and italic,
+	sitm=\ePtmux;\e\E[3m\e\\, ritm=\ePtmux;\e\E[23m\e\\,
+	use=screen-256color,
diff --git a/.tmux.conf b/.tmux.conf
index ea562b9..b1b9d50 100644
--- a/.tmux.conf
+++ b/.tmux.conf
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 set -g bell-action any
 
 # Default termtype. If the rcfile sets $TERM, that overrides this value.
-set -g default-terminal screen-256color
+set -g default-terminal tmux-256color-italic
 
 # Keep your finger on ctrl, or don't
 bind-key ^D detach-client