diff --git a/Modules/_cursesmodule.c b/Modules/_cursesmodule.c
index 3564a57..40b9844 100644
--- a/Modules/_cursesmodule.c
+++ b/Modules/_cursesmodule.c
@@ -2543,7 +2543,7 @@
 
 	PyCursesSetupTermCalled;
 		
-	if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "z", &capname))
+	if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "s", &capname))
 		return NULL;
 
 	return PyLong_FromLong( (long) tigetflag( capname ) );
@@ -2556,7 +2556,7 @@
 
 	PyCursesSetupTermCalled;
 		
-	if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "z", &capname))
+	if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "s", &capname))
 		return NULL;
 
 	return PyLong_FromLong( (long) tigetnum( capname ) );
@@ -2569,7 +2569,7 @@
 
 	PyCursesSetupTermCalled;
 		
-	if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "z", &capname))
+	if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "s", &capname))
 		return NULL;
 
 	capname = tigetstr( capname );