diff --git a/megacom/__init__.py b/megacom/__init__.py
index ca39941..b54b220 100644
--- a/megacom/__init__.py
+++ b/megacom/__init__.py
@@ -95,6 +95,10 @@ class KeycodeHandler:
         if byte == ESC_CHAR:
             self.esc = True
             return b""
+        # i'm not super sure why this translation is necessary
+        # idk if there's more translations that are necessary too
+        elif byte == b"\x7f":
+            return b"\x08"
 
         return byte
 
@@ -169,9 +173,15 @@ async def megacom_main(stdin: asyncio.StreamReader, stdout: asyncio.StreamWriter
             if len(c) == 0:
                 continue
 
-            c = keycodes.process(c)
-            if len(c) == 0:
-                continue
+            if ctrl:
+                # stdout.write(f"\r\nin char: {c}\r\n".encode())
+                # await stdout.drain()
+                c = keycodes.process(c)
+                if len(c) == 0:
+                    continue
+            # else:
+            #     stdout.write(f"\r\nout char: {c}\r\n".encode())
+            #     await stdout.drain()
 
             pout.write(c)
             await pout.drain()