diff --git a/README b/README
index ee26d13bb..e25754ce8 100644
--- a/README
+++ b/README
@@ -36,8 +36,8 @@ Requirements
 
 * A recent [Python](http://www.python.org) interpreter.
 * SSL certificates are generated using [openssl](http://www.openssl.org/)
-* The curses interface relies on a current version of the
-[urwid](http://excess.org/urwid/) library.
+* The curses interface relies on version 0.9.8 or newer of the
+  [urwid](http://excess.org/urwid/) library.
 * The test suite uses the [pry](http://github.com/cortesi/pry) unit testing
   library.
 
diff --git a/libmproxy/console.py b/libmproxy/console.py
index 4740ee6b9..475d9be24 100644
--- a/libmproxy/console.py
+++ b/libmproxy/console.py
@@ -43,6 +43,26 @@ def format_keyvals(lst, key="key", val="text", space=5, indent=0):
 
 #begin nocover
 
+def int_version(v):
+    SIG = 3
+    v = urwid.__version__.split(".")
+    x = 0
+    for i in range(min(SIG, len(v))):
+        x += int(v[i]) * 10**(SIG-i)
+    return x
+    
+
+# We have to do this to be portable over 0.9.8 and 0.9.9 If compatibility
+# becomes a pain to maintain, we'll just mandate 0.9.9 or newer.
+class WWrap(urwid.WidgetWrap):
+    if int_version(urwid.__version__) >= 990:
+        def set_w(self, x):
+            self._w = x
+        def get_w(self):
+            return self._w
+        w = property(get_w, set_w)
+
+
 class ReplayThread(threading.Thread):
     def __init__(self, flow, masterq):
         self.flow, self.masterq = flow, masterq
@@ -58,15 +78,15 @@ class ReplayThread(threading.Thread):
             err.send(self.masterq)
 
 
-class ConnectionItem(urwid.WidgetWrap):
+class ConnectionItem(WWrap):
     def __init__(self, master, state, flow):
         self.master, self.state, self.flow = master, state, flow
         w = self.get_text()
-        urwid.WidgetWrap.__init__(self, w)
+        WWrap.__init__(self, w)
 
     def intercept(self):
         self.intercepting = True
-        self._w = self.get_text()
+        self.w = self.get_text()
 
     def get_text(self, nofocus=False):
         return urwid.Text(self.flow.get_text(nofocus))
@@ -123,17 +143,17 @@ class ConnectionListView(urwid.ListWalker):
         return f, i
 
 
-class ConnectionViewHeader(urwid.WidgetWrap):
+class ConnectionViewHeader(WWrap):
     def __init__(self, flow):
         self.flow = flow
-        self._w = urwid.Text(flow.get_text(nofocus=True, padding=0))
+        self.w = urwid.Text(flow.get_text(nofocus=True, padding=0))
 
     def refresh_connection(self, f):
         if f == self.flow:
-            self._w = urwid.Text(f.get_text(nofocus=True, padding=0))
+            self.w = urwid.Text(f.get_text(nofocus=True, padding=0))
 
 
-class ConnectionView(urwid.WidgetWrap):
+class ConnectionView(WWrap):
     REQ = 0
     RESP = 1
     tabs = ["Request", "Response"]
@@ -224,13 +244,13 @@ class ConnectionView(urwid.WidgetWrap):
     def view_request(self):
         self.viewing = self.REQ
         body = self._conn_text(self.flow.request)
-        self._w = self.wrap_body(self.REQ, body)
+        self.w = self.wrap_body(self.REQ, body)
 
     def view_response(self):
         if self.flow.response:
             self.viewing = self.RESP
             body = self._conn_text(self.flow.response)
-            self._w = self.wrap_body(self.RESP, body)
+            self.w = self.wrap_body(self.RESP, body)
 
     def refresh_connection(self, c=None):
         if c == self.flow:
@@ -317,7 +337,7 @@ class ConnectionView(urwid.WidgetWrap):
                 self.view_request()
         elif key in ("up", "down", "page up", "page down"):
             # Why doesn't this just work??
-            self._w.body.keypress(size, key)
+            self.w.body.keypress(size, key)
         elif key == "a":
             self.flow.accept_intercept()
             self.master.view_connection(self.flow)
@@ -397,7 +417,7 @@ class ConnectionView(urwid.WidgetWrap):
         return key
 
 
-class ActionBar(urwid.WidgetWrap):
+class ActionBar(WWrap):
     def __init__(self):
         self.message("")
 
@@ -405,18 +425,18 @@ class ActionBar(urwid.WidgetWrap):
         return True
 
     def prompt(self, prompt):
-        self._w = urwid.Edit(prompt)
+        self.w = urwid.Edit(prompt)
 
     def message(self, message):
-        self._w = urwid.Text(message)
+        self.w = urwid.Text(message)
 
 
-class StatusBar(urwid.WidgetWrap):
+class StatusBar(WWrap):
     def __init__(self, master, text):
         self.master, self.text = master, text
         self.ab = ActionBar()
         self.ib = urwid.AttrWrap(urwid.Text(""), 'foot')
-        self._w = urwid.Pile([self.ib, self.ab])
+        self.w = urwid.Pile([self.ib, self.ab])
         self.redraw()
 
     def redraw(self):
@@ -439,7 +459,7 @@ class StatusBar(urwid.WidgetWrap):
         return True
 
     def get_edit_text(self):
-        return self.ab._w.get_edit_text()
+        return self.ab.w.get_edit_text()
 
     def prompt(self, prompt):
         self.ab.prompt(prompt)