diff --git a/src/raw.rs b/src/raw.rs
index c615726..4eee0fa 100644
--- a/src/raw.rs
+++ b/src/raw.rs
@@ -90,11 +90,17 @@ mod platform_impl {
             unsafe {
                 let r = SetConsoleMode(self.in_handle, self.in_mode);
                 if r == 0 {
-                    Err::<(), _>(std::io::Error::last_os_error()).unwrap();
+                    panic!(
+                        "\r\n{}\r\n",
+                        Error::SetConsoleMode(std::io::Error::last_os_error())
+                    );
                 }
                 let r = SetConsoleMode(self.out_handle, self.out_mode);
                 if r == 0 {
-                    Err::<(), _>(std::io::Error::last_os_error()).unwrap();
+                    panic!(
+                        "\r\n{}\r\n",
+                        Error::SetConsoleMode(std::io::Error::last_os_error())
+                    );
                 }
             }
         }
@@ -103,22 +109,28 @@ mod platform_impl {
 
 #[cfg(target_family = "unix")]
 mod platform_impl {
-    use std::os::fd::RawFd;
+    use std::os::fd::{FromRawFd, IntoRawFd, RawFd};
     use thiserror::Error;
 
     #[derive(Error, Debug)]
     pub enum Error {
         #[error("tcgetattr(stdout, termios) call failed: {0}")]
         TcGetAttr(std::io::Error),
-        #[error("tcsetattr(stdout, TCSAFLUSH, termios) call failed: {0}")]
-        TcSetAttr(std::io::Error),
+        #[error("tcsetattr(stdout, {1}, termios) call failed: {0}")]
+        TcSetAttr(std::io::Error, &'static str),
     }
 
     /// Guard object that will set the terminal to raw mode and restore it
-    /// to its previous state when it's dropped.
+    /// to its previous state when it's dropped. If it is unable to restore
+    /// the previous termcap state, [Drop::drop] will panic.
+    ///
+    /// Additionally, if the terminfo database for the current terminal is
+    /// available, the reset sequences from it are emitted to return it from
+    /// any unknown state. Failures in finding or outputting these are ignored.
     pub struct RawModeGuard(libc::c_int, libc::termios);
 
     impl RawModeGuard {
+        /// Attach to the terminal whose stdout is the given fd.
         pub(crate) fn new(fd: RawFd) -> Result<Self, Error> {
             let termios = unsafe {
                 let mut curr_termios = std::mem::zeroed();
@@ -134,7 +146,10 @@ mod platform_impl {
                 libc::cfmakeraw(&mut raw_termios);
                 let r = libc::tcsetattr(fd, libc::TCSAFLUSH, &raw_termios);
                 if r == -1 {
-                    return Err(Error::TcSetAttr(std::io::Error::last_os_error()));
+                    return Err(Error::TcSetAttr(
+                        std::io::Error::last_os_error(),
+                        "TCSAFLUSH",
+                    ));
                 }
             }
             Ok(guard)
@@ -143,16 +158,44 @@ mod platform_impl {
 
     impl Drop for RawModeGuard {
         fn drop(&mut self) {
+            // reset the termcaps to what they were before we were constructed.
+            // (similar to `stty sane` if the tty was that way to begin with)
             let r = unsafe { libc::tcsetattr(self.0, libc::TCSADRAIN, &self.1) };
             if r == -1 {
-                Err::<(), _>(std::io::Error::last_os_error()).unwrap();
+                // some \r\n because we might still be in a raw mode...
+                panic!(
+                    "\r\n{}\r\n",
+                    Error::TcSetAttr(std::io::Error::last_os_error(), "TCSADRAIN")
+                );
             }
             // if we have a terminfo database and this terminal is in it,
-            // try to exit the alternate buffer in case we were left there.
+            // try to emit the strings to reset from an indeterminate state.
+            // (similar to `tput reset`)
             if let Ok(info) = terminfo::Database::from_env() {
-                if let Some(rmcup) = info.get::<terminfo::capability::ExitCaMode>() {
-                    rmcup.expand().to(std::io::stdout()).unwrap();
+                let mut stdout = unsafe { std::fs::File::from_raw_fd(self.0) };
+                if let Some(rs1) = info.get::<terminfo::capability::Reset1String>() {
+                    rs1.expand().to(&mut stdout).unwrap();
+                }
+                if let Some(rs2) = info.get::<terminfo::capability::Reset2String>() {
+                    rs2.expand().to(&mut stdout).unwrap();
+                }
+                // the order here comes from the X/Open Curses Issue 4 Version 2
+                // technical standard, repeated in the terminfo(5) manpage:
+                // "Sequences that do a reset from a totally unknown state
+                // can be given as rs1, rs2, rf and rs3"
+                if let Some(rf) = info.get::<terminfo::capability::ResetFile>() {
+                    rf.expand()
+                        .to_vec()
+                        .ok()
+                        .and_then(|path_vec| String::from_utf8(path_vec).ok())
+                        .and_then(|path| std::fs::File::open(path).ok())
+                        .and_then(|mut f| std::io::copy(&mut f, &mut stdout).ok());
+                }
+                if let Some(rs3) = info.get::<terminfo::capability::Reset3String>() {
+                    rs3.expand().to(&mut stdout).unwrap();
                 }
+                // relinquish ownership - we may not want to close on drop
+                stdout.into_raw_fd();
             }
         }
     }