diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Core and Builtins/2021-12-07-11-42-44.bpo-46000.v_ru3k.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Core and Builtins/2021-12-07-11-42-44.bpo-46000.v_ru3k.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..68e4bfa9e77b15
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Core and Builtins/2021-12-07-11-42-44.bpo-46000.v_ru3k.rst	
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Improve compatibility of the :mod:`curses` module with NetBSD curses.
diff --git a/Modules/_cursesmodule.c b/Modules/_cursesmodule.c
index a32cc4b88435cb..f95677cee57507 100644
--- a/Modules/_cursesmodule.c
+++ b/Modules/_cursesmodule.c
@@ -1077,8 +1077,8 @@ PyCursesWindow_ChgAt(PyCursesWindowObject *self, PyObject *args)
         return NULL;
     }
 
-    color = (short)((attr >> 8) & 0xff);
-    attr = attr - (color << 8);
+    color = (short) PAIR_NUMBER(attr);
+    attr = attr & A_ATTRIBUTES;
 
     if (use_xy) {
         rtn = mvwchgat(self->win,y,x,num,attr,color,NULL);