diff --git a/examples/text_input.zig b/examples/text_input.zig
index 3fe7c9b..aa6a825 100644
--- a/examples/text_input.zig
+++ b/examples/text_input.zig
@@ -61,8 +61,6 @@ pub fn main() !void {
             .winsize => |ws| {
                 try vx.resize(alloc, ws);
             },
-            .cap_rgb => continue,
-            .cap_kitty_keyboard => try vx.enableKittyKeyboard(.{}),
             else => {},
         }
 
@@ -98,7 +96,5 @@ const Event = union(enum) {
     key_press: vaxis.Key,
     winsize: vaxis.Winsize,
     focus_in,
-    cap_rgb,
-    cap_kitty_keyboard,
     foo: u8,
 };
diff --git a/src/Parser.zig b/src/Parser.zig
index a6a3751..7a5720a 100644
--- a/src/Parser.zig
+++ b/src/Parser.zig
@@ -357,6 +357,17 @@ pub fn parse(self: *Parser, input: []const u8) !Result {
                                 log.warn("unhandled csi: CSI {s}", .{input[start + 1 .. i + 1]});
                                 return .{ .event = null, .n = i + 1 };
                             },
+                            'c' => { // DA1 response
+                                const priv = seq.private_indicator orelse {
+                                    log.warn("unhandled csi: CSI {s}", .{input[start + 1 .. i + 1]});
+                                    return .{ .event = null, .n = i + 1 };
+                                };
+                                if (priv != '?') {
+                                    log.warn("unhandled csi: CSI {s}", .{input[start + 1 .. i + 1]});
+                                    return .{ .event = null, .n = i + 1 };
+                                }
+                                return .{ .event = .cap_da1, .n = i + 1 };
+                            },
                             else => {
                                 log.warn("unhandled csi: CSI {s}", .{input[start + 1 .. i + 1]});
                                 return .{
diff --git a/src/Tty.zig b/src/Tty.zig
index 0e2baa6..44fd86f 100644
--- a/src/Tty.zig
+++ b/src/Tty.zig
@@ -178,19 +178,16 @@ pub fn run(
                     }
                 },
                 .cap_kitty_keyboard => {
-                    if (@hasField(EventType, "cap_kitty_keyboard")) {
-                        vx.postEvent(.cap_kitty_keyboard);
-                    }
+                    vx.caps.kitty_keyboard = true;
                 },
                 .cap_rgb => {
-                    if (@hasField(EventType, "cap_rgb")) {
-                        vx.postEvent(.cap_rgb);
-                    }
+                    vx.caps.rgb = true;
                 },
                 .cap_unicode => {
-                    if (@hasField(EventType, "cap_unicode")) {
-                        vx.postEvent(.cap_unicode);
-                    }
+                    vx.caps.unicode = true;
+                },
+                .cap_da1 => {
+                    std.Thread.Futex.wake(&vx.query_futex, 10);
                 },
             }
         }
diff --git a/src/ctlseqs.zig b/src/ctlseqs.zig
index 05d0f81..faf2b7d 100644
--- a/src/ctlseqs.zig
+++ b/src/ctlseqs.zig
@@ -14,6 +14,9 @@ pub const sixel_geometry_query = "\x1b[?2;1;0S";
 pub const sync_set = "\x1b[?2026h";
 pub const sync_reset = "\x1b[?2026l";
 
+pub const unicode_set = "\x1b[?2027h";
+pub const unicode_reset = "\x1b[?2027l";
+
 // Key encoding
 pub const csi_u_push = "\x1b[>{d}u";
 pub const csi_u_pop = "\x1b[<u";
diff --git a/src/event.zig b/src/event.zig
index 7604fe1..660c50d 100644
--- a/src/event.zig
+++ b/src/event.zig
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 pub const Key = @import("Key.zig");
 
-/// The events that Vaxis emits. This can be used as the generic EventType if
-/// there are no internal events
+/// The events that Vaxis emits internally
 pub const Event = union(enum) {
     key_press: Key,
     focus_in,
@@ -13,4 +12,5 @@ pub const Event = union(enum) {
     cap_kitty_keyboard,
     cap_rgb,
     cap_unicode,
+    cap_da1,
 };
diff --git a/src/main.zig b/src/main.zig
index 0fcbb76..b6f1d4e 100644
--- a/src/main.zig
+++ b/src/main.zig
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ pub const Style = cell.Style;
 
 pub const Key = @import("Key.zig");
 pub const Winsize = @import("Tty.zig").Winsize;
-pub const Event = @import("event.zig").Event;
 
 pub const widgets = @import("widgets/main.zig");
 
diff --git a/src/vaxis.zig b/src/vaxis.zig
index 9055896..563a2f4 100644
--- a/src/vaxis.zig
+++ b/src/vaxis.zig
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 const std = @import("std");
+const atomic = std.atomic;
 
 const Queue = @import("queue.zig").Queue;
 const ctlseqs = @import("ctlseqs.zig");
@@ -30,6 +31,12 @@ pub fn Vaxis(comptime T: type) type {
 
         pub const EventType = T;
 
+        pub const Capabilities = struct {
+            kitty_keyboard: bool = false,
+            rgb: bool = false,
+            unicode: bool = false,
+        };
+
         /// the event queue for Vaxis
         //
         // TODO: is 512 ok?
@@ -49,9 +56,15 @@ pub fn Vaxis(comptime T: type) type {
         /// if we have entered kitty keyboard
         kitty_keyboard: bool = false,
 
+        caps: Capabilities = .{},
+
         /// if we should redraw the entire screen on the next render
         refresh: bool = false,
 
+        /// blocks the main thread until a DA1 query has been received, or the
+        /// futex times out
+        query_futex: atomic.Value(u32) = atomic.Value(u32).init(0),
+
         // statistics
         renders: usize = 0,
         render_dur: i128 = 0,
@@ -201,6 +214,17 @@ pub fn Vaxis(comptime T: type) type {
 
             _ = try tty.write(ctlseqs.primary_device_attrs);
             try tty.flush();
+
+            // 1 second timeout
+            std.Thread.Futex.timedWait(&self.query_futex, 0, 1 * std.time.ns_per_s) catch {};
+
+            // enable detected features
+            if (self.caps.kitty_keyboard) {
+                try self.enableKittyKeyboard(.{});
+            }
+            if (self.caps.unicode) {
+                _ = try tty.write(ctlseqs.unicode_set);
+            }
         }
 
         // the next render call will refresh the entire screen
@@ -429,7 +453,7 @@ pub fn Vaxis(comptime T: type) type {
             }
         }
 
-        pub fn enableKittyKeyboard(self: *Self, flags: Key.KittyFlags) !void {
+        fn enableKittyKeyboard(self: *Self, flags: Key.KittyFlags) !void {
             self.kitty_keyboard = true;
             const flag_int: u5 = @bitCast(flags);
             try std.fmt.format(