diff --git a/youtube_dl/YoutubeDL.py b/youtube_dl/YoutubeDL.py
index 74e4261680..d7c6db0ffc 100755
--- a/youtube_dl/YoutubeDL.py
+++ b/youtube_dl/YoutubeDL.py
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ from .compat import (
     compat_basestring,
     compat_cookiejar,
     compat_expanduser,
+    compat_get_terminal_size,
     compat_http_client,
     compat_kwargs,
     compat_str,
@@ -46,7 +47,6 @@ from .utils import (
     ExtractorError,
     format_bytes,
     formatSeconds,
-    get_term_width,
     locked_file,
     make_HTTPS_handler,
     MaxDownloadsReached,
@@ -284,7 +284,7 @@ class YoutubeDL(object):
             try:
                 import pty
                 master, slave = pty.openpty()
-                width = get_term_width()
+                width = compat_get_terminal_size().columns
                 if width is None:
                     width_args = []
                 else:
diff --git a/youtube_dl/compat.py b/youtube_dl/compat.py
index e989cdbbd1..b2bf149ef6 100644
--- a/youtube_dl/compat.py
+++ b/youtube_dl/compat.py
@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
 from __future__ import unicode_literals
 
+import collections
 import getpass
 import optparse
 import os
 import re
+import shutil
 import socket
 import subprocess
 import sys
@@ -364,6 +366,33 @@ def workaround_optparse_bug9161():
             return real_add_option(self, *bargs, **bkwargs)
         optparse.OptionGroup.add_option = _compat_add_option
 
+if hasattr(shutil, 'get_terminal_size'):  # Python >= 3.3
+    compat_get_terminal_size = shutil.get_terminal_size
+else:
+    _terminal_size = collections.namedtuple('terminal_size', ['columns', 'lines'])
+
+    def compat_get_terminal_size():
+        columns = compat_getenv('COLUMNS', None)
+        if columns:
+            columns = int(columns)
+        else:
+            columns = None
+        lines = compat_getenv('LINES', None)
+        if lines:
+            lines = int(lines)
+        else:
+            lines = None
+
+        try:
+            sp = subprocess.Popen(
+                ['stty', 'size'],
+                stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE)
+            out, err = sp.communicate()
+            lines, columns = map(int, out.split())
+        except:
+            pass
+        return _terminal_size(columns, lines)
+
 
 __all__ = [
     'compat_HTTPError',
@@ -371,6 +400,7 @@ __all__ = [
     'compat_chr',
     'compat_cookiejar',
     'compat_expanduser',
+    'compat_get_terminal_size',
     'compat_getenv',
     'compat_getpass',
     'compat_html_entities',
diff --git a/youtube_dl/options.py b/youtube_dl/options.py
index 58f811162e..a2ffe96bcf 100644
--- a/youtube_dl/options.py
+++ b/youtube_dl/options.py
@@ -8,11 +8,11 @@ import sys
 from .downloader.external import list_external_downloaders
 from .compat import (
     compat_expanduser,
+    compat_get_terminal_size,
     compat_getenv,
     compat_kwargs,
 )
 from .utils import (
-    get_term_width,
     write_string,
 )
 from .version import __version__
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ def parseOpts(overrideArguments=None):
         return opts
 
     # No need to wrap help messages if we're on a wide console
-    columns = get_term_width()
+    columns = compat_get_terminal_size().columns
     max_width = columns if columns else 80
     max_help_position = 80
 
diff --git a/youtube_dl/utils.py b/youtube_dl/utils.py
index 1f3bfef7d5..d4938ec362 100644
--- a/youtube_dl/utils.py
+++ b/youtube_dl/utils.py
@@ -35,7 +35,6 @@ import zlib
 from .compat import (
     compat_basestring,
     compat_chr,
-    compat_getenv,
     compat_html_entities,
     compat_http_client,
     compat_parse_qs,
@@ -1173,22 +1172,6 @@ def parse_filesize(s):
     return int(float(num_str) * mult)
 
 
-def get_term_width():
-    columns = compat_getenv('COLUMNS', None)
-    if columns:
-        return int(columns)
-
-    try:
-        sp = subprocess.Popen(
-            ['stty', 'size'],
-            stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE)
-        out, err = sp.communicate()
-        return int(out.split()[1])
-    except:
-        pass
-    return None
-
-
 def month_by_name(name):
     """ Return the number of a month by (locale-independently) English name """