diff --git a/libbb/lineedit.c b/libbb/lineedit.c
index 18cf7cc99..529344f6c 100644
--- a/libbb/lineedit.c
+++ b/libbb/lineedit.c
@@ -246,7 +246,15 @@ static void input_backward(unsigned num)
 	if (cmdedit_x >= num) {
 		cmdedit_x -= num;
 		if (num <= 4) {
-			printf("\b\b\b\b" + (4-num));
+			/* This is longer by 5 bytes on x86.
+			 * Also gets mysteriously
+			 * miscompiled for some ARM users.
+			 * printf(("\b\b\b\b" + 4) - num);
+			 * return;
+			 */
+			do {
+				bb_putchar('\b');
+			} while (--num);
 			return;
 		}
 		printf("\033[%uD", num);