diff --git a/dcs.c b/dcs.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b6a0b4fa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dcs.c
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+#include "dcs.h"
+
+#define LOG_MODULE "dcs"
+#define LOG_ENABLE_DBG 0
+#include "log.h"
+#include "vt.h"
+
+static void
+bsu(struct terminal *term)
+{
+    LOG_WARN("unimplemented: BSU - Begin Synchronized Update (params: %.*s)",
+             (int)term->vt.dcs.idx, term->vt.dcs.data);
+}
+
+static void
+esu(struct terminal *term)
+{
+    LOG_WARN("unimplemented: ESU - Begin Synchronized Update (params: %.*s)",
+             (int)term->vt.dcs.idx, term->vt.dcs.data);
+}
+
+void
+dcs_hook(struct terminal *term, uint8_t final)
+{
+    LOG_DBG("hook: %c (intermediate(s): %.2s, param=%d)", final, term->vt.private,
+            vt_param_get(term, 0, 127));
+
+    assert(term->vt.dcs.data == NULL);
+    assert(term->vt.dcs.size == 0);
+    assert(term->vt.dcs.unhook_handler == NULL);
+
+    switch (term->vt.private[0]) {
+    case '=':
+        switch (final) {
+        case 's':
+            switch (vt_param_get(term, 0, 0)) {
+            case 1: term->vt.dcs.unhook_handler = &bsu; return;
+            case 2: term->vt.dcs.unhook_handler = &esu; return;
+            }
+            break;
+        }
+        break;
+    }
+}
+
+static bool
+ensure_size(struct terminal *term, size_t required_size)
+{
+    if (required_size <= term->vt.dcs.size)
+        return true;
+
+    size_t new_size = (required_size + 127) / 128 * 128;
+    assert(new_size > 0);
+
+    uint8_t *new_data = realloc(term->vt.dcs.data, new_size);
+    if (new_data == NULL) {
+        LOG_ERRNO("failed to increase size of DCS buffer");
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    term->vt.dcs.data = new_data;
+    term->vt.dcs.size = new_size;
+    return true;
+}
+
+void
+dcs_put(struct terminal *term, uint8_t c)
+{
+    LOG_DBG("PUT: %c", c);
+    ensure_size(term, term->vt.dcs.idx + 1);
+    term->vt.dcs.data[term->vt.dcs.idx++] = c;
+}
+
+void
+dcs_unhook(struct terminal *term)
+{
+    assert(term->vt.dcs.unhook_handler != NULL);
+    if (term->vt.dcs.unhook_handler != NULL)
+        term->vt.dcs.unhook_handler(term);
+
+    term->vt.dcs.unhook_handler = NULL;
+
+    free(term->vt.dcs.data);
+    term->vt.dcs.data = NULL;
+    term->vt.dcs.size = 0;
+    term->vt.dcs.idx = 0;
+}
diff --git a/dcs.h b/dcs.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f89de38a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dcs.h
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+#pragma once
+
+#include <stdbool.h>
+#include "terminal.h"
+
+void dcs_hook(struct terminal *term, uint8_t final);
+void dcs_put(struct terminal *term, uint8_t c);
+void dcs_unhook(struct terminal *term);
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 786ab7c9..5e5060fc 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ executable(
   'config.c', 'config.h',
   'commands.c', 'commands.h',
   'csi.c', 'csi.h',
+  'dcs.c', 'dcs.h',
   'fdm.c', 'fdm.h',
   'grid.c', 'grid.h',
   'input.c', 'input.h',
diff --git a/terminal.h b/terminal.h
index 1595f902..8e47826b 100644
--- a/terminal.h
+++ b/terminal.h
@@ -125,6 +125,12 @@ struct vt {
         size_t idx;
         size_t left;
     } utf8;
+    struct {
+        uint8_t *data;
+        size_t size;
+        size_t idx;
+        void (*unhook_handler)(struct terminal *term);
+    } dcs;
     struct attributes attrs;
     struct attributes saved_attrs;
 };
diff --git a/vt.c b/vt.c
index 114aba02..19044339 100644
--- a/vt.c
+++ b/vt.c
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 #define LOG_ENABLE_DBG 0
 #include "log.h"
 #include "csi.h"
+#include "dcs.h"
 #include "grid.h"
 #include "osc.h"
 
@@ -482,16 +483,19 @@ action_osc_put(struct terminal *term, uint8_t c)
 static void
 action_hook(struct terminal *term, uint8_t c)
 {
+    dcs_hook(term, c);
 }
 
 static void
 action_unhook(struct terminal *term, uint8_t c)
 {
+    dcs_unhook(term);
 }
 
 static void
 action_put(struct terminal *term, uint8_t c)
 {
+    dcs_put(term, c);
 }
 
 static void