diff --git a/.nanpa/editor.kdl b/.nanpa/editor.kdl
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e395cf2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.nanpa/editor.kdl
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+patch type="fixed" "default to nano and warn if no $EDITOR set"
diff --git a/app/graffiti.go b/app/graffiti.go
index 71e3713..8e4ae82 100644
--- a/app/graffiti.go
+++ b/app/graffiti.go
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 package app
 
 import (
+	"bufio"
+	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"os/exec"
 
@@ -61,6 +63,17 @@ func (graffiti *Graffiti) Event(state *ui.State, event vaxis.Event) (processed b
 }
 
 func editGraffiti(state *ui.State) {
+	// if $EDITOR isn't set, warn about it, and use nano
+	editor := os.ExpandEnv(os.Getenv("EDITOR"))
+	if editor == "" {
+		editor = "nano"
+		state.Suspend()
+		fmt.Print("$EDITOR not found, using nano. press ↵ to continue")
+		input := bufio.NewScanner(os.Stdin)
+		input.Scan()
+		state.Resume()
+	}
+
 	state.HideCursor()
 	vt := term.New()
 	vt.TERM = os.Getenv("TERM")
diff --git a/app/menu.go b/app/menu.go
index f131025..e4985e4 100644
--- a/app/menu.go
+++ b/app/menu.go
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 package app
 
 import (
+	"bufio"
+	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"os/exec"
 	"path"
@@ -129,13 +131,24 @@ func showManpage(state *ui.State) {
 }
 
 func newFeels(state *ui.State) {
+	// if $EDITOR isn't set, warn about it, and use nano
+	editor := os.ExpandEnv(os.Getenv("EDITOR"))
+	if editor == "" {
+		editor = "nano"
+		state.Suspend()
+		fmt.Print("$EDITOR not found, using nano. press ↵ to continue")
+		input := bufio.NewScanner(os.Stdin)
+		input.Scan()
+		state.Resume()
+	}
+
 	state.HideCursor()
 	vt := term.New()
 	vt.TERM = os.Getenv("TERM")
 	vt.Attach(state.PostEvent())
 	vt.Focus()
 	now := time.Now()
-	err := vt.Start(exec.Command(os.ExpandEnv(os.Getenv("EDITOR")), path.Join(ttbp.PathUserEntries, now.Format("20060102")+".txt")))
+	err := vt.Start(exec.Command(editor, path.Join(ttbp.PathUserEntries, now.Format("20060102")+".txt")))
 	if err != nil {
 		panic(err)
 	}
diff --git a/ui/ui.go b/ui/ui.go
index ce01b66..5d4a0be 100644
--- a/ui/ui.go
+++ b/ui/ui.go
@@ -83,3 +83,11 @@ func (state *State) HideCursor() {
 func (state *State) Window() vaxis.Window {
 	return state.vx.Window()
 }
+
+func (state *State) Suspend() {
+	state.vx.Suspend()
+}
+
+func (state *State) Resume() {
+	state.vx.Resume()
+}