diff --git a/termwiz/src/caps/mod.rs b/termwiz/src/caps/mod.rs
index f0a76b187..9299b2dbc 100644
--- a/termwiz/src/caps/mod.rs
+++ b/termwiz/src/caps/mod.rs
@@ -107,6 +107,13 @@ builder! {
 
         /// Whether mouse support is present and should be used
         mouse_reporting: Option<bool>,
+
+        /// When true, rather than using the terminfo `sgr` or `sgr0` entries,
+        /// assume that the terminal is ANSI/ECMA-48 compliant for the
+        /// common SGR attributes of bold, dim, reverse, underline, blink,
+        /// invisible and reset, and directly emit those sequences.
+        /// This can improve rendered text compatibility with pagers.
+        force_terminfo_render_to_use_ansi_sgr: Option<bool>,
     }
 }
 
@@ -154,6 +161,7 @@ pub struct Capabilities {
     terminfo_db: Option<terminfo::Database>,
     bracketed_paste: bool,
     mouse_reporting: bool,
+    force_terminfo_render_to_use_ansi_sgr: bool,
 }
 
 impl Capabilities {
@@ -282,6 +290,9 @@ impl Capabilities {
         let bracketed_paste = hints.bracketed_paste.unwrap_or(true);
         let mouse_reporting = hints.mouse_reporting.unwrap_or(true);
 
+        let force_terminfo_render_to_use_ansi_sgr =
+            hints.force_terminfo_render_to_use_ansi_sgr.unwrap_or(false);
+
         Ok(Self {
             color_level,
             sixel,
@@ -291,6 +302,7 @@ impl Capabilities {
             terminfo_db,
             bracketed_paste,
             mouse_reporting,
+            force_terminfo_render_to_use_ansi_sgr,
         })
     }
 
@@ -336,6 +348,12 @@ impl Capabilities {
     pub fn mouse_reporting(&self) -> bool {
         self.mouse_reporting
     }
+
+    /// Whether to emit standard ANSI/ECMA-48 codes, overriding any
+    /// SGR terminfo capabilities.
+    pub fn force_terminfo_render_to_use_ansi_sgr(&self) -> bool {
+        self.force_terminfo_render_to_use_ansi_sgr
+    }
 }
 
 #[cfg(test)]
diff --git a/termwiz/src/render/terminfo.rs b/termwiz/src/render/terminfo.rs
index e66a793ac..9d88cf995 100644
--- a/termwiz/src/render/terminfo.rs
+++ b/termwiz/src/render/terminfo.rs
@@ -50,13 +50,18 @@ impl TerminfoRenderer {
     #[cfg_attr(feature = "cargo-clippy", allow(clippy::cognitive_complexity))]
     fn flush_pending_attr<W: RenderTty + Write>(&mut self, out: &mut W) -> Result<()> {
         macro_rules! attr_on {
-            ($cap:ident, $sgr:expr) => {
-                if let Some(attr) = self.get_capability::<cap::$cap>() {
+            ($cap:ident, $sgr:expr) => {{
+                let cap = if self.caps.force_terminfo_render_to_use_ansi_sgr() {
+                    None
+                } else {
+                    self.get_capability::<cap::$cap>()
+                };
+                if let Some(attr) = cap {
                     attr.expand().to(out.by_ref())?;
                 } else {
                     write!(out, "{}", CSI::Sgr($sgr))?;
                 }
-            };
+            }};
             ($sgr:expr) => {
                 write!(out, "{}", CSI::Sgr($sgr))?;
             };
@@ -71,8 +76,13 @@ impl TerminfoRenderer {
                 current_foreground = ColorAttribute::Default;
                 current_background = ColorAttribute::Default;
 
+                let sgr = if self.caps.force_terminfo_render_to_use_ansi_sgr() {
+                    None
+                } else {
+                    self.get_capability::<cap::SetAttributes>()
+                };
                 // The SetAttributes capability can only handle single underline and slow blink.
-                if let Some(sgr) = self.get_capability::<cap::SetAttributes>() {
+                if let Some(sgr) = sgr {
                     sgr.expand()
                         .bold(attr.intensity() == Intensity::Bold)
                         .dim(attr.intensity() == Intensity::Half)
@@ -706,10 +716,14 @@ mod test {
 
     /// Return Capabilities loaded from the included xterm terminfo data
     fn xterm_terminfo() -> Capabilities {
+        xterm_terminfo_with_hints(ProbeHints::default())
+    }
+
+    fn xterm_terminfo_with_hints(hints: ProbeHints) -> Capabilities {
         // Load our own compiled data so that the tests have an
         // environment that doesn't vary machine by machine.
         let data = include_bytes!("../../data/xterm-256color");
-        Capabilities::new_with_hints(ProbeHints::default().terminfo_db(Some(
+        Capabilities::new_with_hints(hints.terminfo_db(Some(
             terminfo::Database::from_buffer(data.as_ref()).unwrap(),
         )))
         .unwrap()
@@ -915,6 +929,37 @@ mod test {
         );
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    // Sanity that force_terminfo_render_to_use_ansi_sgr does something.
+    fn bold_text_force_ansi_sgr() {
+        let mut out = FakeTerm::new(xterm_terminfo_with_hints(
+            ProbeHints::default().force_terminfo_render_to_use_ansi_sgr(Some(true)),
+        ));
+        out.render(&[
+            Change::Text("not ".into()),
+            AttributeChange::Intensity(Intensity::Bold).into(),
+            Change::Text("foo".into()),
+        ])
+        .unwrap();
+
+        let result = out.parse();
+        assert_eq!(
+            result,
+            vec![
+                // Same as bold_text() above, but without the "(B" from srg/sgr0.
+                Action::Print('n'),
+                Action::Print('o'),
+                Action::Print('t'),
+                Action::Print(' '),
+                Action::CSI(CSI::Sgr(Sgr::Reset)),
+                Action::CSI(CSI::Sgr(Sgr::Intensity(Intensity::Bold))),
+                Action::Print('f'),
+                Action::Print('o'),
+                Action::Print('o'),
+            ],
+        );
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn clear_screen() {
         let mut out = FakeTerm::new_with_size(xterm_terminfo(), 4, 3);