diff --git a/src/common_term.rs b/src/common_term.rs
index 020660a5..31d5eefd 100644
--- a/src/common_term.rs
+++ b/src/common_term.rs
@@ -38,6 +38,35 @@ pub fn move_cursor_to(out: &Term, x: usize, y: usize) -> io::Result<()> {
     out.write_str(&format!("\x1B[{};{}H", y + 1, x + 1))
 }
 
+/// Return the current cursor's position as a tuple `(n, m)`,
+/// where `n` is the row and `m` the column of the cursor (both 1-based).
+// FIXME: allow a larger range of characters than u8.
+// FIXME: clear the terminal after this operation.
+pub fn get_cursor_position(mut out: &Term) -> io::Result<(u8, u8)> {
+    // Send the code ESC6n to the terminal: asking for the current cursor position.
+    out.write_str("\x1b[6n")?;
+    // We expect a response ESC[n;mR, where n and m are the row and column of the cursor.
+    let mut buf = [0u8; 6];
+    let num_read = io::Read::read(&mut out, &mut buf)?;
+    let (n, m) = match buf.as_slice() {
+        //[a, b, nbyte, c, mbyte, d] if [a, b, c, d] = sdf => (nbyte, mbyte),
+        // If we didn't read enough bytes, we certainly didn't get the response we wanted.
+        _ if num_read < buf.len() => return Err(std::io::Error::new(
+            io::ErrorKind::Other, format!("invalid terminal response: expected six bytes, only read {}", num_read)
+        )),
+        [a, b, n, c, m, d] => {
+            // The bytes a, b, c and d should be byte string \x1 [ ; R.
+            if &[*a, *b, *c, *d] != b"\x1b[;R" {
+                return Err(std::io::Error::new(io::ErrorKind::Other, "invalid terminal response: should be of the form ESC[n;mR"));
+            } else {
+                (n, m)
+            }
+        }
+        _ => unreachable!(),
+    };
+    Ok((*n, *m))
+}
+
 pub fn clear_chars(out: &Term, n: usize) -> io::Result<()> {
     if n > 0 {
         out.write_str(&format!("\x1b[{}D\x1b[0K", n))
diff --git a/src/term.rs b/src/term.rs
index 08bda30a..78b3d506 100644
--- a/src/term.rs
+++ b/src/term.rs
@@ -434,11 +434,16 @@ impl Term {
         clear_line(self)
     }
 
-    /// Clear the last `n` lines before the current line.
+    /// Clear the last `n` lines before the current line, if possible.
     ///
-    /// This positions the cursor at the beginning of the first line
-    /// that was cleared.
+    /// Position the cursor at the beginning of the first line that was cleared.
+    /// Error when `n` is larger than the number of lines before the current cursor.
     pub fn clear_last_lines(&self, n: usize) -> io::Result<()> {
+        let (current_row, _) = get_cursor_position(self)?;
+        if usize::from(current_row) < n {
+            // We cannot move up n lines, only current_row ones.
+            return Err(io::Error::new(io::ErrorKind::Other, format!("can only move up {} lines, not {}", current_row, n)));
+        }
         self.move_cursor_up(n)?;
         for _ in 0..n {
             self.clear_line()?;