diff --git a/AffinityPanel.c b/AffinityPanel.c
index e95b381ed..1ffa90089 100644
--- a/AffinityPanel.c
+++ b/AffinityPanel.c
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ in the source distribution for its full text.
 typedef struct MaskItem_ {
    Object super;
    const char* text;
-   const char* indent;
+   const char* indent; /* used also as an condition whether this is a tree node */
    int value; /* tri-state: 0 - off, 1 - some set, 2 - all set */
    int sub_tree; /* tri-state: 0 - no sub-tree, 1 - open sub-tree, 2 - closed sub-tree */
    Vector *children;
@@ -55,20 +55,21 @@ static void MaskItem_delete(Object* cast) {
 static void MaskItem_display(Object* cast, RichString* out) {
    MaskItem* this = (MaskItem*)cast;
    assert (this != NULL);
+   RichString_append(out, CRT_colors[CHECK_BOX], "[");
    if (this->value == 2)
-      RichString_append(out, CRT_colors[CHECK_MARK], CRT_checkStr[CHECK_STR_FULL]);
+      RichString_append(out, CRT_colors[CHECK_MARK], "x");
    else if (this->value == 1)
-      RichString_append(out, CRT_colors[CHECK_MARK], CRT_checkStr[CHECK_STR_PARTIAL]);
+      RichString_append(out, CRT_colors[CHECK_MARK], "o");
    else
-      RichString_append(out, CRT_colors[CHECK_MARK], CRT_checkStr[CHECK_STR_NONE]);
+      RichString_append(out, CRT_colors[CHECK_MARK], " ");
+   RichString_append(out, CRT_colors[CHECK_BOX], "]");
    RichString_append(out, CRT_colors[CHECK_TEXT], " ");
-   if (this->indent)
+   if (this->indent) {
       RichString_append(out, CRT_colors[PROCESS_TREE], this->indent);
-   if (this->sub_tree) {
       RichString_append(out, CRT_colors[PROCESS_TREE],
-                        this->sub_tree == 1
-                        ? CRT_collapStr[COLLAP_STR_OPEN]
-                        : CRT_collapStr[COLLAP_STR_CLOSED]);
+                        this->sub_tree == 2
+                        ? CRT_treeStr[TREE_STR_OPEN]
+                        : CRT_treeStr[TREE_STR_SHUT]);
       RichString_append(out, CRT_colors[CHECK_TEXT], " ");
    }
    RichString_append(out, CRT_colors[CHECK_TEXT], this->text);
@@ -84,7 +85,7 @@ static ObjectClass MaskItem_class = {
 static MaskItem* MaskItem_newMask(const char* text, const char* indent, hwloc_bitmap_t cpuset, bool owner) {
    MaskItem* this = AllocThis(MaskItem);
    this->text = xStrdup(text);
-   this->indent = xStrdup(indent);
+   this->indent = xStrdup(indent); /* nonnull for tree node */
    this->value = 0;
    this->ownCpuset = owner;
    this->cpuset = cpuset;
@@ -98,7 +99,7 @@ static MaskItem* MaskItem_newMask(const char* text, const char* indent, hwloc_bi
 static MaskItem* MaskItem_newSingleton(const char* text, int cpu, bool isSet) {
    MaskItem* this = AllocThis(MaskItem);
    this->text = xStrdup(text);
-   this->indent = NULL;
+   this->indent = NULL; /* not a tree node */
    this->sub_tree = 0;
    this->children = Vector_new(Class(MaskItem), true, DEFAULT_SIZE);
 
@@ -260,7 +261,7 @@ static HandlerResult AffinityPanel_eventHandler(Panel* super, int ch) {
 
 static MaskItem *AffinityPanel_addObject(AffinityPanel* this, hwloc_obj_t obj, unsigned indent, MaskItem *parent) {
    const char* type_name = hwloc_obj_type_string(obj->type);
-   const char* index_prefix = " #";
+   const char* index_prefix = "#";
    unsigned depth = obj->depth;
    unsigned index = obj->logical_index;
    size_t off = 0, left = 10 * depth;
@@ -279,14 +280,13 @@ static MaskItem *AffinityPanel_addObject(AffinityPanel* this, hwloc_obj_t obj, u
          size_t len = strlen(&indent_buf[off]);
          off += len, left -= len;
       }
-      xSnprintf(&indent_buf[off], left, "%s%s ",
-             obj->next_sibling ? CRT_treeStr[TREE_STR_RTEE] : CRT_treeStr[TREE_STR_BEND],
-             CRT_treeStr[TREE_STR_HORZ]);
+      xSnprintf(&indent_buf[off], left, "%s",
+             obj->next_sibling ? CRT_treeStr[TREE_STR_RTEE] : CRT_treeStr[TREE_STR_BEND]);
       size_t len = strlen(&indent_buf[off]);
       off += len, left -= len;
    }
 
-   xSnprintf(buf, 64, "%s%s%u", type_name, index_prefix, index);
+   xSnprintf(buf, 64, "%s %s%u", type_name, index_prefix, index);
 
    MaskItem *item = MaskItem_newMask(buf, indent_buf, obj->complete_cpuset, false);
    if (parent)
@@ -302,8 +302,8 @@ static MaskItem *AffinityPanel_addObject(AffinityPanel* this, hwloc_obj_t obj, u
          item->sub_tree = 2;
    }
 
-   /* "[x] " + "|- " * depth + ("[+] ")? + name */
-   unsigned width = (CRT_utf8 ? 2 : 4) + 3 * depth + (item->sub_tree ? (CRT_utf8 ? 2 : 4) : 0) + strlen(buf);
+   /* "[x] " + "|- " * depth + ("- ")?(if root node) + name */
+   unsigned width = 4 + 3 * depth + (2 * !depth) + strlen(buf);
    if (width > this->width)
       this->width = width;
 
diff --git a/CRT.c b/CRT.c
index 869573e51..33ee96232 100644
--- a/CRT.c
+++ b/CRT.c
@@ -59,19 +59,6 @@ typedef enum TreeStr_ {
    TREE_STR_COUNT
 } TreeStr;
 
-typedef enum CheckStr_ {
-   CHECK_STR_NONE,
-   CHECK_STR_PARTIAL,
-   CHECK_STR_FULL,
-   CHECK_STR_COUNT
-} CheckStr;
-
-typedef enum CollapStr_ {
-   COLLAP_STR_OPEN,
-   COLLAP_STR_CLOSED,
-   COLLAP_STR_COUNT
-} CollapStr;
-
 typedef enum ColorSchemes_ {
    COLORSCHEME_DEFAULT = 0,
    COLORSCHEME_MONOCHROME = 1,
@@ -126,6 +113,7 @@ typedef enum ColorElements_ {
    LOAD_AVERAGE_FIFTEEN,
    LOAD_AVERAGE_FIVE,
    LOAD_AVERAGE_ONE,
+   CHECK_BOX,
    CHECK_MARK,
    CHECK_TEXT,
    CLOCK,
@@ -171,17 +159,6 @@ const char *CRT_treeStrAscii[TREE_STR_COUNT] = {
    "-", // TREE_STR_SHUT
 };
 
-const char *CRT_checkStrAscii[CHECK_STR_COUNT] = {
-   "[ ]", // CHECK_STR_NONE
-   "[o]", // CHECK_STR_PARTIAL
-   "[x]", // CHECK_STR_FULL
-};
-
-const char *CRT_collapStrAscii[COLLAP_STR_COUNT] = {
-   "[-]", // COLLAP_STR_OPEN
-   "[+]", // COLLAP_STR_CLOSED
-};
-
 #ifdef HAVE_LIBNCURSESW
 
 const char *CRT_treeStrUtf8[TREE_STR_COUNT] = {
@@ -190,31 +167,18 @@ const char *CRT_treeStrUtf8[TREE_STR_COUNT] = {
    "\xe2\x94\x9c", // TREE_STR_RTEE ├
    "\xe2\x94\x94", // TREE_STR_BEND └
    "\xe2\x94\x8c", // TREE_STR_TEND ┌
-   "+",            // TREE_STR_OPEN +
+   "+",            // TREE_STR_OPEN +, TODO use 🮯 'BOX DRAWINGS LIGHT HORIZONTAL
+                   // WITH VERTICAL STROKE' (U+1FBAF, "\xf0\x9f\xae\xaf") when
+                   // Unicode 13 is common
    "\xe2\x94\x80", // TREE_STR_SHUT ─
 };
 
-const char *CRT_checkStrUtf8[CHECK_STR_COUNT] = {
-   "\xe2\x98\x90", // CHECK_STR_NONE    ☐
-   "\xe2\x98\x92", // CHECK_STR_PARTIAL ☒
-   "\xe2\x98\x91", // CHECK_STR_FULL    ☑
-};
-
-const char *CRT_collapStrUtf8[COLLAP_STR_COUNT] = {
-   "\xe2\x8a\x9f", // COLLAP_STR_OPEN   ⊟
-   "\xe2\x8a\x9e", // COLLAP_STR_CLOSED ⊞
-};
+bool CRT_utf8 = false;
 
 #endif
 
-bool CRT_utf8 = false;
-
 const char **CRT_treeStr = CRT_treeStrAscii;
 
-const char **CRT_checkStr = CRT_checkStrAscii;
-
-const char **CRT_collapStr = CRT_collapStrAscii;
-
 static bool CRT_hasColors;
 
 int CRT_delay = 0;
@@ -267,7 +231,8 @@ int CRT_colorSchemes[LAST_COLORSCHEME][LAST_COLORELEMENT] = {
       [LOAD] = A_BOLD,
       [HELP_BOLD] = A_BOLD | ColorPair(Cyan,Black),
       [CLOCK] = A_BOLD,
-      [CHECK_MARK] = A_BOLD | ColorPair(Cyan,Black),
+      [CHECK_BOX] = ColorPair(Cyan,Black),
+      [CHECK_MARK] = A_BOLD,
       [CHECK_TEXT] = A_NORMAL,
       [HOSTNAME] = A_BOLD,
       [CPU_NICE] = ColorPair(Blue,Black),
@@ -335,7 +300,8 @@ int CRT_colorSchemes[LAST_COLORSCHEME][LAST_COLORELEMENT] = {
       [LOAD] = A_BOLD,
       [HELP_BOLD] = A_BOLD,
       [CLOCK] = A_BOLD,
-      [CHECK_MARK] = A_BOLD,
+      [CHECK_BOX] = A_BOLD,
+      [CHECK_MARK] = A_NORMAL,
       [CHECK_TEXT] = A_NORMAL,
       [HOSTNAME] = A_BOLD,
       [CPU_NICE] = A_NORMAL,
@@ -403,6 +369,7 @@ int CRT_colorSchemes[LAST_COLORSCHEME][LAST_COLORELEMENT] = {
       [LOAD] = ColorPair(Black,White),
       [HELP_BOLD] = ColorPair(Blue,White),
       [CLOCK] = ColorPair(Black,White),
+      [CHECK_BOX] = ColorPair(Blue,White),
       [CHECK_MARK] = ColorPair(Black,White),
       [CHECK_TEXT] = ColorPair(Black,White),
       [HOSTNAME] = ColorPair(Black,White),
@@ -471,6 +438,7 @@ int CRT_colorSchemes[LAST_COLORSCHEME][LAST_COLORELEMENT] = {
       [LOAD] = ColorPair(White,Black),
       [HELP_BOLD] = ColorPair(Blue,Black),
       [CLOCK] = ColorPair(White,Black),
+      [CHECK_BOX] = ColorPair(Blue,Black),
       [CHECK_MARK] = ColorPair(Black,Black),
       [CHECK_TEXT] = ColorPair(Black,Black),
       [HOSTNAME] = ColorPair(White,Black),
@@ -539,7 +507,8 @@ int CRT_colorSchemes[LAST_COLORSCHEME][LAST_COLORELEMENT] = {
       [LOAD] = A_BOLD | ColorPair(White,Blue),
       [HELP_BOLD] = A_BOLD | ColorPair(Cyan,Blue),
       [CLOCK] = ColorPair(White,Blue),
-      [CHECK_MARK] = A_BOLD | ColorPair(Cyan,Blue),
+      [CHECK_BOX] = ColorPair(Cyan,Blue),
+      [CHECK_MARK] = A_BOLD | ColorPair(White,Blue),
       [CHECK_TEXT] = A_NORMAL | ColorPair(White,Blue),
       [HOSTNAME] = ColorPair(White,Blue),
       [CPU_NICE] = A_BOLD | ColorPair(Cyan,Blue),
@@ -607,6 +576,7 @@ int CRT_colorSchemes[LAST_COLORSCHEME][LAST_COLORELEMENT] = {
       [LOAD] = A_BOLD,
       [HELP_BOLD] = A_BOLD | ColorPair(Cyan,Black),
       [CLOCK] = ColorPair(Green,Black),
+      [CHECK_BOX] = ColorPair(Green,Black),
       [CHECK_MARK] = A_BOLD | ColorPair(Green,Black),
       [CHECK_TEXT] = ColorPair(Cyan,Black),
       [HOSTNAME] = ColorPair(Green,Black),
@@ -763,13 +733,17 @@ void CRT_init(int delay, int colorScheme) {
    setlocale(LC_CTYPE, "");
 
 #ifdef HAVE_LIBNCURSESW
-   if(strcmp(nl_langinfo(CODESET), "UTF-8") == 0) {
+   if(strcmp(nl_langinfo(CODESET), "UTF-8") == 0)
       CRT_utf8 = true;
-      CRT_treeStr = CRT_treeStrUtf8;
-      CRT_checkStr = CRT_checkStrUtf8;
-      CRT_collapStr = CRT_collapStrUtf8;
-   }
+   else
+      CRT_utf8 = false;
+#endif
+
+   CRT_treeStr =
+#ifdef HAVE_LIBNCURSESW
+      CRT_utf8 ? CRT_treeStrUtf8 :
 #endif
+      CRT_treeStrAscii;
 
 #if NCURSES_MOUSE_VERSION > 1
    mousemask(BUTTON1_RELEASED | BUTTON4_PRESSED | BUTTON5_PRESSED, NULL);
diff --git a/CRT.h b/CRT.h
index 5fb2f09cd..80022f705 100644
--- a/CRT.h
+++ b/CRT.h
@@ -47,19 +47,6 @@ typedef enum TreeStr_ {
    TREE_STR_COUNT
 } TreeStr;
 
-typedef enum CheckStr_ {
-   CHECK_STR_NONE,
-   CHECK_STR_PARTIAL,
-   CHECK_STR_FULL,
-   CHECK_STR_COUNT
-} CheckStr;
-
-typedef enum CollapStr_ {
-   COLLAP_STR_OPEN,
-   COLLAP_STR_CLOSED,
-   COLLAP_STR_COUNT
-} CollapStr;
-
 typedef enum ColorSchemes_ {
    COLORSCHEME_DEFAULT = 0,
    COLORSCHEME_MONOCHROME = 1,
@@ -114,6 +101,7 @@ typedef enum ColorElements_ {
    LOAD_AVERAGE_FIFTEEN,
    LOAD_AVERAGE_FIVE,
    LOAD_AVERAGE_ONE,
+   CHECK_BOX,
    CHECK_MARK,
    CHECK_TEXT,
    CLOCK,
@@ -150,28 +138,16 @@ extern void CRT_handleSIGSEGV(int sgn);
 
 extern const char *CRT_treeStrAscii[TREE_STR_COUNT];
 
-extern const char *CRT_checkStrAscii[CHECK_STR_COUNT];
-
-extern const char *CRT_collapStrAscii[COLLAP_STR_COUNT];
-
 #ifdef HAVE_LIBNCURSESW
 
 extern const char *CRT_treeStrUtf8[TREE_STR_COUNT];
 
-extern const char *CRT_checkStrUtf8[CHECK_STR_COUNT];
-
-extern const char *CRT_collapStrUtf8[COLLAP_STR_COUNT];
+extern bool CRT_utf8;
 
 #endif
 
-extern bool CRT_utf8;
-
 extern const char **CRT_treeStr;
 
-extern const char **CRT_checkStr;
-
-extern const char **CRT_collapStr;
-
 extern int CRT_delay;
 
 extern int* CRT_colors;
diff --git a/CheckItem.c b/CheckItem.c
index a045d2ffd..910981e86 100644
--- a/CheckItem.c
+++ b/CheckItem.c
@@ -35,11 +35,12 @@ static void CheckItem_delete(Object* cast) {
 static void CheckItem_display(Object* cast, RichString* out) {
    CheckItem* this = (CheckItem*)cast;
    assert (this != NULL);
+   RichString_write(out, CRT_colors[CHECK_BOX], "[");
    if (CheckItem_get(this))
-      RichString_append(out, CRT_colors[CHECK_MARK], CRT_checkStr[CHECK_STR_FULL]);
+      RichString_append(out, CRT_colors[CHECK_MARK], "x");
    else
-      RichString_append(out, CRT_colors[CHECK_MARK], CRT_checkStr[CHECK_STR_NONE]);
-   RichString_append(out, CRT_colors[CHECK_TEXT], " ");
+      RichString_append(out, CRT_colors[CHECK_MARK], " ");
+   RichString_append(out, CRT_colors[CHECK_BOX], "] ");
    RichString_append(out, CRT_colors[CHECK_TEXT], this->text);
 }