Comment 6 for bug 307888

This is how I tested the patch:

# get the source code
sudo apt-get build-dep vte
apt-get source vte
cd vte-*/

# apply the upstream patch
wget "https://bugzilla.gnome.org/attachment.cgi?id=139124" -O- | patch -p1

# rebuild the package
fakeroot debian/rules binary
cd ..

# install the new package
sudo dpkg -i *.deb

Now close all instances of gnome-terminal.
Open a brand new gnome-terminal instance.
Observe that the problem is solved!

Cheers.