diff --git a/include/grub/i386/pc/console.h b/include/grub/i386/pc/console.h
index 2a74d152c..b677bb886 100644
--- a/include/grub/i386/pc/console.h
+++ b/include/grub/i386/pc/console.h
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ grub_uint16_t grub_console_getxy (void);
 void grub_console_gotoxy (grub_uint8_t x, grub_uint8_t y);
 void grub_console_cls (void);
 void grub_console_setcursor (int on);
+void grub_console_putchar (const struct grub_unicode_glyph *c);
 
 /* Initialize the console system.  */
 void grub_console_init (void);
diff --git a/include/grub/i386/vga_common.h b/include/grub/i386/vga_common.h
index 19f14ebed..7df2b9e9e 100644
--- a/include/grub/i386/vga_common.h
+++ b/include/grub/i386/vga_common.h
@@ -25,18 +25,9 @@
 
 extern grub_uint8_t grub_console_cur_color;
 
-void
-grub_console_putchar (const struct grub_unicode_glyph *c);
-grub_ssize_t
-grub_console_getcharwidth (const struct grub_unicode_glyph *c);
 grub_uint16_t grub_console_getwh (void);
 void grub_console_setcolorstate (grub_term_color_state state);
 void grub_console_setcolor (grub_uint8_t normal_color, grub_uint8_t highlight_color);
 void grub_console_getcolor (grub_uint8_t *normal_color, grub_uint8_t *highlight_color);
 
-/* Implemented in both kern/i386/pc/startup.S and vga_text.c;  this symbol
-   is not exported, so there's no collision, but vga_common.c expects this
-   prototype to be the same.  */
-void grub_console_real_putchar (int c);
-
 #endif /* ! GRUB_VGA_COMMON_CPU_HEADER */
diff --git a/kern/i386/pc/startup.S b/kern/i386/pc/startup.S
index 23f3f398e..c12dfbb57 100644
--- a/kern/i386/pc/startup.S
+++ b/kern/i386/pc/startup.S
@@ -1064,7 +1064,7 @@ xsmap:
 
 
 /*
- * void grub_console_real_putchar (int c)
+ * void grub_console_putchar (const struct grub_unicode_glyph *c)
  *
  * Put the character C on the console. Because GRUB wants to write a
  * character with an attribute, this implementation is a bit tricky.
@@ -1077,8 +1077,9 @@ xsmap:
  * get the height of the screen, and the TELETYPE OUTPUT BIOS call doesn't
  * support setting a background attribute.
  */
-FUNCTION(grub_console_real_putchar)
-	movl	%eax, %edx
+FUNCTION(grub_console_putchar)
+	/* Retrieve the base character.  */
+	movl	0(%eax), %edx
 	pusha
 	movb	EXT_C(grub_console_cur_color), %bl
 
diff --git a/term/i386/pc/vga_text.c b/term/i386/pc/vga_text.c
index 379eb3579..3f352afb4 100644
--- a/term/i386/pc/vga_text.c
+++ b/term/i386/pc/vga_text.c
@@ -83,10 +83,10 @@ inc_x (void)
     grub_curr_x++;
 }
 
-void
-grub_console_real_putchar (int c)
+static void
+grub_vga_text_putchar (const struct grub_unicode_glyph *c)
 {
-  switch (c)
+  switch (c->base)
     {
       case '\b':
 	if (grub_curr_x != 0)
@@ -99,8 +99,8 @@ grub_console_real_putchar (int c)
 	grub_curr_x = 0;
 	break;
       default:
-	screen_write_char (grub_curr_x,
-			   grub_curr_y, c | (grub_console_cur_color << 8));
+	screen_write_char (grub_curr_x, grub_curr_y,
+			   c->base | (grub_console_cur_color << 8));
 	inc_x ();
     }
 
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ static struct grub_term_output grub_vga_text_term =
     .name = "vga_text",
     .init = grub_vga_text_init_fini,
     .fini = grub_vga_text_init_fini,
-    .putchar = grub_console_putchar,
+    .putchar = grub_vga_text_putchar,
     .getwh = grub_console_getwh,
     .getxy = grub_vga_text_getxy,
     .gotoxy = grub_vga_text_gotoxy,
diff --git a/term/i386/vga_common.c b/term/i386/vga_common.c
index f88dbb04e..894c5d911 100644
--- a/term/i386/vga_common.c
+++ b/term/i386/vga_common.c
@@ -25,12 +25,6 @@ static grub_uint8_t grub_console_standard_color = 0x7;
 static grub_uint8_t grub_console_normal_color = 0x7;
 static grub_uint8_t grub_console_highlight_color = 0x70;
 
-void
-grub_console_putchar (const struct grub_unicode_glyph *c)
-{
-  grub_console_real_putchar (c->base);
-}
-
 grub_uint16_t
 grub_console_getwh (void)
 {