diff --git a/eval.c b/eval.c
index 734afe97..ead0f323 100644
--- a/eval.c
+++ b/eval.c
@@ -1469,14 +1469,6 @@ sexp sexp_string_utf8_index_ref (sexp ctx, sexp self, sexp_sint_t n, sexp str, s
   return sexp_string_utf8_ref(ctx, str, off);
 }
 
-void sexp_write_utf8_char (sexp ctx, int c, sexp out) {
-  unsigned char buf[8];
-  int len = sexp_utf8_char_byte_count(c);
-  sexp_utf8_encode_char(buf, len, c);
-  buf[len] = 0;
-  sexp_write_string(ctx, (char*)buf, out);
-}
-
 sexp sexp_read_utf8_char (sexp ctx, sexp port, int i) {
   if (i >= 0x80) {
     if ((i < 0xC0) || (i > 0xF7)) {
diff --git a/include/chibi/sexp.h b/include/chibi/sexp.h
index bb558cb7..32b7c1c5 100755
--- a/include/chibi/sexp.h
+++ b/include/chibi/sexp.h
@@ -1225,6 +1225,7 @@ SEXP_API void sexp_init(void);
 SEXP_API sexp sexp_string_index_to_offset (sexp ctx, sexp self, sexp_sint_t n, sexp str, sexp index);
 SEXP_API sexp sexp_utf8_substring_op (sexp ctx, sexp self, sexp_sint_t n, sexp str, sexp start, sexp end);
 SEXP_API void sexp_utf8_encode_char (unsigned char* p, int len, int c);
+SEXP_API void sexp_write_utf8_char (sexp ctx, int c, sexp out);
 #endif
 
 #if SEXP_USE_GREEN_THREADS
diff --git a/sexp.c b/sexp.c
index 9216ed60..2ba3da20 100644
--- a/sexp.c
+++ b/sexp.c
@@ -1699,13 +1699,23 @@ sexp sexp_write_op (sexp ctx, sexp self, sexp_sint_t n, sexp obj, sexp out) {
   return sexp_write_one(ctx, obj, out);
 }
 
+#if SEXP_USE_UTF8_STRINGS
+void sexp_write_utf8_char (sexp ctx, int c, sexp out) {
+  unsigned char buf[8];
+  int len = sexp_utf8_char_byte_count(c);
+  sexp_utf8_encode_char(buf, len, c);
+  buf[len] = 0;
+  sexp_write_string(ctx, (char*)buf, out);
+}
+#endif
+
 sexp sexp_display_op (sexp ctx, sexp self, sexp_sint_t n, sexp obj, sexp out) {
   sexp res=SEXP_VOID;
   sexp_assert_type(ctx, sexp_oportp, SEXP_OPORT, out);
   if (sexp_stringp(obj))
     sexp_write_string(ctx, sexp_string_data(obj), out);
   else if (sexp_charp(obj))
-    sexp_write_char(ctx, sexp_unbox_character(obj), out);
+    sexp_write_utf8_char(ctx, sexp_unbox_character(obj), out);
   else
     res = sexp_write_one(ctx, obj, out);
   return res;