diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 42af965..b7d501a 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -2964,14 +2964,17 @@ if test "$curses" != "no" ; then
 #include <locale.h>
 #include <curses.h>
 #include <wchar.h>
+#include <langinfo.h>
 int main(void) {
   const char *s = curses_version();
+  const char *codeset;
   wchar_t wch = L'w';
   setlocale(LC_ALL, "");
   resize_term(0, 0);
   addwstr(L"wide chars\n");
   addnwstr(&wch, 1);
-  return s != 0;
+  codeset = nl_langinfo(CODESET);
+  return s != 0 && codeset != 0;
 }
 EOF
   IFS=:
diff --git a/hw/display/vga.c b/hw/display/vga.c
index 2a88b3c..ce225c9 100644
--- a/hw/display/vga.c
+++ b/hw/display/vga.c
@@ -1966,7 +1966,7 @@ static void vga_update_text(void *opaque, console_ch_t *chardata)
 
             for (i = 0; i < size; src ++, dst ++, i ++) {
                 console_write_ch(&val, VMEM2CHTYPE(le32_to_cpu(*src)));
-                if (*dst != val) {
+                if (memcmp(dst, &val, sizeof(val))) {
                     *dst = val;
                     c_max = i;
                     break;
@@ -1975,7 +1975,7 @@ static void vga_update_text(void *opaque, console_ch_t *chardata)
             c_min = i;
             for (; i < size; src ++, dst ++, i ++) {
                 console_write_ch(&val, VMEM2CHTYPE(le32_to_cpu(*src)));
-                if (*dst != val) {
+                if (memcmp(dst, &val, sizeof(val))) {
                     *dst = val;
                     c_max = i;
                 }
diff --git a/include/sysemu/sysemu.h b/include/sysemu/sysemu.h
index 66c6f15..001e416 100644
--- a/include/sysemu/sysemu.h
+++ b/include/sysemu/sysemu.h
@@ -145,6 +145,7 @@ extern int graphic_height;
 extern int graphic_depth;
 extern int display_opengl;
 extern const char *keyboard_layout;
+extern const char *font_charset;
 extern int win2k_install_hack;
 extern int alt_grab;
 extern int ctrl_grab;
diff --git a/include/ui/console.h b/include/ui/console.h
index e2589e2..6825fda 100644
--- a/include/ui/console.h
+++ b/include/ui/console.h
@@ -338,8 +338,8 @@ static inline pixman_format_code_t surface_format(DisplaySurface *s)
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_CURSES
 #include <curses.h>
-typedef chtype console_ch_t;
-extern chtype vga_to_curses[];
+typedef cchar_t console_ch_t;
+extern console_ch_t vga_to_curses[];
 #else
 typedef unsigned long console_ch_t;
 #endif
@@ -347,16 +347,20 @@ static inline void console_write_ch(console_ch_t *dest, uint32_t ch)
 {
     uint8_t c = ch;
 #ifdef CONFIG_CURSES
-    if (vga_to_curses[c]) {
-        ch &= ~(console_ch_t)0xff;
-        ch |= vga_to_curses[c];
+    if (vga_to_curses[c].chars[0]) {
+        *dest = vga_to_curses[c];
+    } else {
+        dest->chars[0] = c;
+        dest->chars[1] = 0;
+        dest->attr = 0;
     }
+    dest->attr |= ch & ~0xff;
 #else
     if (c == '\0') {
         ch |= ' ';
     }
-#endif
     *dest = ch;
+#endif
 }
 
 typedef struct GraphicHwOps {
diff --git a/qemu-options.hx b/qemu-options.hx
index b1fbdb0..31b257e 100644
--- a/qemu-options.hx
+++ b/qemu-options.hx
@@ -930,7 +930,7 @@ DEF("display", HAS_ARG, QEMU_OPTION_display,
     "            [,window_close=on|off][,gl=on|off]|curses|none|\n"
     "-display gtk[,grab_on_hover=on|off][,gl=on|off]|\n"
     "-display vnc=<display>[,<optargs>]\n"
-    "-display curses\n"
+    "-display curses[,charset=<encoding>]\n"
     "-display none"
     "                select display type\n"
     "The default display is equivalent to\n"
@@ -961,6 +961,9 @@ support a text mode, QEMU can display this output using a
 curses/ncurses interface. Nothing is displayed when the graphics
 device is in graphical mode or if the graphics device does not support
 a text mode. Generally only the VGA device models support text mode.
+The font charset used by the guest can be specified with the
+@code{charset} option, for example @code{charset=CP850} for IBM CP850
+encoding. The default is @code{CP437}.
 @item none
 Do not display video output. The guest will still see an emulated
 graphics card, but its output will not be displayed to the QEMU
diff --git a/ui/curses.c b/ui/curses.c
index 5cbbc92..7027947 100644
--- a/ui/curses.c
+++ b/ui/curses.c
@@ -28,6 +28,10 @@
 #include <sys/ioctl.h>
 #include <termios.h>
 #endif
+#include <locale.h>
+#include <wchar.h>
+#include <langinfo.h>
+#include <iconv.h>
 
 #include "qemu-common.h"
 #include "ui/console.h"
@@ -49,7 +53,7 @@ static WINDOW *screenpad = NULL;
 static int width, height, gwidth, gheight, invalidate;
 static int px, py, sminx, sminy, smaxx, smaxy;
 
-chtype vga_to_curses[256];
+console_ch_t vga_to_curses[256];
 
 static wint_t console_getch(int *maybe_keycode)
 {
@@ -71,11 +75,12 @@ static wint_t console_getch(int *maybe_keycode)
 static void curses_update(DisplayChangeListener *dcl,
                           int x, int y, int w, int h)
 {
-    chtype *line;
+    console_ch_t *line;
 
-    line = ((chtype *) screen) + y * width;
-    for (h += y; y < h; y ++, line += width)
-        mvwaddchnstr(screenpad, y, 0, line, width);
+    line = ((console_ch_t *) screen) + y * width;
+    for (h += y; y < h; y ++, line += width) {
+        mvwadd_wchnstr(screenpad, y, 0, line, width);
+    }
 
     pnoutrefresh(screenpad, py, px, sminy, sminx, smaxy - 1, smaxx - 1);
     refresh();
@@ -375,6 +380,252 @@ static void curses_atexit(void)
     endwin();
 }
 
+/* Setup wchar glyph for one UCS-2 char */
+static void convert_ucs(int glyph, uint16_t ch, iconv_t conv)
+{
+    wchar_t wch;
+    char *pch, *pwch;
+    size_t sch, swch;
+
+    pch = (char *) &ch;
+    pwch = (char *) &wch;
+    sch = sizeof(ch);
+    swch = sizeof(wch);
+
+    if (iconv(conv, &pch, &sch, &pwch, &swch) == (size_t) -1) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "Could not convert 0x%04x from UCS-2 to WCHAR_T: %s\n",
+                        ch, strerror(errno));
+    } else {
+        vga_to_curses[glyph].chars[0] = wch;
+    }
+}
+
+/* Setup wchar glyph for one font character */
+static void convert_font(unsigned char ch, iconv_t conv)
+{
+    wchar_t wch;
+    char *pch, *pwch;
+    size_t sch, swch;
+
+    pch = (char *) &ch;
+    pwch = (char *) &wch;
+    sch = sizeof(ch);
+    swch = sizeof(wch);
+
+    if (iconv(conv, &pch, &sch, &pwch, &swch) == (size_t) -1) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "Could not convert 0x%02x from %s to WCHAR_T: %s\n",
+                        ch, font_charset, strerror(errno));
+    } else {
+        vga_to_curses[ch].chars[0] = wch;
+    }
+}
+
+/* Convert one wchar to UCS-2 */
+static uint16_t get_ucs(wchar_t wch, iconv_t conv)
+{
+    uint16_t ch;
+    char *pch, *pwch;
+    size_t sch, swch;
+
+    pch = (char *) &ch;
+    pwch = (char *) &wch;
+    sch = sizeof(ch);
+    swch = sizeof(wch);
+
+    if (iconv(conv, &pwch, &swch, &pch, &sch) == (size_t) -1) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "Could not convert 0x%02x from WCHAR_T to UCS-2: %s\n",
+                        wch, strerror(errno));
+        return 0xFFFD;
+    }
+
+    return ch;
+}
+
+/*
+ * Setup mapping for vga to curses line graphics.
+ */
+static void font_setup(void)
+{
+    /* Control characters are normally non-printable, but VGA does have
+     * well-known glyphs for them.  */
+    static uint16_t control_characters[0x20] = {
+      0x0020,
+      0x263a,
+      0x263b,
+      0x2665,
+      0x2666,
+      0x2663,
+      0x2660,
+      0x2022,
+      0x25d8,
+      0x25cb,
+      0x25d9,
+      0x2642,
+      0x2640,
+      0x266a,
+      0x266b,
+      0x263c,
+      0x25ba,
+      0x25c4,
+      0x2195,
+      0x203c,
+      0x00b6,
+      0x00a7,
+      0x25ac,
+      0x21a8,
+      0x2191,
+      0x2193,
+      0x2192,
+      0x2190,
+      0x221f,
+      0x2194,
+      0x25b2,
+      0x25bc
+    };
+
+    iconv_t ucs_to_wchar_conv;
+    iconv_t wchar_to_ucs_conv;
+    iconv_t font_conv;
+    int i;
+
+    ucs_to_wchar_conv = iconv_open("WCHAR_T", "UCS-2");
+    if (ucs_to_wchar_conv == (iconv_t) -1) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "Could not convert font glyphs from UCS-2: '%s'\n",
+                        strerror(errno));
+        exit(1);
+    }
+
+    wchar_to_ucs_conv = iconv_open("UCS-2", "WCHAR_T");
+    if (wchar_to_ucs_conv == (iconv_t) -1) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "Could not convert font glyphs to UCS-2: '%s'\n",
+                        strerror(errno));
+        exit(1);
+    }
+
+    font_conv = iconv_open("WCHAR_T", font_charset);
+    if (font_conv == (iconv_t) -1) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "Could not convert font glyphs from %s: '%s'\n",
+                        font_charset, strerror(errno));
+        exit(1);
+    }
+
+    /* Control characters */
+    for (i = 0; i <= 0x1F; i++) {
+        convert_ucs(i, control_characters[i], ucs_to_wchar_conv);
+    }
+
+    for (i = 0x20; i <= 0xFF; i++) {
+        convert_font(i, font_conv);
+    }
+
+    /* DEL */
+    convert_ucs(0x7F, 0x2302, ucs_to_wchar_conv);
+
+    if (strcmp(nl_langinfo(CODESET), "UTF-8")) {
+        /* Non-Unicode capable, use termcap equivalents for those available */
+        for (i = 0; i <= 0xFF; i++) {
+            switch (get_ucs(vga_to_curses[i].chars[0], wchar_to_ucs_conv)) {
+            case 0x00a3:
+                vga_to_curses[i] = *WACS_STERLING;
+                break;
+            case 0x2591:
+                vga_to_curses[i] = *WACS_BOARD;
+                break;
+            case 0x2592:
+                vga_to_curses[i] = *WACS_CKBOARD;
+                break;
+            case 0x2502:
+                vga_to_curses[i] = *WACS_VLINE;
+                break;
+            case 0x2524:
+                vga_to_curses[i] = *WACS_RTEE;
+                break;
+            case 0x2510:
+                vga_to_curses[i] = *WACS_URCORNER;
+                break;
+            case 0x2514:
+                vga_to_curses[i] = *WACS_LLCORNER;
+                break;
+            case 0x2534:
+                vga_to_curses[i] = *WACS_BTEE;
+                break;
+            case 0x252c:
+                vga_to_curses[i] = *WACS_TTEE;
+                break;
+            case 0x251c:
+                vga_to_curses[i] = *WACS_LTEE;
+                break;
+            case 0x2500:
+                vga_to_curses[i] = *WACS_HLINE;
+                break;
+            case 0x253c:
+                vga_to_curses[i] = *WACS_PLUS;
+                break;
+            case 0x256c:
+                vga_to_curses[i] = *WACS_LANTERN;
+                break;
+            case 0x256a:
+                vga_to_curses[i] = *WACS_NEQUAL;
+                break;
+            case 0x2518:
+                vga_to_curses[i] = *WACS_LRCORNER;
+                break;
+            case 0x250c:
+                vga_to_curses[i] = *WACS_ULCORNER;
+                break;
+            case 0x2588:
+                vga_to_curses[i] = *WACS_BLOCK;
+                break;
+            case 0x03c0:
+                vga_to_curses[i] = *WACS_PI;
+                break;
+            case 0x00b1:
+                vga_to_curses[i] = *WACS_PLMINUS;
+                break;
+            case 0x2265:
+                vga_to_curses[i] = *WACS_GEQUAL;
+                break;
+            case 0x2264:
+                vga_to_curses[i] = *WACS_LEQUAL;
+                break;
+            case 0x00b0:
+                vga_to_curses[i] = *WACS_DEGREE;
+                break;
+            case 0x25a0:
+                vga_to_curses[i] = *WACS_BULLET;
+                break;
+            case 0x2666:
+                vga_to_curses[i] = *WACS_DIAMOND;
+                break;
+            case 0x2192:
+                vga_to_curses[i] = *WACS_RARROW;
+                break;
+            case 0x2190:
+                vga_to_curses[i] = *WACS_LARROW;
+                break;
+            case 0x2191:
+                vga_to_curses[i] = *WACS_UARROW;
+                break;
+            case 0x2193:
+                vga_to_curses[i] = *WACS_DARROW;
+                break;
+            case 0x23ba:
+                vga_to_curses[i] = *WACS_S1;
+                break;
+            case 0x23bb:
+                vga_to_curses[i] = *WACS_S3;
+                break;
+            case 0x23bc:
+                vga_to_curses[i] = *WACS_S7;
+                break;
+            case 0x23bd:
+                vga_to_curses[i] = *WACS_S9;
+                break;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 static void curses_setup(void)
 {
     int i, colour_default[8] = {
@@ -404,47 +655,7 @@ static void curses_setup(void)
         init_pair(i, COLOR_WHITE, COLOR_BLACK);
     }
 
-    /*
-     * Setup mapping for vga to curses line graphics.
-     * FIXME: for better font, have to use ncursesw and setlocale()
-     */
-#if 0
-    /* FIXME: map from where? */
-    ACS_S1;
-    ACS_S3;
-    ACS_S7;
-    ACS_S9;
-#endif
-    /* ACS_* is not constant. So, we can't initialize statically. */
-    vga_to_curses['\0'] = ' ';
-    vga_to_curses[0x04] = ACS_DIAMOND;
-    vga_to_curses[0x18] = ACS_UARROW;
-    vga_to_curses[0x19] = ACS_DARROW;
-    vga_to_curses[0x1a] = ACS_RARROW;
-    vga_to_curses[0x1b] = ACS_LARROW;
-    vga_to_curses[0x9c] = ACS_STERLING;
-    vga_to_curses[0xb0] = ACS_BOARD;
-    vga_to_curses[0xb1] = ACS_CKBOARD;
-    vga_to_curses[0xb3] = ACS_VLINE;
-    vga_to_curses[0xb4] = ACS_RTEE;
-    vga_to_curses[0xbf] = ACS_URCORNER;
-    vga_to_curses[0xc0] = ACS_LLCORNER;
-    vga_to_curses[0xc1] = ACS_BTEE;
-    vga_to_curses[0xc2] = ACS_TTEE;
-    vga_to_curses[0xc3] = ACS_LTEE;
-    vga_to_curses[0xc4] = ACS_HLINE;
-    vga_to_curses[0xc5] = ACS_PLUS;
-    vga_to_curses[0xce] = ACS_LANTERN;
-    vga_to_curses[0xd8] = ACS_NEQUAL;
-    vga_to_curses[0xd9] = ACS_LRCORNER;
-    vga_to_curses[0xda] = ACS_ULCORNER;
-    vga_to_curses[0xdb] = ACS_BLOCK;
-    vga_to_curses[0xe3] = ACS_PI;
-    vga_to_curses[0xf1] = ACS_PLMINUS;
-    vga_to_curses[0xf2] = ACS_GEQUAL;
-    vga_to_curses[0xf3] = ACS_LEQUAL;
-    vga_to_curses[0xf8] = ACS_DEGREE;
-    vga_to_curses[0xfe] = ACS_BULLET;
+    font_setup();
 }
 
 static void curses_keyboard_setup(void)
@@ -478,6 +689,7 @@ void curses_display_init(DisplayState *ds, int full_screen)
     }
 #endif
 
+    setlocale(LC_CTYPE, "");
     curses_setup();
     curses_keyboard_setup();
     atexit(curses_atexit);
diff --git a/vl.c b/vl.c
index 136f6f4..9bcfc5a 100644
--- a/vl.c
+++ b/vl.c
@@ -133,7 +133,8 @@ const char *bios_name = NULL;
 enum vga_retrace_method vga_retrace_method = VGA_RETRACE_DUMB;
 int request_opengl = -1;
 int display_opengl;
-const char* keyboard_layout = NULL;
+const char *keyboard_layout;
+const char *font_charset = "CP437";
 ram_addr_t ram_size;
 const char *mem_path = NULL;
 int mem_prealloc = 0; /* force preallocation of physical target memory */
@@ -2184,6 +2185,24 @@ static DisplayType select_display(const char *p)
     } else if (strstart(p, "curses", &opts)) {
 #ifdef CONFIG_CURSES
         display = DT_CURSES;
+        while (*opts) {
+            const char *nextopt, *name;
+
+            if (strstart(opts, ",charset=", &name)) {
+                nextopt = strchr(name, ',');
+                if (nextopt) {
+                    font_charset = g_strndup(name, nextopt - name);
+                    nextopt++;
+                } else {
+                    font_charset = g_strdup(name);
+                    nextopt = name + strlen(name);
+                }
+            } else {
+                error_report("invalid curses option string");
+                exit(1);
+            }
+            opts = nextopt;
+        }
 #else
         error_report("curses or iconv support is disabled");
         exit(1);
