diff --git a/kitty/data-types.h b/kitty/data-types.h
index 59af1ad01..b01dffa8f 100644
--- a/kitty/data-types.h
+++ b/kitty/data-types.h
@@ -396,6 +396,7 @@ void screen_erase_characters(Screen *self, unsigned int count);
 void screen_set_margins(Screen *self, unsigned int top, unsigned int bottom);
 void screen_change_charset(Screen *, uint32_t to);
 void screen_designate_charset(Screen *, uint32_t which, uint32_t as);
+void screen_use_latin1(Screen *, bool);
 void set_title(Screen *self, PyObject*);
 void set_icon(Screen *self, PyObject*);
 void set_dynamic_color(Screen *self, unsigned int code, PyObject*);
diff --git a/kitty/parser.c b/kitty/parser.c
index 3219292d7..aba12175a 100644
--- a/kitty/parser.c
+++ b/kitty/parser.c
@@ -225,10 +225,12 @@ handle_esc_mode_char(Screen *screen, uint32_t ch, PyObject DUMP_UNUSED *dump_cal
                     switch(ch) {
                         case '@':
                             REPORT_COMMAND(screen_use_latin1, 1);
-                            screen->use_latin1 = true; screen->utf8_state = 0; screen->utf8_codepoint = 0; break;
+                            screen_use_latin1(screen, true);
+                            break;
                         case 'G':
                             REPORT_COMMAND(screen_use_latin1, 0);
-                            screen->use_latin1 = false; screen->utf8_state = 0; screen->utf8_codepoint = 0; break;
+                            screen_use_latin1(screen, false);
+                            break;
                         default:
                             REPORT_ERROR("Unhandled Esc %% code: 0x%x", ch);  break;
                     }
diff --git a/kitty/screen.c b/kitty/screen.c
index 3fec81a76..41a61d93c 100644
--- a/kitty/screen.c
+++ b/kitty/screen.c
@@ -857,6 +857,11 @@ void screen_erase_characters(Screen *self, unsigned int count) {
 
 // Device control {{{
 
+void
+screen_use_latin1(Screen *self, bool on) {
+    self->use_latin1 = on; self->utf8_state = 0; self->utf8_codepoint = 0; 
+}
+
 void 
 screen_bell(Screen UNUSED *self) {  
     PyObject_CallMethod(self->callbacks, "bell", NULL);