--- a/src/gfx_func.h
+++ b/src/gfx_func.h
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@
 
 #include "gfx_type.h"
 #include "strings_type.h"
+#include "string_type.h"
 
 void GameLoop();
 
@@ -69,7 +70,7 @@
 extern Dimension _cur_resolution;
 extern Palette _cur_palette; ///< Current palette
 
-void HandleKeypress(uint32 key);
+void HandleKeypress(uint keycode, WChar key);
 void HandleCtrlChanged();
 void HandleMouseEvents();
 void CSleep(int milliseconds);

--- a/src/video/allegro_v.cpp
+++ b/src/video/allegro_v.cpp
@@ -304,7 +304,7 @@
 	AS(KEY_TILDE,   WKC_BACKQUOTE),
 };
 
-static uint32 ConvertAllegroKeyIntoMy()
+static uint32 ConvertAllegroKeyIntoMy(WChar *character)
 {
 	int scancode;
 	int unicode = ureadkey(&scancode);
@@ -326,7 +326,9 @@
 	DEBUG(driver, 0, "Scancode character pressed %u", scancode);
 	DEBUG(driver, 0, "Unicode character pressed %u", unicode);
 #endif
-	return (key << 16) + unicode;
+
+	*character = unicode;
+	return key;
 }
 
 static const uint LEFT_BUTTON  = 0;
@@ -414,7 +416,9 @@
 	if ((key_shifts & KB_ALT_FLAG) && (key[KEY_ENTER] || key[KEY_F])) {
 		ToggleFullScreen(!_fullscreen);
 	} else if (keypressed()) {
-		HandleKeypress(ConvertAllegroKeyIntoMy());
+		WChar character;
+		uint keycode = ConvertAllegroKeyIntoMy(&character);
+		HandleKeypress(keycode, character);
 	}
 }
 

--- a/src/video/cocoa/event.mm
+++ b/src/video/cocoa/event.mm
@@ -267,7 +267,7 @@
 	if (_current_mods & NSAlternateKeyMask) key |= WKC_ALT;
 	if (_current_mods & NSCommandKeyMask)   key |= (_settings_client.gui.right_mouse_btn_emulation != RMBE_CONTROL ? WKC_META : WKC_CTRL);
 
-	return key << 16;
+	return key;
 }
 
 static void QZ_KeyEvent(unsigned short keycode, unsigned short unicode, BOOL down)
@@ -289,8 +289,8 @@
 	}
 
 	if (down) {
-		uint32 pressed_key = QZ_MapKey(keycode) | unicode;
-		HandleKeypress(pressed_key);
+		uint32 pressed_key = QZ_MapKey(keycode);
+		HandleKeypress(pressed_key, unicode);
 		DEBUG(driver, 2, "cocoa_v: QZ_KeyEvent: %x (%x), down, mapping: %x", keycode, unicode, pressed_key);
 	} else {
 		DEBUG(driver, 2, "cocoa_v: QZ_KeyEvent: %x (%x), up", keycode, unicode);

--- a/src/video/sdl_v.cpp
+++ b/src/video/sdl_v.cpp
@@ -495,7 +495,7 @@
 	AS(SDLK_PERIOD,  WKC_PERIOD)
 };
 
-static uint32 ConvertSdlKeyIntoMy(SDL_keysym *sym)
+static uint ConvertSdlKeyIntoMy(SDL_keysym *sym, WChar *character)
 {
 	const VkMapping *map;
 	uint key = 0;
@@ -531,7 +531,8 @@
 	if (sym->mod & KMOD_CTRL)  key |= WKC_CTRL;
 	if (sym->mod & KMOD_ALT)   key |= WKC_ALT;
 
-	return (key << 16) + sym->unicode;
+	*character = sym->unicode;
+	return key;
 }
 
 int VideoDriver_SDL::PollEvent()
@@ -617,7 +618,9 @@
 					(ev.key.keysym.sym == SDLK_RETURN || ev.key.keysym.sym == SDLK_f)) {
 				ToggleFullScreen(!_fullscreen);
 			} else {
-				HandleKeypress(ConvertSdlKeyIntoMy(&ev.key.keysym));
+				WChar character;
+				uint keycode = ConvertSdlKeyIntoMy(&ev.key.keysym, &character);
+				HandleKeypress(keycode, character);
 			}
 			break;
 

--- a/src/video/win32_v.cpp
+++ b/src/video/win32_v.cpp
@@ -442,7 +442,7 @@
 	charcode = len == 1 ? w : 0;
 #endif /* UNICODE */
 
-	HandleKeypress(GB(charcode, 0, 16) | (keycode << 16));
+	HandleKeypress(keycode, charcode);
 
 	return 0;
 }
@@ -632,7 +632,7 @@
 
 			/* No character translation? */
 			if (charcode == 0) {
-				HandleKeypress(0 | (keycode << 16));
+				HandleKeypress(keycode, 0);
 				return 0;
 			}
 
@@ -664,11 +664,11 @@
 					return 0; // do nothing
 
 				case VK_F10: // F10, ignore activation of menu
-					HandleKeypress(MapWindowsKey(wParam) << 16);
+					HandleKeypress(MapWindowsKey(wParam), 0);
 					return 0;
 
 				default: // ALT in combination with something else
-					HandleKeypress(MapWindowsKey(wParam) << 16);
+					HandleKeypress(MapWindowsKey(wParam), 0);
 					break;
 			}
 			break;

--- a/src/window.cpp
+++ b/src/window.cpp
@@ -2443,18 +2443,15 @@
 
 /**
  * Handle keyboard input.
- * @param raw_key Lower 8 bits contain the ASCII character, the higher 16 bits the keycode
+ * @param keycode Virtual keycode of the key.
+ * @param key Unicode character of the key.
  */
-void HandleKeypress(uint32 raw_key)
+void HandleKeypress(uint keycode, WChar key)
 {
 	/* World generation is multithreaded and messes with companies.
 	 * But there is no company related window open anyway, so _current_company is not used. */
 	assert(HasModalProgress() || IsLocalCompany());
 
-	/* Setup event */
-	uint16 key     = GB(raw_key,  0, 16);
-	uint16 keycode = GB(raw_key, 16, 16);
-
 	/*
 	 * The Unicode standard defines an area called the private use area. Code points in this
 	 * area are reserved for private use and thus not portable between systems. For instance,