diff --git a/src/if_python.c b/src/if_python.c
index 8ba1241..02e2cd7 100644
--- a/src/if_python.c
+++ b/src/if_python.c
@@ -672,7 +672,8 @@
 python_runtime_link_init(char *libname, int verbose)
 {
     int i;
-    void *ucs_as_encoded_string;
+    PYTHON_PROC *ucs_as_encoded_string =
+				   (PYTHON_PROC*)&py_PyUnicode_AsEncodedString;
 
 #if !(defined(PY_NO_RTLD_GLOBAL) && defined(PY3_NO_RTLD_GLOBAL)) && defined(UNIX) && defined(FEAT_PYTHON3)
     /* Can't have Python and Python3 loaded at the same time.
@@ -711,14 +712,12 @@
 
     /* Load unicode functions separately as only the ucs2 or the ucs4 functions
      * will be present in the library. */
-    ucs_as_encoded_string = symbol_from_dll(hinstPython,
+    *ucs_as_encoded_string = symbol_from_dll(hinstPython,
 					     "PyUnicodeUCS2_AsEncodedString");
-    if (ucs_as_encoded_string == NULL)
-	ucs_as_encoded_string = symbol_from_dll(hinstPython,
+    if (*ucs_as_encoded_string == NULL)
+	*ucs_as_encoded_string = symbol_from_dll(hinstPython,
 					     "PyUnicodeUCS4_AsEncodedString");
-    if (ucs_as_encoded_string != NULL)
-	py_PyUnicode_AsEncodedString = ucs_as_encoded_string;
-    else
+    if (*ucs_as_encoded_string == NULL)
     {
 	close_dll(hinstPython);
 	hinstPython = 0;
diff --git a/src/if_python3.c b/src/if_python3.c
index 59c115d..b885deb 100644
--- a/src/if_python3.c
+++ b/src/if_python3.c
@@ -600,7 +600,10 @@
 py3_runtime_link_init(char *libname, int verbose)
 {
     int i;
-    void *ucs_from_string, *ucs_decode, *ucs_as_encoded_string;
+    PYTHON_PROC *ucs_from_string = (PYTHON_PROC *)&py3_PyUnicode_FromString;
+    PYTHON_PROC *ucs_decode = (PYTHON_PROC *)&py3_PyUnicode_Decode;
+    PYTHON_PROC *ucs_as_encoded_string =
+				 (PYTHON_PROC *)&py3_PyUnicode_AsEncodedString;
 
 # if !(defined(PY_NO_RTLD_GLOBAL) && defined(PY3_NO_RTLD_GLOBAL)) && defined(UNIX) && defined(FEAT_PYTHON)
     /* Can't have Python and Python3 loaded at the same time.
@@ -641,33 +644,29 @@
     /* Load unicode functions separately as only the ucs2 or the ucs4 functions
      * will be present in the library. */
 # if PY_VERSION_HEX >= 0x030300f0
-    ucs_from_string = symbol_from_dll(hinstPy3, "PyUnicode_FromString");
-    ucs_decode = symbol_from_dll(hinstPy3, "PyUnicode_Decode");
-    ucs_as_encoded_string = symbol_from_dll(hinstPy3,
+    *ucs_from_string = symbol_from_dll(hinstPy3, "PyUnicode_FromString");
+    *ucs_decode = symbol_from_dll(hinstPy3, "PyUnicode_Decode");
+    *ucs_as_encoded_string = symbol_from_dll(hinstPy3,
 	    "PyUnicode_AsEncodedString");
 # else
-    ucs_from_string = symbol_from_dll(hinstPy3, "PyUnicodeUCS2_FromString");
-    ucs_decode = symbol_from_dll(hinstPy3,
+    *ucs_from_string = symbol_from_dll(hinstPy3, "PyUnicodeUCS2_FromString");
+    *ucs_decode = symbol_from_dll(hinstPy3,
 	    "PyUnicodeUCS2_Decode");
-    ucs_as_encoded_string = symbol_from_dll(hinstPy3,
+    *ucs_as_encoded_string = symbol_from_dll(hinstPy3,
 	    "PyUnicodeUCS2_AsEncodedString");
-    if (!ucs_from_string || !ucs_decode || !ucs_as_encoded_string)
+    if (*ucs_from_string == NULL || *ucs_decode == NULL
+					     || *ucs_as_encoded_string == NULL)
     {
-	ucs_from_string = symbol_from_dll(hinstPy3,
+	*ucs_from_string = symbol_from_dll(hinstPy3,
 		"PyUnicodeUCS4_FromString");
-	ucs_decode = symbol_from_dll(hinstPy3,
+	*ucs_decode = symbol_from_dll(hinstPy3,
 		"PyUnicodeUCS4_Decode");
-	ucs_as_encoded_string = symbol_from_dll(hinstPy3,
+	*ucs_as_encoded_string = symbol_from_dll(hinstPy3,
 		"PyUnicodeUCS4_AsEncodedString");
     }
 # endif
-    if (ucs_from_string && ucs_decode && ucs_as_encoded_string)
-    {
-	py3_PyUnicode_FromString = ucs_from_string;
-	py3_PyUnicode_Decode = ucs_decode;
-	py3_PyUnicode_AsEncodedString = ucs_as_encoded_string;
-    }
-    else
+    if (*ucs_from_string == NULL || *ucs_decode == NULL
+					     || *ucs_as_encoded_string == NULL)
     {
 	close_dll(hinstPy3);
 	hinstPy3 = 0;
diff --git a/src/version.c b/src/version.c
index 791549c..1d9d376 100644
--- a/src/version.c
+++ b/src/version.c
@@ -763,6 +763,8 @@
 static int included_patches[] =
 {   /* Add new patch number below this line */
 /**/
+    1654,
+/**/
     1653,
 /**/
     1652,