diff --git a/src/eval.c b/src/eval.c
index bc7f22a..3d3c8b4 100644
--- a/src/eval.c
+++ b/src/eval.c
@@ -11313,13 +11313,14 @@
 	    n = safe_vgetc();
 	else if (get_tv_number_chk(&argvars[0], &error) == 1)
 	    /* getchar(1): only check if char avail */
-	    n = vpeekc();
-	else if (error || vpeekc() == NUL)
+	    n = vpeekc_any();
+	else if (error || vpeekc_any() == NUL)
 	    /* illegal argument or getchar(0) and no char avail: return zero */
 	    n = 0;
 	else
 	    /* getchar(0) and char avail: return char */
 	    n = safe_vgetc();
+
 	if (n == K_IGNORE)
 	    continue;
 	break;