diff --git a/include/textbox.h b/include/textbox.h
index 103898c6..455904f8 100644
--- a/include/textbox.h
+++ b/include/textbox.h
@@ -103,7 +103,15 @@ void textbox_text ( textbox *tb, const char *text );
 void textbox_draw ( textbox *tb, cairo_t *draw );
 
 int textbox_keybinding ( textbox *tb, KeyBindingAction action );
-gboolean textbox_append ( textbox *tb, char *pad, int pad_len );
+/**
+ * @param tb Handle to the textbox
+ * @param pad The text to insert
+ * @param pad_len the length of the text
+ *
+ * The text should be one insert from a keypress..  the first gunichar is validated to be (or not) control
+ * return TRUE if inserted
+ */
+gboolean textbox_append_char ( textbox *tb, char *pad, int pad_len );
 
 /**
  * @param tb  Handle to the textbox
diff --git a/source/textbox.c b/source/textbox.c
index e58230ea..a5f24bed 100644
--- a/source/textbox.c
+++ b/source/textbox.c
@@ -600,22 +600,19 @@ int textbox_keybinding ( textbox *tb, KeyBindingAction action )
     g_return_val_if_reached ( 0 );
 }
 
-gboolean textbox_append ( textbox *tb, char *pad, int pad_len )
+gboolean textbox_append_char ( textbox *tb, char *pad, int pad_len )
 {
     if ( !( tb->flags & TB_EDITABLE ) ) {
         return FALSE;
     }
-    int old_blink = tb->blink;
-    tb->blink = 2;
 
     // Filter When alt/ctrl is pressed do not accept the character.
-    if (  !g_ascii_iscntrl ( *pad ) ) {
+    if ( !g_unichar_iscntrl(g_utf8_get_char(pad))){
+        tb->blink = 2;
         textbox_insert ( tb, tb->cursor, pad, pad_len );
         textbox_cursor ( tb, tb->cursor + pad_len );
         return TRUE;
     }
-
-    tb->blink = old_blink;
     return FALSE;
 }
 
diff --git a/source/view.c b/source/view.c
index 1114c923..8473d859 100644
--- a/source/view.c
+++ b/source/view.c
@@ -1535,7 +1535,7 @@ static void rofi_view_handle_keypress ( RofiViewState *state, xkb_stuff *xkb, xc
         }
     }
 
-    if ( ( len > 0 ) && ( textbox_append ( state->text, pad, len ) ) ) {
+    if ( ( len > 0 ) && ( textbox_append_char ( state->text, pad, len ) ) ) {
         state->refilter = TRUE;
         state->update   = TRUE;
         return;