diff --git a/hw/xfree86/common/xf86Events.c b/hw/xfree86/common/xf86Events.c
index c4a4db9be..41ffabde3 100644
--- a/hw/xfree86/common/xf86Events.c
+++ b/hw/xfree86/common/xf86Events.c
@@ -601,16 +601,15 @@ xf86AddGeneralHandler(int fd, InputHandlerProc proc, pointer data)
 InputHandlerProc
 xf86SetConsoleHandler(InputHandlerProc proc, pointer data)
 {
-    static InputHandlerProc handler = NULL;
-    InputHandlerProc old_handler = handler;
+    static IHPtr handler = NULL;
+    IHPtr old_handler = handler;
 
     if (old_handler)
         xf86RemoveGeneralHandler(old_handler);
 
-    xf86AddGeneralHandler(xf86Info.consoleFd, proc, data);
-    handler = proc;
+    handler = xf86AddGeneralHandler(xf86Info.consoleFd, proc, data);
 
-    return old_handler;
+    return (old_handler) ? old_handler->ihproc : NULL;
 }
 
 static void
diff --git a/hw/xfree86/os-support/linux/lnx_init.c b/hw/xfree86/os-support/linux/lnx_init.c
index 9c9174034..f18271f38 100644
--- a/hw/xfree86/os-support/linux/lnx_init.c
+++ b/hw/xfree86/os-support/linux/lnx_init.c
@@ -45,15 +45,12 @@ static char vtname[11];
 static struct termios tty_attr; /* tty state to restore */
 static int tty_mode; /* kbd mode to restore */
 
-static void *console_handler;
-
 static void
 drain_console(int fd, void *closure)
 {
     errno = 0;
     if (tcflush(fd, TCIOFLUSH) == -1 && errno == EIO) {
-	xf86RemoveGeneralHandler(console_handler);
-	console_handler = NULL;
+        xf86SetConsoleHandler(NULL, NULL);
     }
 }
 
@@ -257,10 +254,11 @@ xf86CloseConsole(void)
         return;
     }
 
-    if (console_handler) {
-	xf86RemoveGeneralHandler(console_handler);
-	console_handler = NULL;
-    };
+    /*
+     * unregister the drain_console handler
+     * - what to do if someone else changed it in the meantime?
+     */
+    xf86SetConsoleHandler(NULL, NULL);
 
     /* Back to text mode ... */
     SYSCALL(ret = ioctl(xf86Info.consoleFd, KDSETMODE, KD_TEXT));