diff --git a/edit/edit.c b/edit/edit.c
index c4a9bf345..dc13078ca 100644
--- a/edit/edit.c
+++ b/edit/edit.c
@@ -123,15 +123,16 @@ int edit_get_byte (WEdit * edit, long byte_index)
 int edit_get_utf (WEdit * edit, long byte_index, int *char_width)
 {
     unsigned long p;
-    gunichar *str;
+    gchar *str = NULL;
     int res = -1;
     gunichar ch;
-    gunichar *next_ch = NULL;
+    gchar *next_ch = NULL;
+    int width = 0;
 
-    char_width = -1;
-
-    if (byte_index >= (edit->curs1 + edit->curs2) || byte_index < 0)
-        return NULL;
+    if (byte_index >= (edit->curs1 + edit->curs2) || byte_index < 0) {
+        *char_width = 0;
+        return 0;
+    }
 
     if (byte_index >= edit->curs1) {
         p = edit->curs1 + edit->curs2 - byte_index - 1;
@@ -143,22 +144,25 @@ int edit_get_utf (WEdit * edit, long byte_index, int *char_width)
     res = g_utf8_get_char_validated (str, -1);
 
     if ( res < 0 ) {
-        ch = (char) str;
-        char_width = 1;
+        ch = *str;
+        width = 1;
     } else {
         ch = res;
+        /* Calculate UTF-8 char width */
         next_ch = g_utf8_next_char(str);
         if ( next_ch ) {
             if ( next_ch != str ) {
-                char_width = next_ch - str;
+                width = next_ch - str;
             } else {
-                char_width = -1;
+                width = 0;
             }
         } else {
             ch = 0;
-            char_width = -1;
+            width = 0;
         }
     }
+    *char_width = width;
+    return ch;
 }
 
 /*
diff --git a/edit/editdraw.c b/edit/editdraw.c
index 9efa23f12..f28869b48 100644
--- a/edit/editdraw.c
+++ b/edit/editdraw.c
@@ -318,6 +318,7 @@ edit_draw_this_line (WEdit *edit, long b, long row, long start_col,
 	    }
 
 	    while (col <= end_col - edit->start_col) {
+	        mc_log("col=%i, end_col = %i, edit->start_col = %i, end_col - edit->start_col = %i\n",col, end_col, edit->start_col,end_col - edit->start_col );
 		p->ch = 0;
 		p->style = 0;
 		if (q == edit->curs1)
@@ -341,6 +342,7 @@ edit_draw_this_line (WEdit *edit, long b, long row, long start_col,
 		    c = edit_get_byte (edit, q);
 		} else {
 		    c = edit_get_utf (edit, q, &cw);
+		    mc_log("c:%04x, w:%i\n", c, cw);
 		}
                 /* we don't use bg for mc - fg contains both */
 		edit_get_syntax_color (edit, q, &color);
@@ -449,13 +451,18 @@ edit_draw_this_line (WEdit *edit, long b, long row, long start_col,
 		    } else {
 			p->ch = c;
 			p++;
-		        if ( cw > 1)
+		        if ( cw > 1) {
 		            col += cw - 1;
+		            mc_log("col+ : %i\n",  cw-1);
+		        }
 		    }
 		    col++;
 		    break;
 		}
 		q++;
+		if ( cw > 1) {
+		  q += cw - 1;
+		}
 	    }
 	}
     } else {