diff --git a/src/keyboard.c b/src/keyboard.c
index 2e4c4e6aab..34322be6fe 100644
--- a/src/keyboard.c
+++ b/src/keyboard.c
@@ -3067,7 +3067,9 @@ read_char (int commandflag, Lisp_Object map,
       /* Don't run the input method within a key sequence,
 	 after the first event of the key sequence.  */
       && NILP (prev_event)
-      && ' ' <= XFIXNUM (c) && XFIXNUM (c) < 256 && XFIXNUM (c) != 127)
+      && ' ' <= XFIXNUM (c)
+      && (! NILP (Vinput_method_translate_unicode) || XFIXNUM (c) < 256)
+      && XFIXNUM (c) != 127)
     {
       Lisp_Object keys;
       ptrdiff_t key_count;
@@ -12325,6 +12327,11 @@ syms_of_keyboard (void)
 before running the input method.  It is nil if there was no message.  */);
   Vinput_method_previous_message = Qnil;
 
+  DEFVAR_LISP ("input-method-translate-unicode",
+	       Vinput_method_translate_unicode,
+	       doc: /* If non-nil, allows `read-char` to use charcodes over 255 in input methods. */);
+  Vinput_method_translate_unicode = Qnil;
+
   DEFVAR_LISP ("show-help-function", Vshow_help_function,
 	       doc: /* If non-nil, the function that implements the display of help.
 It's called with one argument, the help string to display.  */);