diff --git a/Lib/getpass.py b/Lib/getpass.py
index 02fe527e6b9..a726189fe1a 100644
--- a/Lib/getpass.py
+++ b/Lib/getpass.py
@@ -49,10 +49,10 @@ def win_getpass(prompt='Password: ', stream=None):
         return default_getpass(prompt, stream)
     import msvcrt
     for c in prompt:
-        msvcrt.putch(c)
+        msvcrt.putwch(c)
     pw = ""
     while 1:
-        c = msvcrt.getch()
+        c = msvcrt.getwch()
         if c == '\r' or c == '\n':
             break
         if c == '\003':
@@ -61,8 +61,8 @@ def win_getpass(prompt='Password: ', stream=None):
             pw = pw[:-1]
         else:
             pw = pw + c
-    msvcrt.putch('\r')
-    msvcrt.putch('\n')
+    msvcrt.putwch('\r')
+    msvcrt.putwch('\n')
     return pw
 
 
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS b/Misc/NEWS
index bd8a3e79b10..3e3f0e43ae8 100644
--- a/Misc/NEWS
+++ b/Misc/NEWS
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ Extension Modules
 Library
 -------
 
+- Issue #1578: Problems in win_getpass
+
 
 What's New in Python 3.0a2?
 ===========================