diff --git a/ldisc.c b/ldisc.c
index 31185406..0e864874 100644
--- a/ldisc.c
+++ b/ldisc.c
@@ -128,28 +128,19 @@ void ldisc_free(void *handle)
     sfree(ldisc);
 }
 
+void ldisc_echoedit_update(void *handle)
+{
+    Ldisc ldisc = (Ldisc) handle;
+    frontend_echoedit_update(ldisc->frontend, ECHOING, EDITING);
+}
+
 void ldisc_send(void *handle, char *buf, int len, int interactive)
 {
     Ldisc ldisc = (Ldisc) handle;
     int keyflag = 0;
-    /*
-     * Called with len=0 when the options change. We must inform
-     * the front end in case it needs to know.
-     */
-    if (len == 0) {
-	ldisc_update(ldisc->frontend, ECHOING, EDITING);
-	return;
-    }
 
-    /*
-     * If that wasn't true, then we expect ldisc->term to be non-NULL
-     * hereafter. (The only front ends which have an ldisc but no term
-     * are those which do networking but no terminal emulation, in
-     * which case they need the above if statement to handle
-     * ldisc_updates passed from the back ends, but should never send
-     * any actual input through this function.)
-     */
     assert(ldisc->term);
+    assert(len);
 
     /*
      * Notify the front end that something was pressed, in case
diff --git a/macosx/osxwin.m b/macosx/osxwin.m
index b58742d9..3bf85cd8 100644
--- a/macosx/osxwin.m
+++ b/macosx/osxwin.m
@@ -907,7 +907,7 @@ void notify_remote_exit(void *frontend)
     [win notifyRemoteExit];
 }
 
-void ldisc_update(void *frontend, int echo, int edit)
+void frontend_echoedit_update(void *frontend, int echo, int edit)
 {
     //SessionWindow *win = (SessionWindow *)frontend;
     /*
diff --git a/pscp.c b/pscp.c
index e56d760f..50ab90b5 100644
--- a/pscp.c
+++ b/pscp.c
@@ -60,16 +60,7 @@ const char *const appname = "PSCP";
  */
 #define MAX_SCP_BUFSIZE 16384
 
-void ldisc_send(void *handle, char *buf, int len, int interactive)
-{
-    /*
-     * This is only here because of the calls to ldisc_send(NULL,
-     * 0) in ssh.c. Nothing in PSCP actually needs to use the ldisc
-     * as an ldisc. So if we get called with any real data, I want
-     * to know about it.
-     */
-    assert(len == 0);
-}
+void ldisc_echoedit_update(void *handle) { }
 
 static void tell_char(FILE * stream, char c)
 {
diff --git a/psftp.c b/psftp.c
index 3fbd0c43..3543a06e 100644
--- a/psftp.c
+++ b/psftp.c
@@ -2506,16 +2506,7 @@ void connection_fatal(void *frontend, char *fmt, ...)
     cleanup_exit(1);
 }
 
-void ldisc_send(void *handle, char *buf, int len, int interactive)
-{
-    /*
-     * This is only here because of the calls to ldisc_send(NULL,
-     * 0) in ssh.c. Nothing in PSFTP actually needs to use the
-     * ldisc as an ldisc. So if we get called with any real data, I
-     * want to know about it.
-     */
-    assert(len == 0);
-}
+void ldisc_echoedit_update(void *handle) { }
 
 /*
  * In psftp, all agent requests should be synchronous, so this is a
diff --git a/putty.h b/putty.h
index d8bddbae..520de490 100644
--- a/putty.h
+++ b/putty.h
@@ -602,7 +602,7 @@ void begin_session(void *frontend);
 void sys_cursor(void *frontend, int x, int y);
 void request_paste(void *frontend);
 void frontend_keypress(void *frontend);
-void ldisc_update(void *frontend, int echo, int edit);
+void frontend_echoedit_update(void *frontend, int echo, int edit);
 /* It's the backend's responsibility to invoke this at the start of a
  * connection, if necessary; it can also invoke it later if the set of
  * special commands changes. It does not need to invoke it at session
@@ -1067,6 +1067,7 @@ void *ldisc_create(Conf *, Terminal *, Backend *, void *, void *);
 void ldisc_configure(void *, Conf *);
 void ldisc_free(void *);
 void ldisc_send(void *handle, char *buf, int len, int interactive);
+void ldisc_echoedit_update(void *handle);
 
 /*
  * Exports from ldiscucs.c.
diff --git a/ssh.c b/ssh.c
index a69bca57..c4c4fb90 100644
--- a/ssh.c
+++ b/ssh.c
@@ -5832,7 +5832,7 @@ static void do_ssh1_connection(Ssh ssh, unsigned char *in, int inlen,
 	ssh_special(ssh, TS_EOF);
 
     if (ssh->ldisc)
-	ldisc_send(ssh->ldisc, NULL, 0, 0);/* cause ldisc to notice changes */
+	ldisc_echoedit_update(ssh->ldisc);  /* cause ldisc to notice changes */
     ssh->send_ok = 1;
     ssh->channels = newtree234(ssh_channelcmp);
     while (1) {
@@ -10326,7 +10326,7 @@ static void do_ssh2_authconn(Ssh ssh, unsigned char *in, int inlen,
      * Transfer data!
      */
     if (ssh->ldisc)
-	ldisc_send(ssh->ldisc, NULL, 0, 0);/* cause ldisc to notice changes */
+	ldisc_echoedit_update(ssh->ldisc);  /* cause ldisc to notice changes */
     if (ssh->mainchan)
 	ssh->send_ok = 1;
     while (1) {
diff --git a/telnet.c b/telnet.c
index 098db292..8717a972 100644
--- a/telnet.c
+++ b/telnet.c
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ static void option_side_effects(Telnet telnet, const struct Opt *o, int enabled)
     else if (o->option == TELOPT_SGA && o->send == DO)
 	telnet->editing = !enabled;
     if (telnet->ldisc)		       /* cause ldisc to notice the change */
-	ldisc_send(telnet->ldisc, NULL, 0, 0);
+	ldisc_echoedit_update(telnet->ldisc);
 
     /* Ensure we get the minimum options */
     if (!telnet->activated) {
diff --git a/terminal.c b/terminal.c
index ac8f5dff..7570a63b 100644
--- a/terminal.c
+++ b/terminal.c
@@ -1350,7 +1350,7 @@ void term_pwron(Terminal *term, int clear)
 {
     power_on(term, clear);
     if (term->ldisc)		       /* cause ldisc to notice changes */
-	ldisc_send(term->ldisc, NULL, 0, 0);
+	ldisc_echoedit_update(term->ldisc);
     term->disptop = 0;
     deselect(term);
     term_update(term);
@@ -2574,7 +2574,7 @@ static void toggle_mode(Terminal *term, int mode, int query, int state)
 	  case 10:		       /* DECEDM: set local edit mode */
 	    term->term_editing = state;
 	    if (term->ldisc)	       /* cause ldisc to notice changes */
-		ldisc_send(term->ldisc, NULL, 0, 0);
+		ldisc_echoedit_update(term->ldisc);
 	    break;
 	  case 25:		       /* DECTCEM: enable/disable cursor */
 	    compatibility2(OTHER, VT220);
@@ -2638,7 +2638,7 @@ static void toggle_mode(Terminal *term, int mode, int query, int state)
 	  case 12:		       /* SRM: set echo mode */
 	    term->term_echoing = !state;
 	    if (term->ldisc)	       /* cause ldisc to notice changes */
-		ldisc_send(term->ldisc, NULL, 0, 0);
+		ldisc_echoedit_update(term->ldisc);
 	    break;
 	  case 20:		       /* LNM: Return sends ... */
 	    term->cr_lf_return = state;
@@ -3361,7 +3361,7 @@ static void term_out(Terminal *term)
 		    compatibility(VT100);
 		    power_on(term, TRUE);
 		    if (term->ldisc)   /* cause ldisc to notice changes */
-			ldisc_send(term->ldisc, NULL, 0, 0);
+			ldisc_echoedit_update(term->ldisc);
 		    if (term->reset_132) {
 			if (!term->no_remote_resize)
 			    request_resize(term->frontend, 80, term->rows);
diff --git a/unix/gtkwin.c b/unix/gtkwin.c
index 4cce11e6..f3a17d58 100644
--- a/unix/gtkwin.c
+++ b/unix/gtkwin.c
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ int platform_default_i(const char *name, int def)
 }
 
 /* Dummy routine, only required in plink. */
-void ldisc_update(void *frontend, int echo, int edit)
+void frontend_echoedit_update(void *frontend, int echo, int edit)
 {
 }
 
@@ -3020,7 +3020,7 @@ void reset_terminal_menuitem(GtkMenuItem *item, gpointer data)
     struct gui_data *inst = (struct gui_data *)data;
     term_pwron(inst->term, TRUE);
     if (inst->ldisc)
-	ldisc_send(inst->ldisc, NULL, 0, 0);
+	ldisc_echoedit_update(inst->ldisc);
 }
 
 void copy_all_menuitem(GtkMenuItem *item, gpointer data)
@@ -3088,7 +3088,7 @@ void change_settings_menuitem(GtkMenuItem *item, gpointer data)
          */
         if (inst->ldisc) {
             ldisc_configure(inst->ldisc, inst->conf);
-	    ldisc_send(inst->ldisc, NULL, 0, 0);
+            ldisc_echoedit_update(inst->ldisc);
         }
         /* Pass new config data to the terminal */
         term_reconfig(inst->term, inst->conf);
@@ -3924,7 +3924,7 @@ int pt_main(int argc, char **argv)
 
     start_backend(inst);
 
-    ldisc_send(inst->ldisc, NULL, 0, 0);/* cause ldisc to notice changes */
+    ldisc_echoedit_update(inst->ldisc);     /* cause ldisc to notice changes */
 
     /* now we're reday to deal with the child exit handler being
      * called */
diff --git a/unix/uxplink.c b/unix/uxplink.c
index 3901ba97..08780899 100644
--- a/unix/uxplink.c
+++ b/unix/uxplink.c
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ int term_ldisc(Terminal *term, int mode)
 {
     return FALSE;
 }
-void ldisc_update(void *frontend, int echo, int edit)
+void frontend_echoedit_update(void *frontend, int echo, int edit)
 {
     /* Update stdin read mode to reflect changes in line discipline. */
     struct termios mode;
@@ -178,8 +178,9 @@ void ldisc_update(void *frontend, int echo, int edit)
 	mode.c_cc[VMIN] = 1;
 	mode.c_cc[VTIME] = 0;
 	/* FIXME: perhaps what we do with IXON/IXOFF should be an
-	 * argument to ldisc_update(), to allow implementation of SSH-2
-	 * "xon-xoff" and Rlogin's equivalent? */
+	 * argument to frontend_echoedit_update(), to allow
+	 * implementation of SSH-2 "xon-xoff" and Rlogin's
+	 * equivalent? */
 	mode.c_iflag &= ~IXON;
 	mode.c_iflag &= ~IXOFF;
     }
@@ -981,7 +982,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
      */
     local_tty = (tcgetattr(STDIN_FILENO, &orig_termios) == 0);
     atexit(cleanup_termios);
-    ldisc_update(NULL, 1, 1);
+    frontend_echoedit_update(NULL, 1, 1);
     sending = FALSE;
     now = GETTICKCOUNT();
 
diff --git a/windows/window.c b/windows/window.c
index 7c320a0a..04059f06 100644
--- a/windows/window.c
+++ b/windows/window.c
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@ const int share_can_be_downstream = TRUE;
 const int share_can_be_upstream = TRUE;
 
 /* Dummy routine, only required in plink. */
-void ldisc_update(void *frontend, int echo, int edit)
+void frontend_echoedit_update(void *frontend, int echo, int edit)
 {
 }
 
@@ -2236,7 +2236,7 @@ static LRESULT CALLBACK WndProc(HWND hwnd, UINT message,
 		 */
 		if (ldisc) {
                     ldisc_configure(ldisc, conf);
-		    ldisc_send(ldisc, NULL, 0, 0);
+		    ldisc_echoedit_update(ldisc);
                 }
 		if (pal)
 		    DeleteObject(pal);
@@ -2379,7 +2379,7 @@ static LRESULT CALLBACK WndProc(HWND hwnd, UINT message,
 	  case IDM_RESET:
 	    term_pwron(term, TRUE);
 	    if (ldisc)
-		ldisc_send(ldisc, NULL, 0, 0);
+		ldisc_echoedit_update(ldisc);
 	    break;
 	  case IDM_ABOUT:
 	    showabout(hwnd);
diff --git a/windows/winplink.c b/windows/winplink.c
index 43826622..3ede6b07 100644
--- a/windows/winplink.c
+++ b/windows/winplink.c
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ int term_ldisc(Terminal *term, int mode)
 {
     return FALSE;
 }
-void ldisc_update(void *frontend, int echo, int edit)
+void frontend_echoedit_update(void *frontend, int echo, int edit)
 {
     /* Update stdin read mode to reflect changes in line discipline. */
     DWORD mode;