diff --git a/ext/cgi/escape/escape.c b/ext/cgi/escape/escape.c
index 75278a5399..f11a72cd82 100644
--- a/ext/cgi/escape/escape.c
+++ b/ext/cgi/escape/escape.c
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ RUBY_EXTERN const signed char ruby_digit36_to_number_table[];
 #define char_to_number(c) ruby_digit36_to_number_table[(unsigned char)(c)]
 
 static VALUE rb_cCGI, rb_mUtil, rb_mEscape;
+static ID id_accept_charset;
 
 static void
 html_escaped_cat(VALUE str, char c)
@@ -186,7 +187,7 @@ optimized_unescape_html(VALUE str)
     }
 }
 
-static int
+static unsigned char
 url_unreserved_char(unsigned char c)
 {
     switch (c) {
@@ -374,7 +375,7 @@ accept_charset(int argc, VALUE *argv, VALUE self)
 {
     if (argc > 0)
 	return argv[0];
-    return rb_cvar_get(CLASS_OF(self), rb_intern("@@accept_charset"));
+    return rb_cvar_get(CLASS_OF(self), id_accept_charset);
 }
 
 /*
@@ -402,6 +403,13 @@ cgiesc_unescape(int argc, VALUE *argv, VALUE self)
 
 void
 Init_escape(void)
+{
+    id_accept_charset = rb_intern_const("@@accept_charset");
+    InitVM(escape);
+}
+
+void
+InitVM_escape(void)
 {
     rb_cCGI    = rb_define_class("CGI", rb_cObject);
     rb_mEscape = rb_define_module_under(rb_cCGI, "Escape");