diff --git a/src/nsterm.m b/src/nsterm.m
index 17f40dc7e37..507f2a9e7da 100644
--- a/src/nsterm.m
+++ b/src/nsterm.m
@@ -7056,6 +7056,36 @@ - (void)unmarkText
   processingCompose = NO;
 }
 
+static Lisp_Object
+ns_in_echo_area_1 (void *ptr)
+{
+  Lisp_Object in_echo_area;
+  specpdl_ref count;
+
+  count = SPECPDL_INDEX ();
+  specbind (Qinhibit_quit, Qt);
+  in_echo_area = safe_call (1, Qns_in_echo_area);
+
+  return unbind_to (count, in_echo_area);
+}
+
+static Lisp_Object
+ns_in_echo_area_2 (enum nonlocal_exit exit, Lisp_Object error)
+{
+  return Qnil;
+}
+
+static bool
+ns_in_echo_area (void)
+{
+  Lisp_Object in_echo_area;
+
+  in_echo_area
+    = internal_catch_all (ns_in_echo_area_1, NULL,
+			  ns_in_echo_area_2);
+
+  return !NILP (in_echo_area);
+}
 
 /* Used to position char selection windows, etc.  */
 - (NSRect)firstRectForCharacterRange: (NSRange)theRange
@@ -7069,7 +7099,7 @@ - (NSRect)firstRectForCharacterRange: (NSRange)theRange
   if (NS_KEYLOG)
     NSLog (@"firstRectForCharRange request");
 
-  if (WINDOWP (echo_area_window) && ! NILP (call0 (intern ("ns-in-echo-area"))))
+  if (WINDOWP (echo_area_window) && ns_in_echo_area ())
     win = XWINDOW (echo_area_window);
   else
     win = XWINDOW (FRAME_SELECTED_WINDOW (emacsframe));
@@ -11012,6 +11042,7 @@ Nil means use fullscreen the old (< 10.7) way.  The old way works better with
   DEFSYM (Qcondensed, "condensed");
   DEFSYM (Qreverse_italic, "reverse-italic");
   DEFSYM (Qexpanded, "expanded");
+  DEFSYM (Qns_in_echo_area, "ns-in-echo-area");
 
 #ifdef NS_IMPL_COCOA
   Fprovide (Qcocoa, Qnil);