diff --git a/files/file.c b/files/file.c
index e3847c47b01..9b04fc5c151 100644
--- a/files/file.c
+++ b/files/file.c
@@ -364,6 +364,42 @@ static HANDLE FILE_OpenConsole( BOOL output, DWORD access, DWORD sharing, LPSECU
     return ret;
 }
 
+/* FIXME: those routines defined as pointers are needed, because this file is
+ * currently compiled into NTDLL whereas it belongs to kernel32.
+ * this shall go away once all the DLL separation process is done
+ */
+typedef BOOL    (WINAPI* pRW)(HANDLE, const void*, DWORD, DWORD*, void*);
+
+static  BOOL FILE_ReadConsole(HANDLE hCon, void* buf, DWORD nb, DWORD* nr, void* p)
+{
+    static      HANDLE  hKernel /* = 0 */;
+    static      pRW     pReadConsole  /* = 0 */;
+
+    if ((!hKernel && !(hKernel = LoadLibraryA("kernel32"))) ||
+        (!pReadConsole &&
+         !(pReadConsole = GetProcAddress(hKernel, "ReadConsoleA"))))
+    {
+        *nr = 0;
+        return 0;
+    }
+    return (pReadConsole)(hCon, buf, nb, nr, p);
+}
+
+static  BOOL FILE_WriteConsole(HANDLE hCon, const void* buf, DWORD nb, DWORD* nr, void* p)
+{
+    static      HANDLE  hKernel /* = 0 */;
+    static      pRW     pWriteConsole  /* = 0 */;
+
+    if ((!hKernel && !(hKernel = LoadLibraryA("kernel32"))) ||
+        (!pWriteConsole &&
+         !(pWriteConsole = GetProcAddress(hKernel, "WriteConsoleA"))))
+    {
+        *nr = 0;
+        return 0;
+    }
+    return (pWriteConsole)(hCon, buf, nb, nr, p);
+}
+/* end of FIXME */
 
 /***********************************************************************
  *           FILE_CreateFile
@@ -1640,7 +1676,7 @@ BOOL WINAPI ReadFile( HANDLE hFile, LPVOID buffer, DWORD bytesToRead,
     case FD_TYPE_SMB:
         return SMB_ReadFile(hFile, buffer, bytesToRead, bytesRead, NULL);
     case FD_TYPE_CONSOLE:
-	return ReadConsoleA(hFile, buffer, bytesToRead, bytesRead, NULL);
+	return FILE_ReadConsole(hFile, buffer, bytesToRead, bytesRead, NULL);
 
     default:
 	/* normal unix files */
@@ -1840,7 +1876,7 @@ BOOL WINAPI WriteFile( HANDLE hFile, LPCVOID buffer, DWORD bytesToWrite,
     case FD_TYPE_CONSOLE:
 	TRACE("%d %s %ld %p %p\n", hFile, debugstr_an(buffer, bytesToWrite), bytesToWrite,
 	      bytesWritten, overlapped );
-	return WriteConsoleA(hFile, buffer, bytesToWrite, bytesWritten, NULL);
+	return FILE_WriteConsole(hFile, buffer, bytesToWrite, bytesWritten, NULL);
     default:
 	if (unix_handle == -1)
 	    return FALSE;