diff --git a/client/character.js b/client/character.js
index cce5778f..a209d53e 100644
--- a/client/character.js
+++ b/client/character.js
@@ -76,20 +76,8 @@ const refreshMetadata = (row) => {
 }
 
 const updateCharacter = () => {
-  const value = character.get();
-  if (value == null) {
-    return;
-  }
-  const part = Math.floor(value.charCodeAt(0) / 256);
-  $.get(`characters/part-${part}.txt`, (response, code) => {
-    if (code !== 'success') throw new Error(code);
-    const data = JSON.parse(response);
-    for (let row of data) {
-      if (row.character === character.get()) {
-        refreshMetadata(row);
-      }
-    }
-  });
+  makemeahanzi.lookupCharacter(character.get(), (row) => {
+      if (row.character === character.get()) refreshMetadata(row); });
 }
 
 // Methods for running the stroke-order animation.
diff --git a/lib/character.js b/lib/character.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e2f9005d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/character.js
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+this.makemeahanzi.lookupCharacter = (character, callback) => {
+  if (!character) return;
+  const part = Math.floor(character.charCodeAt(0) / 256);
+  $.get(`characters/part-${part}.txt`, (response, code) => {
+    if (code !== 'success') throw new Error(code);
+    const data = JSON.parse(response);
+    for (let row of data) {
+      if (row.character === character) {
+        callback(row);
+      }
+    }
+  });
+}