diff --git a/env/eeprom.c b/env/eeprom.c
index 55d19d9..63842d6 100644
--- a/env/eeprom.c
+++ b/env/eeprom.c
@@ -61,7 +61,10 @@ static int eeprom_bus_write(unsigned dev_addr, unsigned offset,
 	return rcode;
 }
 
-static int env_eeprom_get_char(int index)
+/** Call this function from overridden env_get_char_spec() if you need
+ * this functionality.
+ */
+int env_eeprom_get_char(int index)
 {
 	uchar c;
 	unsigned int off = CONFIG_ENV_OFFSET;
@@ -228,7 +231,6 @@ static int env_eeprom_save(void)
 U_BOOT_ENV_LOCATION(eeprom) = {
 	.location	= ENVL_EEPROM,
 	ENV_NAME("EEPROM")
-	.get_char	= env_eeprom_get_char,
 	.load		= env_eeprom_load,
 	.save		= env_save_ptr(env_eeprom_save),
 };
diff --git a/env/env.c b/env/env.c
index edfb575..3795dbc 100644
--- a/env/env.c
+++ b/env/env.c
@@ -147,32 +147,17 @@ static struct env_driver *env_driver_lookup(enum env_operation op, int prio)
 	return drv;
 }
 
-int env_get_char(int index)
+__weak int env_get_char_spec(int index)
 {
-	struct env_driver *drv;
-	int prio;
+	return *(uchar *)(gd->env_addr + index);
+}
 
+int env_get_char(int index)
+{
 	if (gd->env_valid == ENV_INVALID)
 		return default_environment[index];
-
-	for (prio = 0; (drv = env_driver_lookup(ENVOP_GET_CHAR, prio)); prio++) {
-		int ret;
-
-		if (!drv->get_char)
-			continue;
-
-		if (!env_has_inited(drv->location))
-			continue;
-
-		ret = drv->get_char(index);
-		if (!ret)
-			return 0;
-
-		debug("%s: Environment %s failed to load (err=%d)\n", __func__,
-		      drv->name, ret);
-	}
-
-	return -ENODEV;
+	else
+		return env_get_char_spec(index);
 }
 
 int env_load(void)
diff --git a/env/nvram.c b/env/nvram.c
index 6f76fe4..7cc62b6 100644
--- a/env/nvram.c
+++ b/env/nvram.c
@@ -41,7 +41,10 @@ env_t *env_ptr = (env_t *)CONFIG_ENV_ADDR;
 #endif
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_SYS_NVRAM_ACCESS_ROUTINE
-static int env_nvram_get_char(int index)
+/** Call this function from overridden env_get_char_spec() if you need
+ * this functionality.
+ */
+int env_nvram_get_char(int index)
 {
 	uchar c;
 
@@ -113,9 +116,6 @@ static int env_nvram_init(void)
 U_BOOT_ENV_LOCATION(nvram) = {
 	.location	= ENVL_NVRAM,
 	ENV_NAME("NVRAM")
-#ifdef CONFIG_SYS_NVRAM_ACCESS_ROUTINE
-	.get_char	= env_nvram_get_char,
-#endif
 	.load		= env_nvram_load,
 	.save		= env_save_ptr(env_nvram_save),
 	.init		= env_nvram_init,
diff --git a/include/environment.h b/include/environment.h
index d7037cc..7986a24 100644
--- a/include/environment.h
+++ b/include/environment.h
@@ -218,17 +218,6 @@ struct env_driver {
 	enum env_location location;
 
 	/**
-	 * get_char() - Read a character from the environment
-	 *
-	 * This method is optional. If not provided, a default implementation
-	 * will read from gd->env_addr.
-	 *
-	 * @index: Index of character to read (0=first)
-	 * @return character read, or -ve on error
-	 */
-	int (*get_char)(int index);
-
-	/**
 	 * load() - Load the environment from storage
 	 *
 	 * This method is optional. If not provided, no environment will be