diff --git a/components/rasterfont/__init__.py b/components/rasterfont/__init__.py
index d1f9365..49f4646 100644
--- a/components/rasterfont/__init__.py
+++ b/components/rasterfont/__init__.py
@@ -5,23 +5,38 @@ import esphome.config_validation as cv
 import esphome.codegen as cg
 from esphome.const import CONF_ID, CONF_GLYPHS, CONF_DATA
 from esphome.core import CORE, HexInt
+import logging
 #from esphome.py_compat import sort_by_cmp
 
+_LOGGER = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
 DEPENDENCIES = ['display']
 MULTI_CONF = True
 
 Font = display.display_ns.class_('Font')
 Glyph = display.display_ns.class_('Glyph')
+GlyphData = display.display_ns.struct("GlyphData")
 
 
 def validate_data(value):
     r = type(value)()
     for k, v in value.items():
-        r[str(k)] = v
+        if isinstance(k, str):
+            try:
+                k = int(k)
+            except ValueError:
+                if len(k.encode()) > 1:
+                    _LOGGER.warning(f"multi byte character: '{k}'")
+                    continue
+                k = ord(k.encode())
+        if k>=0 and k<=9:
+            k += ord('0')
+        r[k] = v
     
     return type(value)(sorted(r.items()))
 
 CONF_RAW_DATA_ID = 'raw_data_id'
+CONF_RAW_GLYPH_ID = "raw_glyph_id"
 BIT0_DEFAULT = '0 '
 
 RASTERFONT_SCHEMA = cv.Schema({
@@ -30,6 +45,7 @@ RASTERFONT_SCHEMA = cv.Schema({
     cv.Optional(CONF_GLYPHS): cv.string_strict,
     cv.Optional('bit0', default=BIT0_DEFAULT): cv.string_strict,
     cv.GenerateID(CONF_RAW_DATA_ID): cv.declare_id(cg.uint8),
+    cv.GenerateID(CONF_RAW_GLYPH_ID): cv.declare_id(GlyphData),
 })
 
 CONFIG_SCHEMA = cv.All(RASTERFONT_SCHEMA)
@@ -40,6 +56,12 @@ def string_to_int(s, bit0):
     r = [int(b[i:i+8], 2) for i in range(0, len(b), 8)]
     return r
 
+def int_to_cchar(i):
+    if i >= 32 and i <= 126:
+        return '"%c"' % i
+    else:
+        return '"\\x%02x"' % i
+
 def to_code(config):
 
     glyph_args = {}
@@ -69,14 +91,31 @@ def to_code(config):
             glyph_data += string_to_int(row + '0'*(maxwidth-len(row)), bit0)
 
         width8 = ((width + 7) // 8) * 8
-        glyph_args[str(glyph)] = (len(data), offset_x, offset_y, width, height)
+        glyph_args[glyph] = (len(data), offset_x, offset_y, width, height)
         data += glyph_data
 
     rhs = [HexInt(x) for x in data]
     prog_arr = cg.progmem_array(config[CONF_RAW_DATA_ID], rhs)
 
-    glyphs = []
+    glyph_initializer = []
     for glyph in config[CONF_DATA].keys():
-        glyphs.append(Glyph(str(glyph), prog_arr, *glyph_args[str(glyph)]))
+        glyph_initializer.append(
+            cg.StructInitializer(
+                GlyphData,
+                ("a_char", cg.RawExpression(int_to_cchar(glyph))),
+                (
+                    "data",
+                    cg.RawExpression(str(prog_arr) + " + " + str(glyph_args[glyph][0])),
+                ),
+                ("offset_x", glyph_args[glyph][1]),
+                ("offset_y", glyph_args[glyph][2]),
+                ("width", glyph_args[glyph][3]),
+                ("height", glyph_args[glyph][4]),
+            )
+        )
 
-    cg.new_Pvariable(config[CONF_ID], glyphs, 0, 0)
+    glyphs = cg.static_const_array(config[CONF_RAW_GLYPH_ID], glyph_initializer)
+
+    cg.new_Pvariable(
+        config[CONF_ID], glyphs, len(glyph_initializer), 0, 0
+    )