diff --git a/src/core.c b/src/core.c
index 842709a0..0faee086 100644
--- a/src/core.c
+++ b/src/core.c
@@ -791,13 +791,13 @@ struct text_object *construct_text_object(const char *s, const char *arg, long
 		obj->callbacks.print = &print_mixerr;
 	END OBJ(mixerbar, 0)
 		scan_mixer_bar(obj, arg);
-		obj->callbacks.print = &print_mixer_bar;
+		obj->callbacks.barval = &mixer_barval;
 	END OBJ(mixerlbar, 0)
 		scan_mixer_bar(obj, arg);
-		obj->callbacks.print = &print_mixerl_bar;
+		obj->callbacks.barval = &mixerl_barval;
 	END OBJ(mixerrbar, 0)
 		scan_mixer_bar(obj, arg);
-		obj->callbacks.print = &print_mixerr_bar;
+		obj->callbacks.barval = &mixerr_barval;
 	END OBJ_IF(if_mixer_mute, 0)
 		parse_mixer_arg(obj, arg);
 		obj->callbacks.iftest = &check_mixer_muted;
diff --git a/src/mixer.c b/src/mixer.c
index b3f11965..5dff58a4 100644
--- a/src/mixer.c
+++ b/src/mixer.c
@@ -339,35 +339,17 @@ void scan_mixer_bar(struct text_object *obj, const char *arg)
 	}
 }
 
-/* see print_mixer() above for a description of 'chan' */
-static void print_mixer_bar_chan(struct text_object *obj, int chan, char *p, int p_max_size)
+uint8_t mixer_barval(struct text_object *obj)
 {
-	int val;
-
-	if (!p_max_size)
-		return;
-
-	if (chan < 0)
-		val = mixer_get_left(obj->data.i);
-	else if (chan == 0)
-		val = mixer_get_avg(obj->data.i);
-	else
-		val = mixer_get_right(obj->data.i);
-
-	new_bar(obj, p, p_max_size, mixer_to_255(obj->data.i, val));
+	return mixer_to_255(obj->data.i, mixer_get_avg(obj->data.i));
 }
 
-void print_mixer_bar(struct text_object *obj, char *p, int p_max_size)
+uint8_t mixerl_barval(struct text_object *obj)
 {
-	print_mixer_bar_chan(obj, 0, p, p_max_size);
+	return mixer_to_255(obj->data.i, mixer_get_left(obj->data.i));
 }
 
-void print_mixerl_bar(struct text_object *obj, char *p, int p_max_size)
+uint8_t mixerr_barval(struct text_object *obj)
 {
-	print_mixer_bar_chan(obj, -1, p, p_max_size);
-}
-
-void print_mixerr_bar(struct text_object *obj, char *p, int p_max_size)
-{
-	print_mixer_bar_chan(obj, 1, p, p_max_size);
+	return mixer_to_255(obj->data.i, mixer_get_right(obj->data.i));
 }
diff --git a/src/mixer.h b/src/mixer.h
index 4ebd3ab0..a1f4d174 100644
--- a/src/mixer.h
+++ b/src/mixer.h
@@ -10,8 +10,8 @@ void print_mixerr(struct text_object *, char *, int);
 int check_mixer_muted(struct text_object *);
 
 void scan_mixer_bar(struct text_object *, const char *);
-void print_mixer_bar(struct text_object *, char *, int);
-void print_mixerl_bar(struct text_object *, char *, int);
-void print_mixerr_bar(struct text_object *, char *, int);
+uint8_t mixer_barval(struct text_object *);
+uint8_t mixerl_barval(struct text_object *);
+uint8_t mixerr_barval(struct text_object *);
 
 #endif /*MIXER_H_*/