diff --git a/etc/symbol-releases.eld b/etc/symbol-releases.eld
index 93f0f5419f4..9732f60fc16 100644
--- a/etc/symbol-releases.eld
+++ b/etc/symbol-releases.eld
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 
 (
  ("29.1" fun plistp)
+ ("29.1" fun help-key)
  ("28.1" fun always)
  ("27.1" fun project-files)
  ("26.1" fun flymake--diag-region)
diff --git a/lisp/dired-aux.el b/lisp/dired-aux.el
index 7534eb552ad..d7d4a394c4a 100644
--- a/lisp/dired-aux.el
+++ b/lisp/dired-aux.el
@@ -1912,7 +1912,7 @@ return t; if SYM is q or ESC, return nil."
 		 (concat (apply #'format-message prompt args)
 			 (if help-form
 			     (format " [Type yn!q or %s] "
-				     (key-description (vector help-char)))
+                                     (help-key))
 			   " [Type y, n, q or !] ")))
 	   (set sym (setq char (read-char-choice prompt char-choices)))
 	   (if (memq char '(?y ?\s ?!)) t)))))
diff --git a/lisp/emacs-lisp/helper.el b/lisp/emacs-lisp/helper.el
index 8a173219545..01dbc686437 100644
--- a/lisp/emacs-lisp/helper.el
+++ b/lisp/emacs-lisp/helper.el
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@
   ;;"f" #'Helper-describe-function
   ;;"v" #'Helper-describe-variable
   "?" #'Helper-help-options
-  (key-description (char-to-string help-char)) #'Helper-help-options)
+  (help-key) #'Helper-help-options)
 (fset 'Helper-help-map Helper-help-map)
 
 (defun Helper-help-scroller ()
diff --git a/lisp/emacs-lisp/map-ynp.el b/lisp/emacs-lisp/map-ynp.el
index 952497032a2..fc9912f189e 100644
--- a/lisp/emacs-lisp/map-ynp.el
+++ b/lisp/emacs-lisp/map-ynp.el
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ The function's value is the number of actions taken."
                                          "%s(\\`y', \\`n', \\`!', \\`.', \\`q', %sor \\`%s') "
                                          minibuffer-prompt-properties)
                                   prompt user-keys
-                                  (key-description (vector help-char)))))
+                                  (help-key))))
 		       (if minibuffer-auto-raise
 			   (raise-frame (window-frame (minibuffer-window))))
                        (unwind-protect
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ The function's value is the number of actions taken."
                                  (format
                                   "%s(\\`y', \\`n', \\`!', \\`.', \\`q', %sor \\`%s') %s"
                                   prompt user-keys
-                                  (key-description (vector help-char))
+                                  (help-key)
                                   (if (equal char -1)
                                       "[end-of-keyboard-macro]"
                                     (single-key-description char))))))
@@ -279,7 +279,7 @@ Type \\`SPC' or \\`y' to %s the current %s;
                           (message (substitute-command-keys
                                     (format
                                      "Type \\`%s' for help"
-                                     (key-description (vector help-char)))))
+                                     (help-key))))
 			  (beep)
 			  (sit-for 1)
 			  (funcall try-again))))
diff --git a/lisp/help.el b/lisp/help.el
index 835e47fec43..b0c003ed16a 100644
--- a/lisp/help.el
+++ b/lisp/help.el
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ buffer.")
 
 (defun help-key ()
   "Return `help-char' in a format suitable for the `keymap-set' KEY argument."
-  (key-description (char-to-string help-char)))
+  (key-description (vector help-char)))
 
 (defvar-keymap help-map
   :doc "Keymap for characters following the Help key."
diff --git a/lisp/net/tramp-cmds.el b/lisp/net/tramp-cmds.el
index 0d90382b2d3..098e39ccf7c 100644
--- a/lisp/net/tramp-cmds.el
+++ b/lisp/net/tramp-cmds.el
@@ -550,7 +550,8 @@ ESC or `q' to quit without changing further buffers,
 		 (new-bfn (and (stringp bfn) (string-replace source target bfn)))
 		 (prompt (format-message
 			  "Set visited file name to `%s' [Type yn!eq or %s] "
-			  new-bfn (key-description (vector help-char)))))
+                          new-bfn (if (fboundp 'help-key) (help-key) ; 29.1
+                                    (key-description (vector help-char))))))
 	    (when (and (buffer-live-p buffer) (stringp bfn)
 		       (string-prefix-p source bfn)
 		       ;; Skip, and don't ask again.
diff --git a/lisp/which-key.el b/lisp/which-key.el
index bfeb9da7422..c62595da587 100644
--- a/lisp/which-key.el
+++ b/lisp/which-key.el
@@ -2213,7 +2213,8 @@ Actual lines: %s"
   (let* ((paging-key (concat prefix-keys " " which-key-paging-key))
          (paging-key-bound (eq 'which-key-C-h-dispatch
                                (key-binding (kbd paging-key))))
-         (key (key-description (vector help-char)))
+         (key (if (fboundp 'help-key) (help-key) ; 29.1
+                (key-description (vector help-char))))
          (key (if paging-key-bound
                   (concat key " or " which-key-paging-key)
                 key)))