diff --git a/src/aeso_ast_to_icode.erl b/src/aeso_ast_to_icode.erl
index 38bba87..c3cbed6 100644
--- a/src/aeso_ast_to_icode.erl
+++ b/src/aeso_ast_to_icode.erl
@@ -461,6 +461,8 @@ ast_body({bool, _, Bool}, _Icode) ->        %BOOL as ints
     #integer{value = Value};
 ast_body({int, _, Value}, _Icode) ->
     #integer{value = Value};
+ast_body({char, _, Value}, _Icode) ->
+    #integer{value = Value};
 ast_body({bytes, _, Bin}, _Icode) ->
     case aeb_memory:binary_to_words(Bin) of
         [Word] -> #integer{value = Word};
diff --git a/src/aeso_icode.erl b/src/aeso_icode.erl
index df8721b..42de355 100644
--- a/src/aeso_icode.erl
+++ b/src/aeso_icode.erl
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ builtin_types() ->
     Word = fun([]) -> word end,
     #{ "bool"         => Word
      , "int"          => Word
+     , "char"         => Word
      , "bits"         => Word
      , "string"       => fun([]) -> string end
      , "address"      => Word