diff --git a/src/conversions.cpp b/src/conversions.cpp
index ded01e0e..a01c51f5 100644
--- a/src/conversions.cpp
+++ b/src/conversions.cpp
@@ -160,24 +160,43 @@ unsigned short from_python(PyObject* p, boost::python::type<unsigned short> type
     return integer_from_python(p, type);
 }
 
-PyObject* to_python(unsigned char i)
+PyObject* char_to_python(char c)
 {
-	return integer_to_python(i);
+  return PyString_FromStringAndSize(&c, 1);
+}
+
+char char_from_python(PyObject* p)
+{
+    if (! PyString_Check(p)) {
+        PyErr_SetString(PyExc_TypeError, "expected string with exactly one character");
+        throw boost::python::argument_error();
+    }
+    const char* s = PyString_AsString(p);
+    if (! s || s[0] == '\0' || s[1] != '\0') {
+        PyErr_SetString(PyExc_ValueError, "expected string with exactly one character");
+        throw boost::python::argument_error();
+    }
+    return s[0];
+}
+
+PyObject* to_python(unsigned char c)
+{
+	return char_to_python(static_cast<char>(c));
 }
 
 unsigned char from_python(PyObject* p, boost::python::type<unsigned char> type)
 {
-    return integer_from_python(p, type);
+    return static_cast<unsigned char>(char_from_python(p));
 }
 
-PyObject* to_python(signed char i)
+PyObject* to_python(signed char c)
 {
-	return integer_to_python(i);
+	return char_to_python(static_cast<char>(c));
 }
 
 signed char from_python(PyObject* p, boost::python::type<signed char> type)
 {
-    return integer_from_python(p, type);
+    return static_cast<signed char>(char_from_python(p));
 }
 
 PyObject* to_python(unsigned long x)