diff --git a/test/callbacks.cpp b/test/callbacks.cpp
index 2bf285b5..6d1b8fba 100644
--- a/test/callbacks.cpp
+++ b/test/callbacks.cpp
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@
 #include <boost/python/class.hpp>
 #include <boost/ref.hpp>
 #include <boost/python/ptr.hpp>
+#include <boost/python/return_value_policy.hpp>
+#include <boost/python/reference_existing_object.hpp>
 
 using namespace boost::python;
 
@@ -48,6 +50,16 @@ void apply_void_X_ref(PyObject* f, X& x)
     returning<void>::call(f, boost::ref(x));
 }
 
+X& apply_X_ref_pyobject(PyObject* f, PyObject* obj)
+{
+    return returning<X&>::call(f, obj);
+}
+
+X* apply_X_ptr_pyobject(PyObject* f, PyObject* obj)
+{
+    return returning<X*>::call(f, obj);
+}
+
 void apply_void_X_cref(PyObject* f, X const& x)
 {
     returning<void>::call(f, boost::cref(x));
@@ -63,6 +75,21 @@ void apply_void_X_deep_ptr(PyObject* f, X* x)
     returning<void>::call(f, x);
 }
 
+char const* apply_cstring_cstring(PyObject* f, char const* s)
+{
+    return returning <char const*>::call(f, s);
+}
+
+char const* apply_cstring_pyobject(PyObject* f, PyObject* s)
+{
+    return returning <char const*>::call(f, s);
+}
+
+char apply_char_char(PyObject* f, char c)
+{
+    return returning <char>::call(f, c);
+}
+
 int X::counter;
 
 BOOST_PYTHON_MODULE_INIT(callbacks_ext)
@@ -75,6 +102,17 @@ BOOST_PYTHON_MODULE_INIT(callbacks_ext)
         .def("apply_void_X_cref", apply_void_X_cref)
         .def("apply_void_X_ptr", apply_void_X_ptr)
         .def("apply_void_X_deep_ptr", apply_void_X_deep_ptr)
+        
+        .def("apply_X_ptr_pyobject", apply_X_ptr_pyobject
+             , return_value_policy<reference_existing_object>())
+        
+        .def("apply_X_ref_pyobject", apply_X_ref_pyobject
+             , return_value_policy<reference_existing_object>())
+        
+        .def("apply_cstring_cstring", apply_cstring_cstring)
+        .def("apply_cstring_pyobject", apply_cstring_pyobject)
+        .def("apply_char_char", apply_char_char)
+        
         .add(
             class_<X>("X")
             .def_init(args<int>())
diff --git a/test/callbacks.py b/test/callbacks.py
index 810aad53..71ad3fb7 100644
--- a/test/callbacks.py
+++ b/test/callbacks.py
@@ -66,6 +66,46 @@
 44
 >>> last_x.value()
 43
+
+>>> y = apply_X_ref_pyobject(identity, x)
+>>> assert y.value() == x.value()
+>>> increment(x)
+>>> assert y.value() == x.value()
+
+>>> y = apply_X_ptr_pyobject(identity, x)
+>>> assert y.value() == x.value()
+>>> increment(x)
+>>> assert y.value() == x.value()
+
+>>> y = apply_X_ptr_pyobject(identity, None)
+>>> y
+
+>>> def new_x(ignored):
+...     return X(666)
+...
+>>> try: apply_X_ref_pyobject(new_x, 1)
+... except ReferenceError: pass
+... else: print 'no error'
+
+>>> try: apply_X_ptr_pyobject(new_x, 1)
+... except ReferenceError: pass
+... else: print 'no error'
+
+>>> try: apply_cstring_cstring(identity, 'hello')
+... except ReferenceError: pass
+... else: print 'no error'
+
+>>> apply_char_char(identity, 'x')
+'x'
+
+>>> apply_cstring_pyobject(identity, 'hello')
+'hello'
+
+>>> apply_cstring_pyobject(identity, None)
+
+
+>>> apply_char_char(identity, 'x')
+'x'
 '''
 
 def run(args = None):