diff --git a/gen/src/write.rs b/gen/src/write.rs
index 1aa128ff..60936a0b 100644
--- a/gen/src/write.rs
+++ b/gen/src/write.rs
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ fn pick_includes_and_builtins(out: &mut OutFile, apis: &[Api]) {
                 Some(Isize) => out.builtin.rust_isize = true,
                 Some(CxxString) => out.include.string = true,
                 Some(RustString) => out.builtin.rust_string = true,
-                Some(Bool) | Some(F32) | Some(F64) | None => {}
+                Some(Bool) | Some(Char) | Some(F32) | Some(F64) | None => {}
             },
             Type::RustBox(_) => out.builtin.rust_box = true,
             Type::RustVec(_) => out.builtin.rust_vec = true,
@@ -924,6 +924,7 @@ fn write_type(out: &mut OutFile, ty: &Type) {
 fn write_atom(out: &mut OutFile, atom: Atom) {
     match atom {
         Bool => write!(out, "bool"),
+        Char => write!(out, "char"),
         U8 => write!(out, "uint8_t"),
         U16 => write!(out, "uint16_t"),
         U32 => write!(out, "uint32_t"),
diff --git a/syntax/atom.rs b/syntax/atom.rs
index 7d0ef6b6..d4ad78f1 100644
--- a/syntax/atom.rs
+++ b/syntax/atom.rs
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ use std::fmt::{self, Display};
 #[derive(Copy, Clone, PartialEq)]
 pub enum Atom {
     Bool,
+    Char, // C char, not Rust char
     U8,
     U16,
     U32,
@@ -30,6 +31,7 @@ impl Atom {
         use self::Atom::*;
         match s {
             "bool" => Some(Bool),
+            "c_char" => Some(Char),
             "u8" => Some(U8),
             "u16" => Some(U16),
             "u32" => Some(U32),
@@ -60,6 +62,7 @@ impl AsRef<str> for Atom {
         use self::Atom::*;
         match self {
             Bool => "bool",
+            Char => "c_char",
             U8 => "u8",
             U16 => "u16",
             U32 => "u32",
diff --git a/syntax/check.rs b/syntax/check.rs
index f5e8e00c..cdf174c8 100644
--- a/syntax/check.rs
+++ b/syntax/check.rs
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ fn check_type_rust_vec(cx: &mut Check, ty: &Ty1) {
             None | Some(U8) | Some(U16) | Some(U32) | Some(U64) | Some(Usize) | Some(I8)
             | Some(I16) | Some(I32) | Some(I64) | Some(Isize) | Some(F32) | Some(F64)
             | Some(RustString) => return,
-            Some(Bool) => { /* todo */ }
+            Some(Bool) | Some(Char) => { /* todo */ }
             Some(CxxString) => {}
         }
     }
@@ -140,6 +140,7 @@ fn check_type_cxx_vector(cx: &mut Check, ptr: &Ty1) {
             None | Some(U8) | Some(U16) | Some(U32) | Some(U64) | Some(Usize) | Some(I8)
             | Some(I16) | Some(I32) | Some(I64) | Some(Isize) | Some(F32) | Some(F64)
             | Some(CxxString) => return,
+            Some(Char) => { /* todo */ }
             Some(Bool) | Some(RustString) => {}
         }
     }
@@ -503,6 +504,8 @@ fn describe(cx: &mut Check, ty: &Type) -> String {
                 "opaque Rust type".to_owned()
             } else if Atom::from(&ident.rust) == Some(CxxString) {
                 "C++ string".to_owned()
+            } else if Atom::from(&ident.rust) == Some(Char) {
+                "C char".to_owned()
             } else {
                 ident.rust.to_string()
             }
diff --git a/syntax/tokens.rs b/syntax/tokens.rs
index 8ce7ed9e..d450f730 100644
--- a/syntax/tokens.rs
+++ b/syntax/tokens.rs
@@ -11,7 +11,10 @@ impl ToTokens for Type {
     fn to_tokens(&self, tokens: &mut TokenStream) {
         match self {
             Type::Ident(ident) => {
-                if ident.rust == CxxString {
+                if ident.rust == Char {
+                    let span = ident.rust.span();
+                    tokens.extend(quote_spanned!(span=> ::std::os::raw::));
+                } else if ident.rust == CxxString {
                     let span = ident.rust.span();
                     tokens.extend(quote_spanned!(span=> ::cxx::));
                 }