diff --git a/parser-typechecker/src/Unison/Runtime/ANF.hs b/parser-typechecker/src/Unison/Runtime/ANF.hs
index cccf81ec2..6e7d201ba 100644
--- a/parser-typechecker/src/Unison/Runtime/ANF.hs
+++ b/parser-typechecker/src/Unison/Runtime/ANF.hs
@@ -1525,7 +1525,7 @@ data BLit
   | BArr PA.ByteArray
   | Pos Word64
   | Neg Word64
-  | Char Word64
+  | Char Char
   | Float Double
   deriving (Show)
 
diff --git a/parser-typechecker/src/Unison/Runtime/ANF/Serialize.hs b/parser-typechecker/src/Unison/Runtime/ANF/Serialize.hs
index 09e8419c8..0622a1659 100644
--- a/parser-typechecker/src/Unison/Runtime/ANF/Serialize.hs
+++ b/parser-typechecker/src/Unison/Runtime/ANF/Serialize.hs
@@ -657,7 +657,7 @@ putBLit (Code g) = putTag CodeT *> putGroup mempty mempty g
 putBLit (BArr a) = putTag BArrT *> putByteArray a
 putBLit (Pos n) = putTag PosT *> putPositive n
 putBLit (Neg n) = putTag NegT *> putPositive n
-putBLit (Char n) = putTag CharT *> putWord64be n
+putBLit (Char c) = putTag CharT *> putChar c
 putBLit (Float d) = putTag FloatT *> putFloat d
 
 getBLit :: (MonadGet m) => Version -> m BLit
@@ -673,7 +673,7 @@ getBLit v =
     BArrT -> BArr <$> getByteArray
     PosT -> Pos <$> getPositive
     NegT -> Neg <$> getPositive
-    CharT -> Char <$> getWord64be
+    CharT -> Char <$> getChar
     FloatT -> Float <$> getFloat
 
 putRefs :: (MonadPut m) => [Reference] -> m ()
diff --git a/parser-typechecker/src/Unison/Runtime/Machine.hs b/parser-typechecker/src/Unison/Runtime/Machine.hs
index e26950f29..2c412be3b 100644
--- a/parser-typechecker/src/Unison/Runtime/Machine.hs
+++ b/parser-typechecker/src/Unison/Runtime/Machine.hs
@@ -2125,7 +2125,7 @@ reflectValue rty = goV
     reflectUData :: Word64 -> Int -> IO ANF.BLit
     reflectUData t v
       | t == natTag = pure $ ANF.Pos (fromIntegral v)
-      | t == charTag = pure $ ANF.Char (fromIntegral v)
+      | t == charTag = pure $ ANF.Char (toEnum v)
       | t == intTag, v >= 0 = pure $ ANF.Pos (fromIntegral v)
       | t == intTag, v < 0 = pure $ ANF.Neg (fromIntegral (- v))
       | t == floatTag = pure $ ANF.Float (intToDouble v)
@@ -2204,7 +2204,7 @@ reifyValue0 (rty, rtm) = goV
     goL (ANF.Quote v) = pure . Foreign $ Wrap Rf.valueRef v
     goL (ANF.Code g) = pure . Foreign $ Wrap Rf.codeRef g
     goL (ANF.BArr a) = pure . Foreign $ Wrap Rf.ibytearrayRef a
-    goL (ANF.Char w) = pure $ DataU1 Rf.charRef charTag (fromIntegral w)
+    goL (ANF.Char c) = pure $ DataU1 Rf.charRef charTag (fromEnum c)
     goL (ANF.Pos w) =
       pure $ DataU1 Rf.natRef natTag (fromIntegral w)
     goL (ANF.Neg w) =