diff --git a/src/api/api_seq.cpp b/src/api/api_seq.cpp
index 9dfac4a74..a79a63b4d 100644
--- a/src/api/api_seq.cpp
+++ b/src/api/api_seq.cpp
@@ -55,7 +55,6 @@ extern "C" {
         Z3_CATCH_RETURN(nullptr);
     }
 
-
     Z3_ast Z3_API Z3_mk_lstring(Z3_context c, unsigned sz, Z3_string str) {
         Z3_TRY;
         LOG_Z3_mk_lstring(c, sz, str);
@@ -80,6 +79,16 @@ extern "C" {
         Z3_CATCH_RETURN(nullptr);
     }
 
+    Z3_ast Z3_API Z3_mk_char(Z3_context c, unsigned ch) {
+        Z3_TRY;
+        LOG_Z3_mk_char(c, ch);
+        RESET_ERROR_CODE();
+        app* a = mk_c(c)->sutil().str.mk_char(ch);        
+        mk_c(c)->save_ast_trail(a);
+        RETURN_Z3(of_ast(a));
+        Z3_CATCH_RETURN(nullptr);
+    }
+
     Z3_sort Z3_API Z3_mk_string_sort(Z3_context c) {
         Z3_TRY;
         LOG_Z3_mk_string_sort(c);
diff --git a/src/api/python/z3/z3.py b/src/api/python/z3/z3.py
index 2b0286608..6cea34963 100644
--- a/src/api/python/z3/z3.py
+++ b/src/api/python/z3/z3.py
@@ -1150,6 +1150,8 @@ def _to_expr_ref(a, ctx):
         return FPRMRef(a, ctx)
     if sk == Z3_SEQ_SORT:
         return SeqRef(a, ctx)
+    if sk == Z3_CHAR_SORT:
+        return CharRef(a, ctx)
     if sk == Z3_RE_SORT:
         return ReRef(a, ctx)
     return ExprRef(a, ctx)
@@ -10584,7 +10586,6 @@ class CharSortRef(SortRef):
     """Character sort."""
 
 
-
 def StringSort(ctx=None):
     """Create a string sort
     >>> s = StringSort()
@@ -10650,18 +10651,67 @@ class SeqRef(ExprRef):
         return Z3_ast_to_string(self.ctx_ref(), self.as_ast())
 
     def __le__(self, other):
-        return SeqRef(Z3_mk_str_le(self.ctx_ref(), self.as_ast(), other.as_ast()), self.ctx)
+        return _to_expr_ref(Z3_mk_str_le(self.ctx_ref(), self.as_ast(), other.as_ast()), self.ctx)
 
     def __lt__(self, other):
-        return SeqRef(Z3_mk_str_lt(self.ctx_ref(), self.as_ast(), other.as_ast()), self.ctx)
+        return _to_expr_ref(Z3_mk_str_lt(self.ctx_ref(), self.as_ast(), other.as_ast()), self.ctx)
 
     def __ge__(self, other):
-        return SeqRef(Z3_mk_str_le(self.ctx_ref(), other.as_ast(), self.as_ast()), self.ctx)
+        return _to_expr_ref(Z3_mk_str_le(self.ctx_ref(), other.as_ast(), self.as_ast()), self.ctx)
 
     def __gt__(self, other):
-        return SeqRef(Z3_mk_str_lt(self.ctx_ref(), other.as_ast(), self.as_ast()), self.ctx)
+        return _to_expr_ref(Z3_mk_str_lt(self.ctx_ref(), other.as_ast(), self.as_ast()), self.ctx)
 
 
+def _coerce_char(ch, ctx=None):
+    if isinstance(ch, str):
+        ctx = _get_ctx(ctx)
+        ch = CharVal(ch, ctx)
+    if not is_expr(ch):
+        raise Z3Exception("Character expression expected")    
+    return ch
+
+class CharRef(ExprRef):
+    """Character expression."""
+
+    def __le__(self, other):
+        other = _coerce_char(other, self.ctx)
+        return _to_expr_ref(Z3_mk_char_le(self.ctx_ref(), self.as_ast(), other.as_ast()), self.ctx)
+
+    def to_int(self):
+        return _to_expr_ref(Z3_mk_char_to_int(self.ctx_ref(), self.as_ast()), self.ctx)
+
+    def to_bv(self):
+        return _to_expr_ref(Z3_mk_char_to_bv(self.ctx_ref(), self.as_ast()), self.ctx)
+
+    def is_digit(self):
+        return _to_expr_ref(Z3_mk_char_is_digit(self.ctx_ref(), self.as_ast()), self.ctx)
+
+
+def CharVal(ch, ctx=None):
+    ctx = _get_ctx(ctx)
+    if isinstance(ch, str):
+        ch = ord(ch)
+    if not isinstance(ch, int):
+        raise Z3Exception("character value should be an ordinal")
+    return _to_expr_ref(Z3_mk_char(ctx.ref(), ch), ctx)
+    
+def CharFromBv(ch, ctx=None):
+    ch = _coerce_char(ch, ctx)
+    return _to_expr_ref(Z3_mk_char_from_bv(ch.ctx_ref(), ch.as_ast()), ch.ctx)
+
+def CharToBv(ch, ctx=None):
+    ch = _coerce_char(ch, ctx)
+    return ch.to_bv()
+
+def CharToInt(ch, ctx=None):
+    ch = _coerce_char(ch, ctx)
+    return ch.to_int()
+
+def CharIsDigit(ch, ctx=None):
+    ch = _coerce_char(ch, ctx)
+    return ch.is_digit()
+
 def _coerce_seq(s, ctx=None):
     if isinstance(s, str):
         ctx = _get_ctx(ctx)
@@ -10778,6 +10828,7 @@ def Full(s):
     raise Z3Exception("Non-sequence, non-regular expression sort passed to Full")
 
 
+
 def Unit(a):
     """Create a singleton sequence"""
     return SeqRef(Z3_mk_seq_unit(a.ctx_ref(), a.as_ast()), a.ctx)
diff --git a/src/api/z3_api.h b/src/api/z3_api.h
index 3f964adc6..16b22a991 100644
--- a/src/api/z3_api.h
+++ b/src/api/z3_api.h
@@ -3843,6 +3843,13 @@ extern "C" {
      */
     Z3_ast Z3_API Z3_mk_re_full(Z3_context c, Z3_sort re);
 
+
+    /**
+       \brief Create a character literal
+       def_API('Z3_mk_char', AST, (_in(CONTEXT), _in(UINT)))
+    */
+    Z3_ast Z3_API Z3_mk_char(Z3_context c, unsigned ch);
+
     /**
          \brief Create less than or equal to between two characters.