diff --git a/kernels/ZendEngine2/operators.c b/kernels/ZendEngine2/operators.c
index 4304126bca..6274710d03 100644
--- a/kernels/ZendEngine2/operators.c
+++ b/kernels/ZendEngine2/operators.c
@@ -443,7 +443,6 @@ long zephir_get_intval_ex(const zval *op) {
 	switch (Z_TYPE_P(op)) {
         case IS_ARRAY:
             return zend_hash_num_elements(Z_ARRVAL_P(op)) ? 1 : 0;
-            break;
 
 	    case IS_CALLABLE:
 	    case IS_RESOURCE:
@@ -479,6 +478,35 @@ long zephir_get_intval_ex(const zval *op) {
 	return 0;
 }
 
+long zephir_get_charval_ex(const zval *op) {
+
+	switch (Z_TYPE_P(op)) {
+        case IS_ARRAY:
+	    case IS_CALLABLE:
+	    case IS_RESOURCE:
+	    case IS_OBJECT:
+	        return 0;
+
+		case IS_LONG:
+			return Z_LVAL_P(op);
+
+		case IS_BOOL:
+			return Z_BVAL_P(op);
+
+		case IS_DOUBLE:
+			return (long) Z_DVAL_P(op);
+
+		case IS_STRING: {
+			if (Z_STRLEN_P(op) > 0) {
+				return Z_STRVAL_P(op)[0];
+			}
+			return 0;
+		}
+	}
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
 /**
  * Returns the long value of a zval
  */
diff --git a/kernels/ZendEngine2/operators.h b/kernels/ZendEngine2/operators.h
index 9e5b09bb82..036770d142 100644
--- a/kernels/ZendEngine2/operators.h
+++ b/kernels/ZendEngine2/operators.h
@@ -114,6 +114,7 @@ int zephir_compare_strict_bool(zval *op1, zend_bool op2 TSRMLS_DC);
 void zephir_cast(zval *result, zval *var, zend_uint type);
 void zephir_convert_to_object(zval *op);
 long zephir_get_intval_ex(const zval *op);
+long zephir_get_charval_ex(const zval *op);
 double zephir_get_doubleval_ex(const zval *op);
 zend_bool zephir_get_boolval_ex(const zval *op);
 
@@ -158,6 +159,7 @@ long zephir_safe_mod_double_zval(double op1, zval *op2 TSRMLS_DC);
 #define zephir_get_intval(z) (Z_TYPE_P(z) == IS_LONG ? Z_LVAL_P(z) : zephir_get_intval_ex(z))
 #define zephir_get_doubleval(z) (Z_TYPE_P(z) == IS_DOUBLE ? Z_DVAL_P(z) : zephir_get_doubleval_ex(z))
 #define zephir_get_boolval(z) (Z_TYPE_P(z) == IS_BOOL ? Z_BVAL_P(z) : zephir_get_boolval_ex(z))
+#define zephir_get_charval(z) (Z_TYPE_P(z) == IS_LONG ? Z_LVAL_P(z) : zephir_get_charval_ex(z))
 
 #ifndef PHP_WIN32
 
diff --git a/kernels/ZendEngine3/main.h b/kernels/ZendEngine3/main.h
index 426c28cdda..e6d3db109a 100644
--- a/kernels/ZendEngine3/main.h
+++ b/kernels/ZendEngine3/main.h
@@ -288,6 +288,8 @@ int zephir_declare_class_constant_double(zend_class_entry *ce, const char *name,
 int zephir_declare_class_constant_stringl(zend_class_entry *ce, const char *name, size_t name_length, const char *value, size_t value_length);
 int zephir_declare_class_constant_string(zend_class_entry *ce, const char *name, size_t name_length, const char *value);
 
+#define ZEPHIR_CHECK_POINTER(v)
+
 #define zephir_is_php_version(id) (PHP_VERSION_ID / 10 == id / 10 ?  1 : 0)
 
 /** Method declaration for API generation */
diff --git a/kernels/ZendEngine3/operators.c b/kernels/ZendEngine3/operators.c
index 978de77325..78115ec4ad 100644
--- a/kernels/ZendEngine3/operators.c
+++ b/kernels/ZendEngine3/operators.c
@@ -289,7 +289,6 @@ long zephir_get_intval_ex(const zval *op)
 	switch (Z_TYPE_P(op)) {
         case IS_ARRAY:
             return zend_hash_num_elements(Z_ARRVAL_P(op)) ? 1 : 0;
-            break;
 
 	    case IS_CALLABLE:
 	    case IS_RESOURCE:
@@ -328,6 +327,38 @@ long zephir_get_intval_ex(const zval *op)
 	return 0;
 }
 
+long zephir_get_charval_ex(const zval *op)
+{
+	switch (Z_TYPE_P(op)) {
+        case IS_ARRAY:
+	    case IS_CALLABLE:
+	    case IS_RESOURCE:
+	    case IS_OBJECT:
+	        return 0;
+
+		case IS_LONG:
+			return Z_LVAL_P(op);
+
+		case IS_TRUE:
+			return 1;
+
+		case IS_FALSE:
+			return 0;
+
+		case IS_DOUBLE:
+			return (long) Z_DVAL_P(op);
+
+		case IS_STRING: {
+			if (Z_STRLEN_P(op) > 0) {
+				return Z_STRVAL_P(op)[0];
+			}
+			return 0;
+		}
+	}
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
 /**
  * Returns the long value of a zval
  */
diff --git a/kernels/ZendEngine3/operators.h b/kernels/ZendEngine3/operators.h
index 127999dd3e..978546be8f 100644
--- a/kernels/ZendEngine3/operators.h
+++ b/kernels/ZendEngine3/operators.h
@@ -106,6 +106,7 @@ int zephir_compare_strict_bool(zval *op1, zend_bool op2);
 void zephir_cast(zval *result, zval *var, zend_uint type);
 void zephir_convert_to_object(zval *op);
 long zephir_get_intval_ex(const zval *op);
+long zephir_get_charval_ex(const zval *op);
 double zephir_get_doubleval_ex(const zval *op);
 zend_bool zephir_get_boolval_ex(const zval *op);
 
@@ -150,6 +151,7 @@ long zephir_safe_mod_double_zval(double op1, zval *op2);
 #define zephir_get_intval(z) (Z_TYPE_P(z) == IS_LONG ? Z_LVAL_P(z) : zephir_get_intval_ex(z))
 #define zephir_get_doubleval(z) (Z_TYPE_P(z) == IS_DOUBLE ? Z_DVAL_P(z) : zephir_get_doubleval_ex(z))
 #define zephir_get_boolval(z) (Z_TYPE_P(z) == IS_TRUE ? 1 : (Z_TYPE_P(z) == IS_FALSE ? 0 : zephir_get_boolval_ex(z)))
+#define zephir_get_charval(z) (Z_TYPE_P(z) == IS_LONG ? Z_LVAL_P(z) : zephir_get_charval_ex(z))
 
 #define zephir_add_function(result, left, right) fast_add_function(result, left, right)
 #define zephir_sub_function(result, left, right) sub_function(result, left, right)