diff --git a/Lib/ctypes/__init__.py b/Lib/ctypes/__init__.py
index c413127..cc05e97 100644
--- a/Lib/ctypes/__init__.py
+++ b/Lib/ctypes/__init__.py
@@ -52,11 +52,11 @@
 """
 
 def create_string_buffer(init, size=None):
-    """create_string_buffer(aString) -> character array
+    """create_string_buffer(aBytes) -> character array
     create_string_buffer(anInteger) -> character array
     create_string_buffer(aString, anInteger) -> character array
     """
-    if isinstance(init, str):
+    if isinstance(init, (str, bytes)):
         if size is None:
             size = len(init)+1
         buftype = c_char * size
diff --git a/Lib/ctypes/test/test_arrays.py b/Lib/ctypes/test/test_arrays.py
index f8bce5a..dde77c1 100644
--- a/Lib/ctypes/test/test_arrays.py
+++ b/Lib/ctypes/test/test_arrays.py
@@ -94,12 +94,12 @@
         # Failed with 0.9.8, reported by JUrner
         p = create_string_buffer("foo")
         sz = (c_char * 3).from_address(addressof(p))
-        self.failUnlessEqual(sz[:], "foo")
-        self.failUnlessEqual(sz[::], "foo")
-        self.failUnlessEqual(sz[::-1], "oof")
-        self.failUnlessEqual(sz[::3], "f")
-        self.failUnlessEqual(sz[1:4:2], "o")
-        self.failUnlessEqual(sz.value, "foo")
+        self.failUnlessEqual(sz[:], b"foo")
+        self.failUnlessEqual(sz[::], b"foo")
+        self.failUnlessEqual(sz[::-1], b"oof")
+        self.failUnlessEqual(sz[::3], b"f")
+        self.failUnlessEqual(sz[1:4:2], b"o")
+        self.failUnlessEqual(sz.value, b"foo")
 
     try:
         create_unicode_buffer
diff --git a/Lib/ctypes/test/test_buffers.py b/Lib/ctypes/test/test_buffers.py
index 5e7b23d..1f4091e 100644
--- a/Lib/ctypes/test/test_buffers.py
+++ b/Lib/ctypes/test/test_buffers.py
@@ -14,11 +14,11 @@
         self.failUnlessEqual(sizeof(b), 4 * sizeof(c_char))
         self.failUnless(type(b[0]) is bytes)
         self.failUnlessEqual(b[0], b"a")
-        self.failUnlessEqual(b[:], "abc\0")
-        self.failUnlessEqual(b[::], "abc\0")
-        self.failUnlessEqual(b[::-1], "\0cba")
-        self.failUnlessEqual(b[::2], "ac")
-        self.failUnlessEqual(b[::5], "a")
+        self.failUnlessEqual(b[:], b"abc\0")
+        self.failUnlessEqual(b[::], b"abc\0")
+        self.failUnlessEqual(b[::-1], b"\0cba")
+        self.failUnlessEqual(b[::2], b"ac")
+        self.failUnlessEqual(b[::5], b"a")
 
     def test_string_conversion(self):
         b = create_string_buffer("abc")
@@ -26,11 +26,11 @@
         self.failUnlessEqual(sizeof(b), 4 * sizeof(c_char))
         self.failUnless(type(b[0]) is bytes)
         self.failUnlessEqual(b[0], b"a")
-        self.failUnlessEqual(b[:], "abc\0")
-        self.failUnlessEqual(b[::], "abc\0")
-        self.failUnlessEqual(b[::-1], "\0cba")
-        self.failUnlessEqual(b[::2], "ac")
-        self.failUnlessEqual(b[::5], "a")
+        self.failUnlessEqual(b[:], b"abc\0")
+        self.failUnlessEqual(b[::], b"abc\0")
+        self.failUnlessEqual(b[::-1], b"\0cba")
+        self.failUnlessEqual(b[::2], b"ac")
+        self.failUnlessEqual(b[::5], b"a")
 
     try:
         c_wchar
diff --git a/Lib/ctypes/test/test_libc.py b/Lib/ctypes/test/test_libc.py
index c39f350..0e14c2f 100644
--- a/Lib/ctypes/test/test_libc.py
+++ b/Lib/ctypes/test/test_libc.py
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
 
         chars = create_string_buffer("spam, spam, and spam")
         lib.my_qsort(chars, len(chars)-1, sizeof(c_char), comparefunc(sort))
-        self.failUnlessEqual(chars.raw, "   ,,aaaadmmmnpppsss\x00")
+        self.failUnlessEqual(chars.raw, b"   ,,aaaadmmmnpppsss\x00")
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     unittest.main()
diff --git a/Lib/ctypes/test/test_memfunctions.py b/Lib/ctypes/test/test_memfunctions.py
index a5b3b15..6a6411e 100644
--- a/Lib/ctypes/test/test_memfunctions.py
+++ b/Lib/ctypes/test/test_memfunctions.py
@@ -9,21 +9,21 @@
         a = create_string_buffer(1000000)
         p = b"Hello, World"
         result = memmove(a, p, len(p))
-        self.failUnlessEqual(a.value, "Hello, World")
+        self.failUnlessEqual(a.value, b"Hello, World")
 
-        self.failUnlessEqual(string_at(result), "Hello, World")
-        self.failUnlessEqual(string_at(result, 5), "Hello")
-        self.failUnlessEqual(string_at(result, 16), "Hello, World\0\0\0\0")
-        self.failUnlessEqual(string_at(result, 0), "")
+        self.failUnlessEqual(string_at(result), b"Hello, World")
+        self.failUnlessEqual(string_at(result, 5), b"Hello")
+        self.failUnlessEqual(string_at(result, 16), b"Hello, World\0\0\0\0")
+        self.failUnlessEqual(string_at(result, 0), b"")
 
     def test_memset(self):
         a = create_string_buffer(1000000)
         result = memset(a, ord('x'), 16)
-        self.failUnlessEqual(a.value, "xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx")
+        self.failUnlessEqual(a.value, b"xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx")
 
-        self.failUnlessEqual(string_at(result), "xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx")
-        self.failUnlessEqual(string_at(a), "xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx")
-        self.failUnlessEqual(string_at(a, 20), "xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx\0\0\0\0")
+        self.failUnlessEqual(string_at(result), b"xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx")
+        self.failUnlessEqual(string_at(a), b"xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx")
+        self.failUnlessEqual(string_at(a, 20), b"xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx\0\0\0\0")
 
     def test_cast(self):
         a = (c_ubyte * 32)(*map(ord, "abcdef"))
@@ -46,8 +46,8 @@
         self.failUnlessEqual(2, sys.getrefcount(s))
         self.failUnless(s, "foo bar")
 
-        self.failUnlessEqual(string_at(b"foo bar", 7), "foo bar")
-        self.failUnlessEqual(string_at(b"foo bar", 3), "foo")
+        self.failUnlessEqual(string_at(b"foo bar", 7), b"foo bar")
+        self.failUnlessEqual(string_at(b"foo bar", 3), b"foo")
 
     try:
         create_unicode_buffer
diff --git a/Lib/ctypes/test/test_python_api.py b/Lib/ctypes/test/test_python_api.py
index f701d54..8e8b6f7 100644
--- a/Lib/ctypes/test/test_python_api.py
+++ b/Lib/ctypes/test/test_python_api.py
@@ -23,13 +23,13 @@
         PyString_FromStringAndSize.restype = py_object
         PyString_FromStringAndSize.argtypes = c_char_p, c_py_ssize_t
 
-        self.failUnlessEqual(PyString_FromStringAndSize("abcdefghi", 3), "abc")
+        self.failUnlessEqual(PyString_FromStringAndSize(b"abcdefghi", 3), b"abc")
 
     def test_PyString_FromString(self):
         pythonapi.PyString_FromString.restype = py_object
         pythonapi.PyString_FromString.argtypes = (c_char_p,)
 
-        s = "abc"
+        s = b"abc"
         refcnt = grc(s)
         pyob = pythonapi.PyString_FromString(s)
         self.failUnlessEqual(grc(s), refcnt)
@@ -73,10 +73,10 @@
 
         buf = c_buffer(256)
         PyOS_snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "Hello from %s", b"ctypes")
-        self.failUnlessEqual(buf.value, "Hello from ctypes")
+        self.failUnlessEqual(buf.value, b"Hello from ctypes")
 
         PyOS_snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "Hello from %s (%d, %d, %d)", b"ctypes", 1, 2, 3)
-        self.failUnlessEqual(buf.value, "Hello from ctypes (1, 2, 3)")
+        self.failUnlessEqual(buf.value, b"Hello from ctypes (1, 2, 3)")
 
         # not enough arguments
         self.failUnlessRaises(TypeError, PyOS_snprintf, buf)
diff --git a/Lib/ctypes/test/test_returnfuncptrs.py b/Lib/ctypes/test/test_returnfuncptrs.py
index 88dccf2..cd451a2 100644
--- a/Lib/ctypes/test/test_returnfuncptrs.py
+++ b/Lib/ctypes/test/test_returnfuncptrs.py
@@ -14,7 +14,9 @@
         strchr = get_strchr()
         self.failUnlessEqual(strchr("abcdef", "b"), "bcdef")
         self.failUnlessEqual(strchr("abcdef", "x"), None)
-        self.assertRaises(ArgumentError, strchr, "abcdef", 3)
+        self.failUnlessEqual(strchr("abcdef", 98), "bcdef")
+        self.failUnlessEqual(strchr("abcdef", 107), None)
+        self.assertRaises(ArgumentError, strchr, "abcdef", 3.0)
         self.assertRaises(TypeError, strchr, "abcdef")
 
     def test_without_prototype(self):
@@ -28,7 +30,7 @@
         strchr = CFUNCTYPE(c_char_p, c_char_p, c_char)(addr)
         self.failUnless(strchr("abcdef", "b"), "bcdef")
         self.failUnlessEqual(strchr("abcdef", "x"), None)
-        self.assertRaises(ArgumentError, strchr, "abcdef", 3)
+        self.assertRaises(ArgumentError, strchr, "abcdef", 3.0)
         self.assertRaises(TypeError, strchr, "abcdef")
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
diff --git a/Lib/ctypes/test/test_slicing.py b/Lib/ctypes/test/test_slicing.py
index 5df0019..28e66da 100644
--- a/Lib/ctypes/test/test_slicing.py
+++ b/Lib/ctypes/test/test_slicing.py
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@
 
 
     def test_char_array(self):
-        s = "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz\0"
+        s = b"abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz\0"
 
         p = (c_char * 27)(*s)
         self.failUnlessEqual(p[:], s)
diff --git a/Lib/ctypes/test/test_strings.py b/Lib/ctypes/test/test_strings.py
index 0a06332..ef1cfcf 100644
--- a/Lib/ctypes/test/test_strings.py
+++ b/Lib/ctypes/test/test_strings.py
@@ -6,20 +6,20 @@
         BUF = c_char * 4
 
         buf = BUF("a", "b", "c")
-        self.failUnlessEqual(buf.value, "abc")
-        self.failUnlessEqual(buf.raw, "abc\000")
+        self.failUnlessEqual(buf.value, b"abc")
+        self.failUnlessEqual(buf.raw, b"abc\000")
 
         buf.value = "ABCD"
-        self.failUnlessEqual(buf.value, "ABCD")
-        self.failUnlessEqual(buf.raw, "ABCD")
+        self.failUnlessEqual(buf.value, b"ABCD")
+        self.failUnlessEqual(buf.raw, b"ABCD")
 
         buf.value = "x"
-        self.failUnlessEqual(buf.value, "x")
-        self.failUnlessEqual(buf.raw, "x\000CD")
+        self.failUnlessEqual(buf.value, b"x")
+        self.failUnlessEqual(buf.raw, b"x\000CD")
 
         buf[1] = "Z"
-        self.failUnlessEqual(buf.value, "xZCD")
-        self.failUnlessEqual(buf.raw, "xZCD")
+        self.failUnlessEqual(buf.value, b"xZCD")
+        self.failUnlessEqual(buf.raw, b"xZCD")
 
         self.assertRaises(ValueError, setattr, buf, "value", "aaaaaaaa")
         self.assertRaises(TypeError, setattr, buf, "value", 42)
@@ -27,8 +27,8 @@
     def test_c_buffer_value(self):
         buf = c_buffer(32)
 
-        buf.value = "Hello, World"
-        self.failUnlessEqual(buf.value, "Hello, World")
+        buf.value = b"Hello, World"
+        self.failUnlessEqual(buf.value, b"Hello, World")
 
         self.failUnlessRaises(TypeError, setattr, buf, "value", memoryview(b"Hello, World"))
         self.assertRaises(TypeError, setattr, buf, "value", memoryview(b"abc"))
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@
         buf = c_buffer(32)
 
         buf.raw = memoryview(b"Hello, World")
-        self.failUnlessEqual(buf.value, "Hello, World")
+        self.failUnlessEqual(buf.value, b"Hello, World")
         self.assertRaises(TypeError, setattr, buf, "value", memoryview(b"abc"))
         self.assertRaises(ValueError, setattr, buf, "raw", memoryview(b"x" * 100))
 
diff --git a/Lib/ctypes/test/test_unicode.py b/Lib/ctypes/test/test_unicode.py
index 717805e..0eae59b 100644
--- a/Lib/ctypes/test/test_unicode.py
+++ b/Lib/ctypes/test/test_unicode.py
@@ -111,18 +111,18 @@
 
             ctypes.set_conversion_mode("ascii", "replace")
             buf = ctypes.create_string_buffer("ab\xe4\xf6\xfc")
-            self.failUnlessEqual(buf[:], "ab???\0")
-            self.failUnlessEqual(buf[::], "ab???\0")
-            self.failUnlessEqual(buf[::-1], "\0???ba")
-            self.failUnlessEqual(buf[::2], "a??")
-            self.failUnlessEqual(buf[6:5:-1], "")
+            self.failUnlessEqual(buf[:], b"ab???\0")
+            self.failUnlessEqual(buf[::], b"ab???\0")
+            self.failUnlessEqual(buf[::-1], b"\0???ba")
+            self.failUnlessEqual(buf[::2], b"a??")
+            self.failUnlessEqual(buf[6:5:-1], b"")
 
             ctypes.set_conversion_mode("ascii", "ignore")
             buf = ctypes.create_string_buffer("ab\xe4\xf6\xfc")
             # is that correct? not sure.  But with 'ignore', you get what you pay for..
-            self.failUnlessEqual(buf[:], "ab\0\0\0\0")
-            self.failUnlessEqual(buf[::], "ab\0\0\0\0")
-            self.failUnlessEqual(buf[::-1], "\0\0\0\0ba")
+            self.failUnlessEqual(buf[:], b"ab\0\0\0\0")
+            self.failUnlessEqual(buf[::], b"ab\0\0\0\0")
+            self.failUnlessEqual(buf[::-1], b"\0\0\0\0ba")
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     unittest.main()
diff --git a/Modules/_ctypes/_ctypes.c b/Modules/_ctypes/_ctypes.c
index cca570a..f922630 100644
--- a/Modules/_ctypes/_ctypes.c
+++ b/Modules/_ctypes/_ctypes.c
@@ -763,7 +763,7 @@
 static PyObject *
 CharArray_get_raw(CDataObject *self)
 {
-	return PyString_FromStringAndSize(self->b_ptr, self->b_size);
+	return PyBytes_FromStringAndSize(self->b_ptr, self->b_size);
 }
 
 static PyObject *
@@ -774,7 +774,7 @@
 	for (i = 0; i < self->b_size; ++i)
 		if (*ptr++ == '\0')
 			break;
-	return PyString_FromStringAndSize(self->b_ptr, i);
+	return PyBytes_FromStringAndSize(self->b_ptr, i);
 }
 
 static int
@@ -1251,7 +1251,7 @@
 	}
 	/* XXX struni: remove later */
 /* string */
-	if (PyString_Check(value)) {
+	if (PyBytes_Check(value)) {
 		PyCArgObject *parg;
 		struct fielddesc *fd = getentry("z");
 
@@ -1452,7 +1452,7 @@
 	
 	dict = PyObject_stgdict((PyObject *)self);
 	assert(dict); /* Cannot be NULL for CDataObject instances */
-	fmt = PyString_AsString(dict->proto);
+	fmt = PyUnicode_AsString(dict->proto);
 	assert(fmt);
 
 	fd = getentry(fmt);
@@ -1644,7 +1644,7 @@
 	assert(dict);
 
 	/* I think we can rely on this being a one-character string */
-	fmt = PyString_AsString(dict->proto);
+	fmt = PyUnicode_AsString(dict->proto);
 	assert(fmt);
 	
 	fd = getentry(fmt);
@@ -2667,7 +2667,7 @@
 		char *name;
 		PyObject *defval;
 		PyObject *typ;
-		if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(item, "i|zO", &flag, &name, &defval)) {
+		if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(item, "i|ZO", &flag, &name, &defval)) {
 			PyErr_SetString(PyExc_TypeError,
 			       "paramflags must be a sequence of (int [,string [,value]]) tuples");
 			return 0;
@@ -2705,8 +2705,12 @@
 		return 1;
 	}
 #endif
-	if (PyString_Check(obj) || PyUnicode_Check(obj)) {
-		*pname = PyString_AsString(obj);
+	if (PyBytes_Check(obj)) {
+		*pname = PyBytes_AS_STRING(obj);
+		return *pname ? 1 : 0;
+	}
+	if (PyUnicode_Check(obj)) {
+		*pname = PyUnicode_AsString(obj);
 		return *pname ? 1 : 0;
 	}
 	PyErr_SetString(PyExc_TypeError,
@@ -2966,7 +2970,7 @@
 }
 
 static PyObject *
-_get_arg(int *pindex, char *name, PyObject *defval, PyObject *inargs, PyObject *kwds)
+_get_arg(int *pindex, PyObject *name, PyObject *defval, PyObject *inargs, PyObject *kwds)
 {
 	PyObject *v;
 
@@ -2976,7 +2980,7 @@
 		Py_INCREF(v);
 		return v;
 	}
-	if (kwds && (v = PyDict_GetItemString(kwds, name))) {
+	if (kwds && (v = PyDict_GetItem(kwds, name))) {
 		++*pindex;
 		Py_INCREF(v);
 		return v;
@@ -3057,15 +3061,15 @@
 		PyObject *item = PyTuple_GET_ITEM(paramflags, i);
 		PyObject *ob;
 		int flag;
-		char *name = NULL;
+		PyObject *name = NULL;
 		PyObject *defval = NULL;
 
 		/* This way seems to be ~2 us faster than the PyArg_ParseTuple
 		   calls below. */
-		/* We HAVE already checked that the tuple can be parsed with "i|zO", so... */
+		/* We HAVE already checked that the tuple can be parsed with "i|ZO", so... */
 		Py_ssize_t tsize = PyTuple_GET_SIZE(item);
 		flag = PyInt_AS_LONG(PyTuple_GET_ITEM(item, 0));
-		name = tsize > 1 ? PyString_AS_STRING(PyTuple_GET_ITEM(item, 1)) : NULL;
+		name = tsize > 1 ? PyTuple_GET_ITEM(item, 1) : NULL;
 		defval = tsize > 2 ? PyTuple_GET_ITEM(item, 2) : NULL;
 
 		switch (flag & (PARAMFLAG_FIN | PARAMFLAG_FOUT | PARAMFLAG_FLCID)) {
@@ -3730,10 +3734,10 @@
 			char *dest;
 
 			if (slicelen <= 0)
-				return PyString_FromString("");
+				return PyBytes_FromStringAndSize("", 0);
 			if (step == 1) {
-				return PyString_FromStringAndSize(ptr + start,
-								  slicelen);
+				return PyBytes_FromStringAndSize(ptr + start,
+								 slicelen);
 			}
 			dest = (char *)PyMem_Malloc(slicelen);
 
@@ -3745,7 +3749,7 @@
 				dest[i] = ptr[cur];
 			}
 
-			np = PyString_FromStringAndSize(dest, slicelen);
+			np = PyBytes_FromStringAndSize(dest, slicelen);
 			PyMem_Free(dest);
 			return np;
 		}
@@ -4407,10 +4411,10 @@
 			char *dest;
 			
 			if (len <= 0)
-                        	return PyString_FromString("");
+                        	return PyBytes_FromStringAndSize("", 0);
 			if (step == 1) {
-				return PyString_FromStringAndSize(ptr + start,
-								  len);
+				return PyBytes_FromStringAndSize(ptr + start,
+								 len);
 			}
 			dest = (char *)PyMem_Malloc(len);
 			if (dest == NULL)
@@ -4418,7 +4422,7 @@
 			for (cur = start, i = 0; i < len; cur += step, i++) {
 				dest[i] = ptr[cur];
 			}
-			np = PyString_FromStringAndSize(dest, len);
+			np = PyBytes_FromStringAndSize(dest, len);
 			PyMem_Free(dest);
 			return np;
 		}
@@ -4629,7 +4633,7 @@
 		++methods;
 	}
 
-	s = PyString_FromString(comerror_doc);
+	s = PyUnicode_FromString(comerror_doc);
 	if (s == NULL)
 		return -1;
 	status = PyDict_SetItemString(dict, "__doc__", s);
@@ -4654,8 +4658,8 @@
 string_at(const char *ptr, int size)
 {
 	if (size == -1)
-		return PyString_FromString(ptr);
-	return PyString_FromStringAndSize(ptr, size);
+		return PyBytes_FromStringAndSize(ptr, strlen(ptr));
+	return PyBytes_FromStringAndSize(ptr, size);
 }
 
 static int
diff --git a/Modules/_ctypes/callbacks.c b/Modules/_ctypes/callbacks.c
index 385add4..9f5e5d0 100644
--- a/Modules/_ctypes/callbacks.c
+++ b/Modules/_ctypes/callbacks.c
@@ -365,7 +365,7 @@
 	static PyObject *context;
 
 	if (context == NULL)
-		context = PyString_FromString("_ctypes.DllGetClassObject");
+		context = PyUnicode_FromString("_ctypes.DllGetClassObject");
 
 	mod = PyImport_ImportModule("ctypes");
 	if (!mod) {
@@ -444,7 +444,7 @@
 	static PyObject *context;
 
 	if (context == NULL)
-		context = PyString_FromString("_ctypes.DllCanUnloadNow");
+		context = PyUnicode_FromString("_ctypes.DllCanUnloadNow");
 
 	mod = PyImport_ImportModule("ctypes");
 	if (!mod) {
diff --git a/Modules/_ctypes/callproc.c b/Modules/_ctypes/callproc.c
index 1c66c48..bc524f7 100644
--- a/Modules/_ctypes/callproc.c
+++ b/Modules/_ctypes/callproc.c
@@ -770,7 +770,7 @@
 	PyObject *tp, *v, *tb, *s, *cls_str, *msg_str;
 
 	va_start(vargs, fmt);
-	s = PyString_FromFormatV(fmt, vargs);
+	s = PyUnicode_FromFormatV(fmt, vargs);
 	va_end(vargs);
 	if (!s)
 		return;
@@ -779,18 +779,18 @@
 	PyErr_NormalizeException(&tp, &v, &tb);
 	cls_str = PyObject_Str(tp);
 	if (cls_str) {
-		PyString_ConcatAndDel(&s, cls_str);
-		PyString_ConcatAndDel(&s, PyString_FromString(": "));
+		PyUnicode_AppendAndDel(&s, cls_str);
+		PyUnicode_AppendAndDel(&s, PyUnicode_FromString(": "));
 		if (s == NULL)
 			goto error;
 	} else
 		PyErr_Clear();
-	msg_str = PyObject_Str(v);
+	msg_str = PyObject_Unicode(v);
 	if (msg_str)
-		PyString_ConcatAndDel(&s, msg_str);
+		PyUnicode_AppendAndDel(&s, msg_str);
 	else {
 		PyErr_Clear();
-		PyString_ConcatAndDel(&s, PyString_FromString("???"));
+		PyUnicode_AppendAndDel(&s, PyUnicode_FromString("???"));
 		if (s == NULL)
 			goto error;
 	}
@@ -1087,34 +1087,18 @@
 module.\n";
 static PyObject *load_library(PyObject *self, PyObject *args)
 {
-	TCHAR *name;
+	WCHAR *name;
 	PyObject *nameobj;
 	PyObject *ignored;
 	HMODULE hMod;
 	if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "O|O:LoadLibrary", &nameobj, &ignored))
 		return NULL;
-#ifdef _UNICODE
-	name = alloca((PyString_Size(nameobj) + 1) * sizeof(WCHAR));
-	if (!name) {
-		PyErr_NoMemory();
-		return NULL;
-	}
 
-	{
-		int r;
-		char *aname = PyString_AsString(nameobj);
-		if(!aname)
-			return NULL;
-		r = MultiByteToWideChar(CP_ACP, 0, aname, -1, name, PyString_Size(nameobj) + 1);
-		name[r] = 0;
-	}
-#else
-	name = PyString_AsString(nameobj);
-	if(!name)
+	name = PyUnicode_AsUnicode(nameobj);
+	if (!name)
 		return NULL;
-#endif
 
-	hMod = LoadLibrary(name);
+	hMod = LoadLibraryW(name);
 	if (!hMod)
 		return PyErr_SetFromWindowsErr(GetLastError());
 #ifdef _WIN64
diff --git a/Modules/_ctypes/cfield.c b/Modules/_ctypes/cfield.c
index 534bb1e..3e9464e 100644
--- a/Modules/_ctypes/cfield.c
+++ b/Modules/_ctypes/cfield.c
@@ -1169,6 +1169,14 @@
 		*(char *)ptr = PyBytes_AsString(value)[0];
 		_RET(value);
 	}
+	if (PyInt_Check(value))
+	{
+		long longval = PyInt_AS_LONG(value);
+		if (longval < 0 || longval >= 256)
+			goto error;
+		*(char *)ptr = (char)longval;
+		_RET(value);
+	}
   error:
 	PyErr_Format(PyExc_TypeError,
 		     "one character string expected");