diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 12557e2d14..046a7dcec4 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -845,6 +845,14 @@ AC_COMPILE_IFELSE([AC_LANG_PROGRAM([[#include <sys/types.h>
  [ AC_MSG_RESULT(no)]
 )
 
+AC_MSG_CHECKING(for if type char equals int8_t)
+AC_COMPILE_IFELSE([AC_LANG_PROGRAM([[#include <stdint.h>
+  #include <type_traits>]],
+ [[ static_assert(std::is_same<int8_t, char>::value, ""); ]])],
+ [ AC_MSG_RESULT(yes); AC_DEFINE(CHAR_EQUALS_INT8, 1,[Define this symbol if type char equals int8_t]) ],
+ [ AC_MSG_RESULT(no)]
+)
+
 # ensure backtrace() is found, check -lexecinfo if necessary
 if test x$TARGET_OS != xwindows; then
   AC_SEARCH_LIBS([backtrace], [execinfo], [], [
diff --git a/src/serialize.h b/src/serialize.h
index 1c266c6582..26bc5b319b 100644
--- a/src/serialize.h
+++ b/src/serialize.h
@@ -186,7 +186,9 @@ template<typename X> const X& ReadWriteAsHelper(const X& x) { return x; }
         SerializationOp(s, CSerActionUnserialize());                  \
     }
 
+#ifndef CHAR_EQUALS_INT8
 template<typename Stream> inline void Serialize(Stream& s, char a    ) { ser_writedata8(s, a); } // TODO Get rid of bare char
+#endif
 template<typename Stream> inline void Serialize(Stream& s, int8_t a  ) { ser_writedata8(s, a); }
 template<typename Stream> inline void Serialize(Stream& s, uint8_t a ) { ser_writedata8(s, a); }
 template<typename Stream> inline void Serialize(Stream& s, int16_t a ) { ser_writedata16(s, a); }
@@ -198,7 +200,9 @@ template<typename Stream> inline void Serialize(Stream& s, uint64_t a) { ser_wri
 template<typename Stream> inline void Serialize(Stream& s, float a   ) { ser_writedata32(s, ser_float_to_uint32(a)); }
 template<typename Stream> inline void Serialize(Stream& s, double a  ) { ser_writedata64(s, ser_double_to_uint64(a)); }
 
+#ifndef CHAR_EQUALS_INT8
 template<typename Stream> inline void Unserialize(Stream& s, char& a    ) { a = ser_readdata8(s); } // TODO Get rid of bare char
+#endif
 template<typename Stream> inline void Unserialize(Stream& s, int8_t& a  ) { a = ser_readdata8(s); }
 template<typename Stream> inline void Unserialize(Stream& s, uint8_t& a ) { a = ser_readdata8(s); }
 template<typename Stream> inline void Unserialize(Stream& s, int16_t& a ) { a = ser_readdata16(s); }