diff --git a/la/matrix_ops.v b/la/matrix_ops.v
index 36741541c..9e8cfa1f8 100644
--- a/la/matrix_ops.v
+++ b/la/matrix_ops.v
@@ -90,8 +90,8 @@ pub fn matrix_svd(mut s []f64, mut u Matrix[f64], mut vt Matrix[f64], mut a Matr
 	if copy_a {
 		acpy = a.clone()
 	}
-	vlas.dgesvd(byte(`A`), byte(`A`), a.m, a.n, acpy.data, 1, s, u.data, a.m, vt.data,
-		a.n, superb)
+	vlas.dgesvd(&char('A'.str), &char('A'.str), a.m, a.n, acpy.data, 1, s, u.data, a.m,
+		vt.data, a.n, superb)
 }
 
 // matrix_inv computes the inverse of a general matrix (square or not). It also computes the
diff --git a/vlas/conversions.v b/vlas/conversions.v
index 0d88b4367..ba8416806 100644
--- a/vlas/conversions.v
+++ b/vlas/conversions.v
@@ -20,18 +20,16 @@ pub fn c_uplo(up bool) vblas.Uplo {
 	return .lower
 }
 
-pub fn l_uplo(up bool) u8 {
-	if up {
-		return `U`
-	}
-	return `L`
+fn l_uplo(up bool) u8 {
+	return if up { `U` } else { `L` }
 }
 
-pub fn job_vlr(do_calc bool) u8 {
-	if do_calc {
-		return `V`
-	}
-	return `N`
+fn job_vlr(do_calc bool) &char {
+	return &char(if do_calc {
+		'V'
+	} else {
+		'N'
+	}.str)
 }
 
 // slice_to_col_major converts nested slice into an array representing a col-major matrix
diff --git a/vlas/lapack.v b/vlas/lapack.v
index c9943fbbe..e9c306366 100644
--- a/vlas/lapack.v
+++ b/vlas/lapack.v
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import vsl.vlas.internal.vblas
 
 fn C.LAPACKE_dgesv(matrix_layout vblas.MemoryLayout, n int, nrhs int, a &f64, lda int, ipiv &int, b &f64, ldb int) int
 
-fn C.LAPACKE_dgesvd(matrix_layout vblas.MemoryLayout, jobu byte, jobvt byte, m int, n int, a &f64, lda int, s &f64, u &f64, ldu int, vt &f64, ldvt int, superb &f64) int
+fn C.LAPACKE_dgesvd(matrix_layout vblas.MemoryLayout, jobu &char, jobvt &char, m int, n int, a &f64, lda int, s &f64, u &f64, ldu int, vt &f64, ldvt int, superb &f64) int
 
 fn C.LAPACKE_dgetrf(matrix_layout vblas.MemoryLayout, m int, n int, a &f64, lda int, ipiv &int) int
 
@@ -13,13 +13,13 @@ fn C.LAPACKE_dgetri(matrix_layout vblas.MemoryLayout, n int, a &f64, lda int, ip
 
 fn C.LAPACKE_dpotrf(matrix_layout vblas.MemoryLayout, up u32, n int, a &f64, lda int) int
 
-fn C.LAPACKE_dgeev(matrix_layout vblas.MemoryLayout, calc_vl byte, calc_vr byte, n int, a &f64, lda int, wr &f64, wi &f64, vl &f64, ldvl_ int, vr &f64, ldvr_ int) int
+fn C.LAPACKE_dgeev(matrix_layout vblas.MemoryLayout, calc_vl &char, calc_vr &char, n int, a &f64, lda int, wr &f64, wi &f64, vl &f64, ldvl_ int, vr &f64, ldvr_ int) int
 
-fn C.LAPACKE_dlange(matrix_layout vblas.MemoryLayout, norm byte, m int, n int, a &f64, lda int, work &f64) f64
+fn C.LAPACKE_dlange(matrix_layout vblas.MemoryLayout, norm &char, m int, n int, a &f64, lda int, work &f64) f64
 
-fn C.LAPACKE_dsyev(matrix_layout vblas.MemoryLayout, jobz byte, uplo byte, n int, a &f64, lda int, w &f64, work &f64, lwork int) int
+fn C.LAPACKE_dsyev(matrix_layout vblas.MemoryLayout, jobz &char, uplo &char, n int, a &f64, lda int, w &f64, work &f64, lwork int) int
 
-fn C.LAPACKE_dgebal(matrix_layout vblas.MemoryLayout, job byte, n int, a &f64, lda int, ilo int, ihi int, scale &f64) int
+fn C.LAPACKE_dgebal(matrix_layout vblas.MemoryLayout, job &char, n int, a &f64, lda int, ilo int, ihi int, scale &f64) int
 
 fn C.LAPACKE_dgehrd(matrix_layout vblas.MemoryLayout, n int, ilo int, ihi int, a &f64, lda int, tau &f64, work &f64, lwork int) int
 
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ pub fn dgesv(n int, nrhs int, mut a []f64, lda int, ipiv []int, mut b []f64, ldb
 // Note that the routine returns V**T, not V.
 //
 // NOTE: matrix 'a' will be modified
-pub fn dgesvd(jobu byte, jobvt byte, m int, n int, a []f64, lda int, s []f64, u []f64, ldu int, vt []f64, ldvt int, superb []f64) {
+pub fn dgesvd(jobu &char, jobvt &char, m int, n int, a []f64, lda int, s []f64, u []f64, ldu int, vt []f64, ldvt int, superb []f64) {
 	info := C.LAPACKE_dgesvd(.row_major, jobu, jobvt, m, n, &a[0], lda, &s[0], &u[0],
 		ldu, &vt[0], ldvt, &superb[0])
 	if info != 0 {
@@ -199,6 +199,6 @@ pub fn dgeev(calc_vl bool, calc_vr bool, n int, mut a []f64, lda int, wr []f64,
 	}
 }
 
-pub fn dlange(norm byte, m int, n int, a []f64, lda int, work []f64) f64 {
+pub fn dlange(norm &char, m int, n int, a []f64, lda int, work []f64) f64 {
 	return unsafe { C.LAPACKE_dlange(.row_major, norm, m, n, &a[0], lda, &work[0]) }
 }