diff --git a/vlib/v/checker/check_types.v b/vlib/v/checker/check_types.v
index 74838a5643..dda2e53936 100644
--- a/vlib/v/checker/check_types.v
+++ b/vlib/v/checker/check_types.v
@@ -34,8 +34,10 @@ pub fn (mut c Checker) check_expected_call_arg(got ast.Type, expected_ ast.Type,
 			&& got.idx() in [ast.int_type_idx, ast.int_literal_type_idx]) {
 			return
 		}
+		// allow `C.printf('foo')` instead of `C.printf(c'foo')`
 		if got.idx() == ast.string_type_idx
-			&& expected in [ast.byteptr_type_idx, ast.charptr_type_idx] {
+			&& (expected in [ast.byteptr_type_idx, ast.charptr_type_idx]
+			|| (expected.idx() == ast.char_type_idx && expected.is_ptr())) {
 			return
 		}
 		exp_sym := c.table.get_type_symbol(expected)
diff --git a/vlib/v/checker/checker.v b/vlib/v/checker/checker.v
index 483120ae67..b7093aae36 100644
--- a/vlib/v/checker/checker.v
+++ b/vlib/v/checker/checker.v
@@ -4268,7 +4268,8 @@ pub fn (mut c Checker) expr(node ast.Expr) ast.Type {
 		}
 		ast.StringLiteral {
 			if node.language == .c {
-				return ast.byteptr_type
+				// string literal starts with "c": `C.printf(c'hello')`
+				return ast.byte_type.set_nr_muls(1)
 			}
 			return ast.string_type
 		}