diff --git a/_test/str3.go b/_test/str3.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a468da344
--- /dev/null
+++ b/_test/str3.go
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+package main
+
+import "strconv"
+
+func main() {
+	str := strconv.Itoa(101)
+	println(str[0] == '1')
+}
+
+// Output:
+// true
diff --git a/interp/cfg.go b/interp/cfg.go
index 8e9530a85..26ecef64e 100644
--- a/interp/cfg.go
+++ b/interp/cfg.go
@@ -634,7 +634,11 @@ func (interp *Interpreter) cfg(root *node) ([]*node, error) {
 			case stringT:
 				n.typ = sc.getType("byte")
 			case valueT:
-				n.typ = &itype{cat: valueT, rtype: t.rtype.Elem()}
+				if t.rtype.Kind() == reflect.String {
+					n.typ = sc.getType("byte")
+				} else {
+					n.typ = &itype{cat: valueT, rtype: t.rtype.Elem()}
+				}
 			default:
 				n.typ = t.val
 			}