diff --git a/compiler/ccgcalls.nim b/compiler/ccgcalls.nim
index 2323d1f262..2ddc88509b 100644
--- a/compiler/ccgcalls.nim
+++ b/compiler/ccgcalls.nim
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ proc openArrayLoc(p: BProc, n: PNode): Rope =
 proc genArgStringToCString(p: BProc, n: PNode): Rope {.inline.} =
   var a: TLoc
   initLocExpr(p, n.sons[0], a)
-  result = "($1 ? $1->data : \"\")" % [a.rdLoc]
+  result = "($1 ? $1->data : (NCSTRING)\"\")" % [a.rdLoc]
 
 proc genArg(p: BProc, n: PNode, param: PSym; call: PNode): Rope =
   var a: TLoc
diff --git a/compiler/ccgexprs.nim b/compiler/ccgexprs.nim
index acf4c19753..dde3d6e708 100644
--- a/compiler/ccgexprs.nim
+++ b/compiler/ccgexprs.nim
@@ -1740,7 +1740,7 @@ proc genConv(p: BProc, e: PNode, d: var TLoc) =
 proc convStrToCStr(p: BProc, n: PNode, d: var TLoc) =
   var a: TLoc
   initLocExpr(p, n.sons[0], a)
-  putIntoDest(p, d, n, "($1 ? $1->data : \"\")" % [rdLoc(a)],
+  putIntoDest(p, d, n, "($1 ? $1->data : (NCSTRING)\"\")" % [rdLoc(a)],
               a.storage)
 
 proc convCStrToStr(p: BProc, n: PNode, d: var TLoc) =