diff --git a/src_main/core/pichar.cpp b/src_main/core/pichar.cpp
index e696c4de..6db108d9 100644
--- a/src_main/core/pichar.cpp
+++ b/src_main/core/pichar.cpp
@@ -90,6 +90,8 @@ ushort charFromCodepage(const char * c, int size, const char * codepage, int * t
 
 
 int charCompare(const PIChar & f, const PIChar & s) {
+	if (f.isAscii() && s.isAscii())
+		return strncmp(f.toCharPtr(), s.toCharPtr(), 1);
 	return
 #ifdef PIP_ICU
 			u_strCompare((const UChar*)f.toWCharPtr(), 1, (const UChar*)s.toWCharPtr(), 1, FALSE);