diff --git a/src/CHANGELOG b/src/CHANGELOG
index 393bcaea0..6d3d407fc 100644
--- a/src/CHANGELOG
+++ b/src/CHANGELOG
@@ -129,6 +129,8 @@ ECL 1.0:
 
  - TYPE-OF did not recognized EXTENDED-CHARs.
 
+ - Type BASE-STRING and STRING were defined as equivalent.
+
 * Other visible changes:
 
  - EXT:PROCESS-COMMAND-ARGS now allows for a default rule.
@@ -170,6 +172,9 @@ ECL 1.0:
  - The slot accessors for structures with type VECTOR or LIST now rely on
    the standard function ELT, instead of si:list-nth and si:rplaca-nthcdr.
 
+ - TYPE-OF returns expanded types for arrays. For instance,
+   (ARRAY CHARACTER (12)) instead of (STRING 12).
+
  - C functions which disappear: si_set_compiled_function_name(),
    si_extended_string_concatenate(), assert_type_string(),
    assert_type_character(), assert_type_symbol(), make_symbol(),
diff --git a/src/c/typespec.d b/src/c/typespec.d
index 6c36bb56d..f74343744 100644
--- a/src/c/typespec.d
+++ b/src/c/typespec.d
@@ -363,29 +363,29 @@ cl_type_of(cl_object x)
 		if (x->string.adjustable ||
 		    x->string.hasfillp ||
 		    !Null(CAR(x->string.displaced)))
-			t = @'string';
+			t = @'array';
 		else
-			t = @'simple-string';
-		t = cl_list(2, t, MAKE_FIXNUM(x->string.dim));
+			t = @'simple-array';
+		t = cl_list(3, t, @'character', cl_list(1, MAKE_FIXNUM(x->string.dim)));
 		break;
 #endif
 	case t_base_string:
 		if (x->base_string.adjustable ||
 		    x->base_string.hasfillp ||
 		    !Null(CAR(x->base_string.displaced)))
-			t = @'base-string';
+			t = @'array';
 		else
-			t = @'simple-base-string';
-		t = cl_list(2, t, MAKE_FIXNUM(x->base_string.dim));
+			t = @'simple-array';
+		t = cl_list(3, t, @'base-char', cl_list(1, MAKE_FIXNUM(x->base_string.dim)));
 		break;
 	case t_bitvector:
 		if (x->vector.adjustable ||
 		    x->vector.hasfillp ||
 		    !Null(CAR(x->vector.displaced)))
-			t = @'bit-vector';
+			t = @'array';
 		else
-			t = @'simple-bit-vector';
-		t = cl_list(2, t, MAKE_FIXNUM(x->vector.dim));
+			t = @'simple-array';
+		t = cl_list(3, t, @'bit', cl_list(1, MAKE_FIXNUM(x->vector.dim)));
 		break;
 #ifndef CLOS
 	case t_structure:
diff --git a/src/lsp/predlib.lsp b/src/lsp/predlib.lsp
index 072478b3b..a97acced2 100644
--- a/src/lsp/predlib.lsp
+++ b/src/lsp/predlib.lsp
@@ -152,7 +152,13 @@ may be adjustable.  Other vectors are called simple-vectors."
 characters with double quotes.  Some strings may be displaced to another
 string, may have a fill-pointer, or may be adjustable.  Other strings are
 called simple-strings."
-  (if size `(array character (,size)) '(array character (*))))
+  #-unicode
+  (if size `(array character (,size)) '(array character (*)))
+  #+unicode
+  (if size
+      `(or (array base-char (,size))
+	   (array character (,size)))
+      '(or (array base-char (*)) (array character (*)))))
 
 (deftype base-string (&optional size)
   (if size `(array base-char (,size)) '(array base-char (*))))
@@ -167,7 +173,15 @@ fill-pointer, and is not adjustable."
 (deftype simple-string (&optional size)
   "A simple-string is a string that is not displaced to another array, has no
 fill-pointer, and is not adjustable."
-  (if size `(simple-array character (,size)) '(simple-array character (*))))
+  #-unicode
+  (if size
+    `(simple-array character (,size))
+    '(simple-array character (*)))
+  #+unicode
+  (if size
+      `(or (simple-array base-char (,size))
+	   (simple-array character (,size)))
+      '(or (simple-array base-char (*)) (simple-array character (*)))))
 
 (deftype simple-base-string (&optional size)
   (if size `(simple-array base-char (,size)) '(simple-array base-char (*))))