diff --git a/src/ikarus.boot b/src/ikarus.boot
index b8e4b10..440d79f 100644
Binary files a/src/ikarus.boot and b/src/ikarus.boot differ
diff --git a/src/ikarus.io-primitives.ss b/src/ikarus.io-primitives.ss
index 200b804..11e8492 100644
--- a/src/ikarus.io-primitives.ss
+++ b/src/ikarus.io-primitives.ss
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
     (ikarus system $fx)
     (ikarus system $ports)
     (except (ikarus) read-char unread-char peek-char write-char
+            write-byte
             newline port-name input-port-name output-port-name
             close-input-port reset-input-port!  flush-output-port
             close-output-port))
diff --git a/src/ikarus.io.output-files.ss b/src/ikarus.io.output-files.ss
index 1e43c47..28fb4e3 100644
--- a/src/ikarus.io.output-files.ss
+++ b/src/ikarus.io.output-files.ss
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@
                               (error 'write-char "port ~s is closed" p))))
                      (error 'write-char "~s is not an output-port" p))
                  (error 'write-char "~s is not a character" c))]
+            [(write-byte b p) (output-file-handler 'write-char (integer->char b) p)]
             [(flush-output-port p)
              (if (output-port? p)
                  (if open?
diff --git a/src/ikarus.io.output-strings.ss b/src/ikarus.io.output-strings.ss
index 16b1fa8..52639fd 100644
--- a/src/ikarus.io.output-strings.ss
+++ b/src/ikarus.io.output-strings.ss
@@ -88,6 +88,7 @@
                               (error 'write-char "port ~s is closed" p))))
                      (error 'write-char "~s is not an output-port" p))
                  (error 'write-char "~s is not a character" c))]
+            [(write-byte b p) (output-handler 'write-char (integer->char b) p)]
             [(flush-output-port p)
              (void)]
             [(close-port p)