diff --git a/gtsam.h b/gtsam.h
index e80a37a0b..fcf6f0a9f 100644
--- a/gtsam.h
+++ b/gtsam.h
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
  *   Arguments to functions any of
  *   	 - Eigen types:       Matrix, Vector
  *   	 - Eigen types and classes as an optionally const reference
- *     - C/C++ basic types: string, bool, size_t, int, double
+ *     - C/C++ basic types: string, bool, size_t, int, double, char
  *     - Any class with which be copied with boost::make_shared() (except Eigen)
  *     - boost::shared_ptr of any object type (except Eigen)
  *   Comments can use either C++ or C style, with multiple lines
diff --git a/wrap/matlab.h b/wrap/matlab.h
index b6d200e43..1a47430b5 100644
--- a/wrap/matlab.h
+++ b/wrap/matlab.h
@@ -106,6 +106,14 @@ mxArray* wrap<char>(char& value) {
   return result;
 }
 
+// specialization to unsigned char
+template<>
+mxArray* wrap<unsigned char>(unsigned char& value) {
+  mxArray *result = scalar(mxUINT32OR64_CLASS);
+  *(unsigned char*)mxGetData(result) = value;
+  return result;
+}
+
 // specialization to bool
 template<>
 mxArray* wrap<bool>(bool& value) {
@@ -227,13 +235,20 @@ bool unwrap<bool>(const mxArray* array) {
   return myGetScalar<bool>(array);
 }
 
-// specialization to bool
+// specialization to char
 template<>
 char unwrap<char>(const mxArray* array) {
 	checkScalar(array,"unwrap<char>");
   return myGetScalar<char>(array);
 }
 
+// specialization to unsigned char
+template<>
+unsigned char unwrap<unsigned char>(const mxArray* array) {
+	checkScalar(array,"unwrap<unsigned char>");
+  return myGetScalar<unsigned char>(array);
+}
+
 // specialization to int
 template<>
 int unwrap<int>(const mxArray* array) {