diff --git a/src/regex/regcustom.h b/src/regex/regcustom.h
index 39ef3f48e1..f5486920e7 100644
--- a/src/regex/regcustom.h
+++ b/src/regex/regcustom.h
@@ -60,8 +60,8 @@
 
 /* internal character type and related */
 typedef wx_wchar chr;			/* the type itself */
-typedef wx_wchar uchr;			/* unsigned type that will hold a chr */
-typedef wx_wchar celt;				/* type to hold chr, MCCE number, or
+typedef unsigned long uchr;			/* unsigned type that will hold a chr */
+typedef long celt;				/* type to hold chr, MCCE number, or
 								 * NOCELT */
 
 #define NOCELT	(-1)			/* celt value which is not valid chr or
@@ -69,9 +69,15 @@ typedef wx_wchar celt;				/* type to hold chr, MCCE number, or
 #define CHR(c)	((unsigned char) (c))	/* turn char literal into chr
 										 * literal */
 #define DIGITVAL(c) ((c)-'0')	/* turn chr digit into its value */
-#define CHRBITS 16/*32*/				/* bits in a chr; must not use sizeof */
+
+/*  RN - the "not use sizeof() thing is really asanine!" */
+#ifdef wxUSE_UNICODE
+#	define CHRBITS 8
+#else
+#	define CHRBITS 32			/* bits in a chr; must not use sizeof */
+#endif
 #define CHR_MIN 0x00000000		/* smallest and largest chr; the value */
-#define CHR_MAX 1 << CHRBITS /*0xfffffffe*/		/* CHR_MAX-CHR_MIN+1 should fit in uchr */
+#define CHR_MAX (1 << CHRBITS) /*0xfffffffe*/		/* CHR_MAX-CHR_MIN+1 should fit in uchr */
 
 /* functions operating on chr */
 #define iscalnum(x) wx_isalnum(x)