diff --git a/lib/cnode.c b/lib/cnode.c
index 6c696db..3c30e1b 100644
--- a/lib/cnode.c
+++ b/lib/cnode.c
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ hcl_cnode_t* hcl_makecnodedcstar (hcl_t* hcl, int flags, const hcl_loc_t* loc, c
 	return make_cnode(hcl, HCL_CNODE_DCSTAR, flags, loc, tok);
 }
 
-hcl_cnode_t* hcl_makecnodecharlit (hcl_t* hcl, int flags, const hcl_loc_t* loc, const  hcl_oocs_t* tok, const hcl_ooch_t v)
+hcl_cnode_t* hcl_makecnodecharlit (hcl_t* hcl, int flags, const hcl_loc_t* loc, const  hcl_oocs_t* tok, hcl_ooch_t v)
 {
 	hcl_cnode_t* c = make_cnode(hcl, HCL_CNODE_CHARLIT, flags, loc, tok);
 	if (HCL_UNLIKELY(!c)) return HCL_NULL;
@@ -99,6 +99,14 @@ hcl_cnode_t* hcl_makecnodecharlit (hcl_t* hcl, int flags, const hcl_loc_t* loc,
 	return c;
 }
 
+hcl_cnode_t* hcl_makecnodebchrlit (hcl_t* hcl, int flags, const hcl_loc_t* loc, const  hcl_oocs_t* tok, hcl_oob_t v)
+{
+	hcl_cnode_t* c = make_cnode(hcl, HCL_CNODE_BCHRLIT, flags, loc, tok);
+	if (HCL_UNLIKELY(!c)) return HCL_NULL;
+	c->u.bchrlit.v = v;
+	return c;
+}
+
 hcl_cnode_t* hcl_makecnodesymbol (hcl_t* hcl, int flags, const hcl_loc_t* loc, const  hcl_oocs_t* tok)
 {
 	hcl_cnode_t* c = make_cnode(hcl, HCL_CNODE_SYMBOL, flags, loc, tok);
@@ -120,6 +128,11 @@ hcl_cnode_t* hcl_makecnodestrlit (hcl_t* hcl, int flags, const hcl_loc_t* loc, c
 	return make_cnode(hcl, HCL_CNODE_STRLIT, flags, loc, tok);
 }
 
+hcl_cnode_t* hcl_makecnodebstrlit (hcl_t* hcl, int flags, const hcl_loc_t* loc, const hcl_oocs_t* tok)
+{
+	return make_cnode(hcl, HCL_CNODE_BSTRLIT, flags, loc, tok);
+}
+
 hcl_cnode_t* hcl_makecnodenumlit (hcl_t* hcl, int flags, const hcl_loc_t* loc, const hcl_oocs_t* tok)
 {
 	return make_cnode(hcl, HCL_CNODE_NUMLIT, flags, loc, tok);
diff --git a/lib/comp.c b/lib/comp.c
index 6e43b2f..54a8c6d 100644
--- a/lib/comp.c
+++ b/lib/comp.c
@@ -4436,11 +4436,20 @@ redo:
 			lit = HCL_CHAR_TO_OOP(oprnd->u.charlit.v);
 			goto literal;
 
+		case HCL_CNODE_BCHRLIT: /* byte character still converts to charcter */
+			lit = HCL_CHAR_TO_OOP((hcl_ooch_t)oprnd->u.bchrlit.v);
+			goto literal;
+
 		case HCL_CNODE_STRLIT:
 			lit = hcl_makestring(hcl, HCL_CNODE_GET_TOKPTR(oprnd), HCL_CNODE_GET_TOKLEN(oprnd), 0);
 			if (HCL_UNLIKELY(!lit)) return -1;
 			goto literal;
 
+		case HCL_CNODE_BSTRLIT:
+			lit = hcl_makebytestring(hcl, HCL_CNODE_GET_TOKPTR(oprnd), HCL_CNODE_GET_TOKLEN(oprnd), 0);
+			if (HCL_UNLIKELY(!lit)) return -1;
+			goto literal;
+
 		case HCL_CNODE_NUMLIT:
 			lit = string_to_num(hcl, HCL_CNODE_GET_TOK(oprnd), HCL_CNODE_GET_LOC(oprnd), 0);
 			if (HCL_UNLIKELY(!lit)) return -1;
diff --git a/lib/hcl-prv.h b/lib/hcl-prv.h
index a9f9d5a..3db9d17 100644
--- a/lib/hcl-prv.h
+++ b/lib/hcl-prv.h
@@ -159,8 +159,14 @@
 enum hcl_tok_type_t
 {
 	HCL_TOK_EOF,
+
+	/* the following 4 items must be in this order for code
+	 * in flx_quote_token() in read.c */
 	HCL_TOK_CHARLIT,
+	HCL_TOK_BCHRLIT,
 	HCL_TOK_STRLIT,
+	HCL_TOK_BSTRLIT,
+
 	HCL_TOK_NUMLIT,
 	HCL_TOK_RADNUMLIT,
 	HCL_TOK_FPDECLIT,
@@ -227,9 +233,11 @@ struct hcl_link_t
 enum hcl_cnode_type_t
 {
 	HCL_CNODE_CHARLIT,
+	HCL_CNODE_BCHRLIT,
 	HCL_CNODE_SYMBOL,
 	HCL_CNODE_DSYMBOL, /* dotted symbol */
 	HCL_CNODE_STRLIT,
+	HCL_CNODE_BSTRLIT,
 	HCL_CNODE_NUMLIT,
 	HCL_CNODE_RADNUMLIT,
 	HCL_CNODE_FPDECLIT,
@@ -300,6 +308,10 @@ struct hcl_cnode_t
 			hcl_ooch_t v;
 		} charlit;
 		struct
+		{
+			hcl_oob_t v;
+		} bchrlit;
+		struct
 		{
 			hcl_syncode_t syncode; /* special if non-zero */
 		} symbol;
@@ -1750,10 +1762,12 @@ hcl_cnode_t* hcl_makecnodesuper (hcl_t* hcl, int flags, const hcl_loc_t* loc, co
 hcl_cnode_t* hcl_makecnodeellipsis (hcl_t* hcl, int flags, const hcl_loc_t* loc, const hcl_oocs_t* tok);
 hcl_cnode_t* hcl_makecnodetrpcolons (hcl_t* hcl, int flags, const hcl_loc_t* loc, const hcl_oocs_t* tok);
 hcl_cnode_t* hcl_makecnodedcstar (hcl_t* hcl, int flags, const hcl_loc_t* loc, const hcl_oocs_t* tok);
-hcl_cnode_t* hcl_makecnodecharlit (hcl_t* hcl, int flags, const hcl_loc_t* loc, const hcl_oocs_t* tok, const hcl_ooch_t v);
+hcl_cnode_t* hcl_makecnodecharlit (hcl_t* hcl, int flags, const hcl_loc_t* loc, const hcl_oocs_t* tok, hcl_ooch_t v);
+hcl_cnode_t* hcl_makecnodebchrlit (hcl_t* hcl, int flags, const hcl_loc_t* loc, const hcl_oocs_t* tok, hcl_oob_t v);
 hcl_cnode_t* hcl_makecnodesymbol (hcl_t* hcl, int flags, const hcl_loc_t* loc, const hcl_oocs_t* tok);
 hcl_cnode_t* hcl_makecnodedsymbol (hcl_t* hcl, int flags, const hcl_loc_t* loc, const hcl_oocs_t* tok, int is_cla);
 hcl_cnode_t* hcl_makecnodestrlit (hcl_t* hcl, int flags, const hcl_loc_t* loc, const hcl_oocs_t* tok);
+hcl_cnode_t* hcl_makecnodebstrlit (hcl_t* hcl, int flags, const hcl_loc_t* loc, const hcl_oocs_t* tok);
 hcl_cnode_t* hcl_makecnodenumlit (hcl_t* hcl, int flags, const hcl_loc_t* loc, const hcl_oocs_t* tok);
 hcl_cnode_t* hcl_makecnoderadnumlit (hcl_t* hcl, int flags, const hcl_loc_t* loc, const hcl_oocs_t* tok);
 hcl_cnode_t* hcl_makecnodefpdeclit (hcl_t* hcl, int flags, const hcl_loc_t* loc, const hcl_oocs_t* tok);
diff --git a/lib/hcl.h b/lib/hcl.h
index 2286ae4..19b1e5d 100644
--- a/lib/hcl.h
+++ b/lib/hcl.h
@@ -2676,6 +2676,20 @@ HCL_EXPORT hcl_oop_t hcl_makebytearray (
 	hcl_oow_t        len
 );
 
+HCL_EXPORT hcl_oop_t hcl_makebytestringwithbytes (
+	hcl_t*           hcl,
+	const hcl_oob_t* ptr,
+	hcl_oow_t        len,
+	int              ngc
+);
+
+HCL_EXPORT hcl_oop_t hcl_makebytestring (
+	hcl_t*            hcl,
+	const hcl_ooch_t* ptr,
+	hcl_oow_t         len,
+	int               ngc
+);
+
 HCL_EXPORT hcl_oop_t hcl_makestring (
 	hcl_t*            hcl,
 	const hcl_ooch_t* ptr,
diff --git a/lib/obj.c b/lib/obj.c
index dfd02a7..5933b70 100644
--- a/lib/obj.c
+++ b/lib/obj.c
@@ -323,6 +323,34 @@ hcl_oop_t hcl_makebytearray (hcl_t* hcl, const hcl_oob_t* ptr, hcl_oow_t size)
 	return hcl_allocbyteobj(hcl, HCL_BRAND_BYTE_ARRAY, ptr, size);
 }
 
+hcl_oop_t hcl_makebytestringwithbytes (hcl_t* hcl, const hcl_oob_t* ptr, hcl_oow_t len, int ngc)
+{
+	return alloc_numeric_array(hcl, HCL_BRAND_BYTE_ARRAY, ptr, len, HCL_OBJ_TYPE_BYTE, HCL_SIZEOF(hcl_oob_t), 1, ngc);
+}
+
+hcl_oop_t hcl_makebytestring (hcl_t* hcl, const hcl_ooch_t* ptr, hcl_oow_t len, int ngc)
+{
+	/* a byte string is a byte array with an extra null at the back.
+	 * the input to this function, however, is the pointer to hcl_ooch_t data
+	 * because this function is mainly used to convert a token to a byte string.
+	 * the token in the compiler is stored as a hcl_ooch_t string. */
+
+	hcl_oop_byte_t b;
+	hcl_oow_t i;
+	hcl_oob_t v;
+
+	b = alloc_numeric_array(hcl, HCL_BRAND_BYTE_ARRAY, HCL_NULL, len, HCL_OBJ_TYPE_BYTE, HCL_SIZEOF(hcl_oob_t), 1, ngc);
+	if (HCL_UNLIKELY(!b)) return HCL_NULL;
+
+	for (i = 0; i < len; i++)
+	{
+		v = ptr[i] & 0xFF;
+		HCL_OBJ_SET_BYTE_VAL(b, i, v);
+	}
+
+	return (hcl_oop_t)b;
+}
+
 hcl_oop_t hcl_makestring (hcl_t* hcl, const hcl_ooch_t* ptr, hcl_oow_t len, int ngc)
 {
 	/*return hcl_alloccharobj(hcl, HCL_BRAND_STRING, ptr, len);*/
diff --git a/lib/print.c b/lib/print.c
index efa9299..adc8174 100644
--- a/lib/print.c
+++ b/lib/print.c
@@ -798,9 +798,11 @@ void hcl_dumpcnode (hcl_t* hcl, hcl_cnode_t* cnode, int newline)
 		switch (t)
 		{
 			case HCL_CNODE_CHARLIT:
+			case HCL_CNODE_BCHRLIT:
 			case HCL_CNODE_SYMBOL:
 			case HCL_CNODE_DSYMBOL:
 			case HCL_CNODE_STRLIT:
+			case HCL_CNODE_BSTRLIT:
 			case HCL_CNODE_NUMLIT:
 			case HCL_CNODE_RADNUMLIT:
 			case HCL_CNODE_FPDECLIT:
diff --git a/lib/read.c b/lib/read.c
index 97c0992..8e084e7 100644
--- a/lib/read.c
+++ b/lib/read.c
@@ -614,7 +614,7 @@ static HCL_INLINE hcl_cnode_t* leave_list (hcl_t* hcl, hcl_loc_t* list_loc, int*
 				fake_tok_ptr = &fake_tok;
 			}
 
-	/* TODO: check the number of argumetns in advance??? */
+	/* TODO: check the number of arguments in advance??? */
 			sym = hcl_makecnodesymbol(hcl, 0, &loc, fake_tok_ptr);
 			if (HCL_UNLIKELY(!sym))
 			{
@@ -1476,6 +1476,10 @@ static int feed_process_token (hcl_t* hcl)
 			frd->obj = hcl_makecnodecharlit(hcl, 0, TOKEN_LOC(hcl), TOKEN_NAME(hcl), TOKEN_NAME_CHAR(hcl, 0));
 			goto auto_xlist;
 
+		case HCL_TOK_BCHRLIT:
+			frd->obj = hcl_makecnodebchrlit(hcl, 0, TOKEN_LOC(hcl), TOKEN_NAME(hcl), (hcl_oob_t)TOKEN_NAME_CHAR(hcl, 0));
+			goto auto_xlist;
+
 		case HCL_TOK_NUMLIT:
 			frd->obj = hcl_makecnodenumlit(hcl, 0, TOKEN_LOC(hcl), TOKEN_NAME(hcl));
 			goto auto_xlist;
@@ -1498,6 +1502,10 @@ static int feed_process_token (hcl_t* hcl)
 			frd->obj = hcl_makecnodestrlit(hcl, 0, TOKEN_LOC(hcl), TOKEN_NAME(hcl));
 			goto auto_xlist;
 
+		case HCL_TOK_BSTRLIT:
+			frd->obj = hcl_makecnodebstrlit(hcl, 0, TOKEN_LOC(hcl), TOKEN_NAME(hcl));
+			goto auto_xlist;
+
 		case HCL_TOK_IDENT:
 			frd->obj = hcl_makecnodesymbol(hcl, 0, TOKEN_LOC(hcl), TOKEN_NAME(hcl));
 			goto auto_xlist;
@@ -2348,9 +2356,16 @@ not_consumed:
 static int flx_quoted_token (hcl_t* hcl, hcl_ooci_t c) /* string, character */
 {
 	hcl_flx_qt_t* qt = FLX_QT(hcl);
+	hcl_loc_t synerr_loc = *TOKEN_LOC(hcl);
 
 	if (c == HCL_OOCI_EOF) goto invalid_token;
 
+	if (qt->is_byte && c > 0xFF)
+	{
+		synerr_loc = *FLX_LOC(hcl);
+		goto invalid_token;
+	}
+
 	if (qt->escaped == 3)
 	{
 		if (c >= '0' && c <= '7')
@@ -2424,8 +2439,12 @@ static int flx_quoted_token (hcl_t* hcl, hcl_ooci_t c) /* string, character */
 	if (qt->escaped == 0 && c == qt->end_char)
 	{
 		/* terminating quote */
-/* TODO: byte string literal or byte literal by checking qt->is_byte... */
-		FEED_WRAP_UP (hcl, qt->tok_type); /* HCL_TOK_STRLIT or HCL_TOK_CHARLIT */
+
+		/* qt->tok_type + qt->is_byte assumes that the token types for
+		 * byte-string and byte-character literals are 1 greater than
+		 * string and charcter literals.  * see the definition of
+		 * hcl_tok_type_t in hcl-prv.h */
+		FEED_WRAP_UP (hcl, qt->tok_type + qt->is_byte); /* HCL_TOK_STRLIT or HCL_TOK_CHARLIT */
 		if (TOKEN_NAME_LEN(hcl) < qt->min_len) goto invalid_token;
 		goto consumed;
 	}
@@ -2462,9 +2481,15 @@ static int flx_quoted_token (hcl_t* hcl, hcl_ooci_t c) /* string, character */
 			goto consumed;
 		}
 	#if (HCL_SIZEOF_OOCH_T >= 2)
-		else if (c == 'u')
+		else if (c == 'u' && !qt->is_byte)
 		{
-			if (qt->is_byte) goto invalid_token;
+			#if 0
+			if (qt->is_byte)
+			{
+				synerr_loc = *FLX_LOC(hcl);
+				goto invalid_token;
+			}
+			#endif
 			qt->escaped = 4;
 			qt->digit_count = 0;
 			qt->c_acc = 0;
@@ -2472,9 +2497,15 @@ static int flx_quoted_token (hcl_t* hcl, hcl_ooci_t c) /* string, character */
 		}
 	#endif
 	#if (HCL_SIZEOF_OOCH_T >= 4)
-		else if (c == 'U')
+		else if (c == 'U' && !qt->is_byte)
 		{
-			if (qt->is_byte) goto invalid_token;
+			#if 0
+			if (qt->is_byte)
+			{
+				synerr_loc = *FLX_LOC(hcl);
+				goto invalid_token;
+			}
+			#endif
 			qt->escaped = 8;
 			qt->digit_count = 0;
 			qt->c_acc = 0;
@@ -2501,8 +2532,7 @@ consumed:
 	return 1;
 
 invalid_token:
-/* TODO: more accurate syntax error code instead of just synerr_code.... */
-	hcl_setsynerr (hcl, qt->synerr_code, TOKEN_LOC(hcl) /*FLX_LOC(hcl) instead?*/, HCL_NULL);
+	hcl_setsynerr (hcl, qt->synerr_code, &synerr_loc, HCL_NULL);
 	return -1;
 }
 
diff --git a/t/Makefile.am b/t/Makefile.am
index a6bae25..5869246 100644
--- a/t/Makefile.am
+++ b/t/Makefile.am
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ check_ERRORS = \
 	feed-5002.err \
 	feed-5003.err \
 	feed-5004.err \
+	feed-5005.err \
 	mlist-5001.err \
 	var-5001.err \
 	var-5002.err \
diff --git a/t/Makefile.in b/t/Makefile.in
index 948874b..2d6a627 100644
--- a/t/Makefile.in
+++ b/t/Makefile.in
@@ -490,6 +490,7 @@ check_ERRORS = \
 	feed-5002.err \
 	feed-5003.err \
 	feed-5004.err \
+	feed-5005.err \
 	mlist-5001.err \
 	var-5001.err \
 	var-5002.err \
diff --git a/t/feed-5005.err b/t/feed-5005.err
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..85ec90f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/t/feed-5005.err
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+## a code point greater than 255 is illegal in the character literal prefix fixed with b.
+
+printf "[%c] [#x%x] [%d]\n" '★' '★' #x2605;
+printf "[%c]\n" b'★';  ##ERROR: syntax error - wrong character literal