diff --git a/it0-out.py b/it0-out.py
index 6593f7e..ffdcd5d 100644
--- a/it0-out.py
+++ b/it0-out.py
@@ -300,10 +300,10 @@ def emitheader():
     emit("    return a == b\n")
     emit("\n")
     emit("def lt(a, b):\n")
-    emit("    return a < b\n")
+    emit("    return a[0] < b[0]\n")
     emit("\n")
     emit("def addstringchar(a, b):\n")
-    emit("    return a + b\n")
+    emit("    return a + b[0]\n")
     emit("\n")
     emit("def emit(string):\n")
     emit("    sys.stdout.write(string)\n")
diff --git a/it1-in.lang0 b/it1-in.lang0
index 0c10e96..09f280d 100644
--- a/it1-in.lang0
+++ b/it1-in.lang0
@@ -342,10 +342,10 @@ emitheader:
 	emit "    return a == b\n"
 	emit "\n"
 	emit "def lt(a, b):\n"
-	emit "    return a < b\n"
+	emit "    return a[0] < b[0]\n"
 	emit "\n"
 	emit "def addstringchar(a, b):\n"
-	emit "    return a + b\n"
+	emit "    return a + b[0]\n"
 	emit "\n"
 	emit "def emit(string):\n"
 	emit "    sys.stdout.write(string)\n"