diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 118aacc..0a8c03b 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -69,11 +69,6 @@ def run_tests(self):
             "DEF PY2K = " + str(sys.version_info.major == 2) + "\n",
             "DEF PY3K = " + str(sys.version_info.major == 3) + "\n"
         ])
-        if sys.version_info.major < 4:  # pragma: no branch
-            Py_UNICODE_SIZE = array.array('u').itemsize
-            f.writelines([
-                "DEF Py_UNICODE_SIZE = " + str(Py_UNICODE_SIZE) + "\n",
-            ])
 
     with open("src/version.pxi", "w") as f:
         f.writelines([
diff --git a/src/cybuffer.pyx b/src/cybuffer.pyx
index a56c30c..836df50 100644
--- a/src/cybuffer.pyx
+++ b/src/cybuffer.pyx
@@ -2,6 +2,9 @@ include "config.pxi"
 
 cimport cybuffer
 
+cimport libc
+cimport libc.string
+
 cimport cython
 cimport cython.view
 
@@ -38,8 +41,13 @@ cdef extern from "Python.h":
 
 cdef extern from *:
     """
-    #define UCS2_TC "H"
-    #define UCS4_TC "I"
+    #define UINT8_TC "B"
+    #define UINT16_TC "H"
+    #define UINT32_TC "I"
+
+    #define CHAR_TC "c"
+    #define UCS2_TC "u"
+    #define UCS4_TC "w"
 
     #define PyList_SET_ITEM_INC(l, i, o)  \
             Py_INCREF(o); PyList_SET_ITEM(l, i, o)
@@ -47,6 +55,11 @@ cdef extern from *:
             Py_INCREF(o); PyTuple_SET_ITEM(l, i, o)
     """
 
+    char* UINT8_TC
+    char* UINT16_TC
+    char* UINT32_TC
+
+    char* CHAR_TC
     char* UCS2_TC
     char* UCS4_TC
 
@@ -177,18 +190,18 @@ cdef class cybuffer(object):
 
         # Workaround some special cases with the builtin array
         if (PY2K or PY3K) and isinstance(self.obj, array):
-            # Cast to appropriate format with given itemsize
-            typecode = self.obj.typecode
-            if typecode == "u":
-                if PY2K:
-                    self.itemsize = Py_UNICODE_SIZE
-                if Py_UNICODE_SIZE == 2:
-                    self._format = UCS2_TC
-                elif Py_UNICODE_SIZE == 4:
-                    self._format = UCS4_TC
-            elif PY2K and typecode not in "Bc":
+            # Correct itemsize and format on Python 2
+            if PY2K:
                 self.itemsize = self.obj.itemsize
-                self._format = typecode
+                self._format = self.obj.typecode
+
+            # Cast to appropriate format
+            if libc.string.strcmp(self._format, UCS2_TC) == 0:
+                self._format = UINT16_TC
+            elif libc.string.strcmp(self._format, UCS4_TC) == 0:
+                self._format = UINT32_TC
+            elif PY2K and libc.string.strcmp(self._format, CHAR_TC) == 0:
+                self._format = UINT8_TC
 
             # Adjust shape and strides based on casting
             if PY2K and self.itemsize != 1: