diff --git a/VERSION.yml b/VERSION.yml
index 52fe98dc..9a1b2266 100644
--- a/VERSION.yml
+++ b/VERSION.yml
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 --- 
 :minor: 18
-:patch: 0
+:patch: 1
 :build: 
 :major: 1
diff --git a/backports.gemspec b/backports.gemspec
index 0bbf3e20..1e1d0a33 100644
--- a/backports.gemspec
+++ b/backports.gemspec
@@ -5,11 +5,11 @@
 
 Gem::Specification.new do |s|
   s.name = %q{backports}
-  s.version = "1.18.0"
+  s.version = "1.18.1"
 
   s.required_rubygems_version = Gem::Requirement.new(">= 0") if s.respond_to? :required_rubygems_version=
   s.authors = ["Marc-Andr\303\251 Lafortune"]
-  s.date = %q{2010-06-19}
+  s.date = %q{2010-06-24}
   s.description = %q{      Essential backports that enable some of the really nice features of ruby 1.8.7, ruby 1.9 and rails from ruby 1.8.6 and earlier.
 }
   s.email = %q{github@marc-andre.ca}
diff --git a/lib/backports/1.8.7/string.rb b/lib/backports/1.8.7/string.rb
index c8b9b7bc..57c24417 100644
--- a/lib/backports/1.8.7/string.rb
+++ b/lib/backports/1.8.7/string.rb
@@ -2,11 +2,6 @@ class String
   # Standard in Ruby 1.8.7+. See official documentation[http://ruby-doc.org/core-1.9/classes/String.html]
   Backports.alias_method self, :bytesize, :length
 
-  # Standard in Ruby 1.8.7+. See official documentation[http://ruby-doc.org/core-1.9/classes/String.html]
-  def chr
-    chars.first
-  end unless method_defined? :chr
-
   Backports.make_block_optional self, :each_byte, :each_line, :test_on => "abc"
 
   # Standard in Ruby 1.8.7+. See official documentation[http://ruby-doc.org/core-1.9/classes/String.html]
diff --git a/lib/backports/1.9.1/string.rb b/lib/backports/1.9.1/string.rb
index cf99de73..6f9ea840 100644
--- a/lib/backports/1.9.1/string.rb
+++ b/lib/backports/1.9.1/string.rb
@@ -5,6 +5,11 @@ def ascii_only?
     !(self =~ /[^\x00-\x7f]/)
   end unless method_defined? :ascii_only?
 
+  # Standard in Ruby 1.9. See official documentation[http://ruby-doc.org/core-1.9/classes/String.html]
+  def chr
+    chars.first || ""
+  end unless method_defined? :chr
+
   # Standard in Ruby 1.9. See official documentation[http://ruby-doc.org/core-1.9/classes/String.html]
   def clear
     self[0,length] = ""