diff --git a/dbt/schema.py b/dbt/schema.py
index 0e0c4c2e037..87c6e4e972b 100644
--- a/dbt/schema.py
+++ b/dbt/schema.py
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ def data_type(self):
             return self.dtype
 
     def is_string(self):
-        return self.dtype.lower() in ['text', 'character varying']
+        return self.dtype.lower() in ['text', 'character varying', 'character']
 
     def is_numeric(self):
         return self.dtype.lower() in ['numeric', 'number']
diff --git a/test/unit/test_schema.py b/test/unit/test_schema.py
index a7c3d94fff0..6c065a422d7 100644
--- a/test/unit/test_schema.py
+++ b/test/unit/test_schema.py
@@ -2,6 +2,17 @@
 
 import dbt.schema
 
+class TestStringType(unittest.TestCase):
+
+    def test__character_type(self):
+        col = dbt.schema.Column(
+            'fieldname',
+            'character',
+            char_size=10
+        )
+
+        self.assertEqual(col.data_type, 'character varying(10)')
+
 
 class TestNumericType(unittest.TestCase):