diff --git a/include/yaml-cpp/node/convert.h b/include/yaml-cpp/node/convert.h
index a8de752..146067b 100644
--- a/include/yaml-cpp/node/convert.h
+++ b/include/yaml-cpp/node/convert.h
@@ -47,7 +47,22 @@ namespace YAML
 		}
 	};
 	
+	// C-strings can only be encoded
 	template<>
+	struct convert<const char *> {
+		static Node encode(const char *&rhs) {
+			return Node(rhs);
+		}
+	};
+
+	template<std::size_t N>
+	struct convert<const char[N]> {
+		static Node encode(const char (&rhs)[N]) {
+			return Node(rhs);
+		}
+	};
+
+    template<>
 	struct convert<_Null> {
 		static Node encode(const _Null& /* rhs */) {
 			return Node();
diff --git a/include/yaml-cpp/node/detail/impl.h b/include/yaml-cpp/node/detail/impl.h
index c618758..ce5fd57 100644
--- a/include/yaml-cpp/node/detail/impl.h
+++ b/include/yaml-cpp/node/detail/impl.h
@@ -149,7 +149,12 @@ namespace YAML
 			return false;
 		}
 		
-		template<typename T>
+		inline bool node_data::equals(node& node, const char *rhs, shared_memory_holder pMemory)
+		{
+            return equals<std::string>(node, rhs, pMemory);
+		}
+
+        template<typename T>
 		inline node& node_data::convert_to_node(const T& rhs, shared_memory_holder pMemory)
 		{
 			Node value = convert<T>::encode(rhs);
diff --git a/include/yaml-cpp/node/detail/node_data.h b/include/yaml-cpp/node/detail/node_data.h
index 7fe05b8..413da5f 100644
--- a/include/yaml-cpp/node/detail/node_data.h
+++ b/include/yaml-cpp/node/detail/node_data.h
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ namespace YAML
 			
 			template<typename T>
 			static bool equals(node& node, const T& rhs, shared_memory_holder pMemory);
+			static bool equals(node& node, const char *rhs, shared_memory_holder pMemory);
 			
 			template<typename T>
 			static node& convert_to_node(const T& rhs, shared_memory_holder pMemory);