diff --git a/src/operators.c b/src/operators.c
index 481f4028b20de933bca2be3e009984d8b3eab84e..ce21f31d9f2157a817e9c00208ad3ecaa87fb4f5 100644
--- a/src/operators.c
+++ b/src/operators.c
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 \*/
 #include "global.h"
 #include <math.h>
-RCSID("$Id: operators.c,v 1.41 1998/10/11 11:18:52 hubbe Exp $");
+RCSID("$Id: operators.c,v 1.42 1998/10/12 22:55:10 hubbe Exp $");
 #include "interpret.h"
 #include "svalue.h"
 #include "multiset.h"
@@ -1850,7 +1850,7 @@ static void f_string_assignment_index(INT32 args)
   if(i<0 || i>=THIS->s->len)
     error("Index %d is out of range 0 - %d.\n", i, THIS->s->len-1);
   else
-    i=EXTRACT_UCHAR(THIS->s->str + i);
+    i=index_shared_string(THIS->s,i);
   pop_n_elems(args);
   push_int(i);
 }