diff --git a/src/aux/aux_compile_line.cpp b/src/aux/aux_compile_line.cpp
index fa8dca1..af79e9d 100644
--- a/src/aux/aux_compile_line.cpp
+++ b/src/aux/aux_compile_line.cpp
@@ -792,7 +792,7 @@ void compile_line(vector<string> &tokens, compiler_state &state)
             // Optimization for appending
             state.add_code(get_c_variable(state, tokens[5]) + " += " + get_c_string(state, tokens[3]) + ";", state.where);
         }else{
-            state.add_code(get_c_variable(state, tokens[5]) + " = " + get_c_string(state, tokens[1]) + " + " + get_c_string(state, tokens[3]) + ";", state.where);
+            state.add_code("join(" + get_c_string(state, tokens[1]) + ", " + get_c_string(state, tokens[3]) + ", " + get_c_string(state, tokens[5]) + ");", state.where);
         }
         return;
     }
@@ -824,7 +824,7 @@ void compile_line(vector<string> &tokens, compiler_state &state)
             badcode("GET ASCII CHARACTER statement outside PROCEDURE section",
                     state.where);
         // C++ Code
-        state.add_code(get_c_variable(state, tokens[5]) + " = (char)(" +
+        state.add_code(get_c_variable(state, tokens[5]) + " = getAsciiChar(" +
                            get_c_expression(state, tokens[3]) + ");",
                        state.where);
         return;
diff --git a/src/ldpl_lib/ldpl_lib.cpp b/src/ldpl_lib/ldpl_lib.cpp
index 379c6c8..d07fa1d 100644
--- a/src/ldpl_lib/ldpl_lib.cpp
+++ b/src/ldpl_lib/ldpl_lib.cpp
@@ -295,7 +295,7 @@ string graphemedText::operator[](size_t i)
         cout << "Out-of-bounds index access." << endl;
         exit(1);
     }
-    return stringRep.substr(graphemeIndexMap[i], graphemeIndexMap[i+1] - graphemeIndexMap[i]);
+    return stringRep.substr(graphemeIndexMap[i], graphemeIndexMap[i + 1] - graphemeIndexMap[i]);
 }
 // [] for setting
 /*string graphemedText::operator[](int i)
@@ -568,6 +568,7 @@ ofstream file_writing_stream;
 string file_loading_line;
 ldpl_number VAR_ERRORCODE = 0;
 graphemedText VAR_ERRORTEXT = "";
+graphemedText joinvar = ""; // Generic temporary use text variable (used by join but can be used by any other statement as well)
 
 // Forward declarations
 graphemedText to_ldpl_string(ldpl_number x);
@@ -758,6 +759,20 @@ ldpl_number get_char_num(graphemedText chr)
     return ord;
 }
 
+graphemedText getAsciiChar(ldpl_number value)
+{
+    if (value < 0)
+        return "?";
+    if (value > 127)
+        return "?";
+    return (char)value;
+}
+
+void join(const graphemedText &a, const graphemedText &b, graphemedText &c)
+{
+    c = a + b;
+}
+
 graphemedText charat(graphemedText &s, ldpl_number pos)
 {
     size_t _pos = floor(pos);