diff --git a/mysql-test/r/func_str.result b/mysql-test/r/func_str.result
index 6fbb9c811a7..78d86d3f342 100644
--- a/mysql-test/r/func_str.result
+++ b/mysql-test/r/func_str.result
@@ -726,7 +726,7 @@ t1	CREATE TABLE `t1` (
   `oct(130)` varchar(64) NOT NULL DEFAULT '',
   `conv(130,16,10)` varchar(64) NOT NULL DEFAULT '',
   `hex(130)` varchar(6) NOT NULL DEFAULT '',
-  `char(130)` varbinary(1) NOT NULL DEFAULT '',
+  `char(130)` varbinary(4) NOT NULL DEFAULT '',
   `format(130,10)` varchar(4) NOT NULL DEFAULT '',
   `left(_latin2'a',1)` varchar(1) CHARACTER SET latin2 NOT NULL DEFAULT '',
   `right(_latin2'a',1)` varchar(1) CHARACTER SET latin2 NOT NULL DEFAULT '',
@@ -2486,4 +2486,14 @@ SUBSTR(a,1,len)
 ba
 
 DROP TABLE t1;
+CREATE TABLE t1 AS SELECT CHAR(0x414243) as c1;
+SELECT HEX(c1) from t1;
+HEX(c1)
+414243
+DROP TABLE t1;
+CREATE VIEW v1 AS SELECT CHAR(0x414243) as c1;
+SELECT HEX(c1) from v1;
+HEX(c1)
+414243
+DROP VIEW v1;
 End of 5.0 tests
diff --git a/mysql-test/t/func_str.test b/mysql-test/t/func_str.test
index 945f5a050f4..0ba0ba30cd2 100644
--- a/mysql-test/t/func_str.test
+++ b/mysql-test/t/func_str.test
@@ -1231,4 +1231,16 @@ SELECT SUBSTR(a,1,len) FROM t1;
 
 DROP TABLE t1; 
 
+#
+# Bug #28850: Potential bugs related to the return type of the CHAR function
+#
+
+CREATE TABLE t1 AS SELECT CHAR(0x414243) as c1;
+SELECT HEX(c1) from t1;
+DROP TABLE t1;
+
+CREATE VIEW v1 AS SELECT CHAR(0x414243) as c1;
+SELECT HEX(c1) from v1;
+DROP VIEW v1;
+
 --echo End of 5.0 tests
diff --git a/sql/item.cc b/sql/item.cc
index 6fe1fbd62e2..ad3079b6e1a 100644
--- a/sql/item.cc
+++ b/sql/item.cc
@@ -4903,6 +4903,19 @@ warn:
 }
 
 
+void Item_hex_string::print(String *str)
+{
+  char *end= (char*) str_value.ptr() + str_value.length(),
+       *ptr= end - min(str_value.length(), sizeof(longlong));
+  str->append("0x");
+  for (; ptr != end ; ptr++)
+  {
+    str->append(_dig_vec_lower[((uchar) *ptr) >> 4]);
+    str->append(_dig_vec_lower[((uchar) *ptr) & 0x0F]);
+  }
+}
+
+
 bool Item_hex_string::eq(const Item *arg, bool binary_cmp) const
 {
   if (arg->basic_const_item() && arg->type() == type())
diff --git a/sql/item.h b/sql/item.h
index 38dd0599a35..c8294eabb6a 100644
--- a/sql/item.h
+++ b/sql/item.h
@@ -2024,6 +2024,7 @@ public:
   enum_field_types field_type() const { return MYSQL_TYPE_VARCHAR; }
   // to prevent drop fixed flag (no need parent cleanup call)
   void cleanup() {}
+  void print(String *str);
   bool eq(const Item *item, bool binary_cmp) const;
   virtual Item *safe_charset_converter(CHARSET_INFO *tocs);
   bool check_partition_func_processor(uchar *int_arg) {return FALSE;}
diff --git a/sql/item_strfunc.h b/sql/item_strfunc.h
index 30a9ba4492d..1a264fa2c01 100644
--- a/sql/item_strfunc.h
+++ b/sql/item_strfunc.h
@@ -508,7 +508,7 @@ public:
   String *val_str(String *);
   void fix_length_and_dec() 
   {
-    max_length= arg_count * collation.collation->mbmaxlen;
+    max_length= arg_count * 4;
   }
   const char *func_name() const { return "char"; }
 };