diff --git a/compiler/src/prog8/compiler/astprocessing/AstChecker.kt b/compiler/src/prog8/compiler/astprocessing/AstChecker.kt
index 11bc16ff6..0b56b7e52 100644
--- a/compiler/src/prog8/compiler/astprocessing/AstChecker.kt
+++ b/compiler/src/prog8/compiler/astprocessing/AstChecker.kt
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import prog8.compiler.functions.builtinFunctionReturnType
 import prog8.compiler.target.C64Target
 import prog8.compiler.target.Cx16Target
 import prog8.compiler.target.ICompilationTarget
+import java.io.CharConversionException
 import java.io.File
 import java.util.*
 
@@ -764,6 +765,13 @@ internal class AstChecker(private val program: Program,
 
     override fun visit(string: StringLiteralValue) {
         checkValueTypeAndRangeString(DataType.STR, string)
+
+        try {
+            compTarget.encodeString(string.value, string.altEncoding)
+        } catch (cx: CharConversionException) {
+            errors.err(cx.message ?: "can't encode string", string.position)
+        }
+
         super.visit(string)
     }
 
diff --git a/compiler/src/prog8/compiler/target/ICompilationTarget.kt b/compiler/src/prog8/compiler/target/ICompilationTarget.kt
index f6563f3ff..b778e3182 100644
--- a/compiler/src/prog8/compiler/target/ICompilationTarget.kt
+++ b/compiler/src/prog8/compiler/target/ICompilationTarget.kt
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ import prog8.ast.base.*
 import prog8.ast.expressions.IdentifierReference
 import prog8.ast.expressions.NumericLiteralValue
 import prog8.ast.statements.AssignTarget
-import prog8.compiler.AssemblyError
 import prog8.compiler.CompilationOptions
 import prog8.compiler.IErrorReporter
 import prog8.compiler.Zeropage
@@ -75,13 +74,13 @@ internal object C64Target: ICompilationTarget {
         try {
             if (altEncoding) Petscii.encodeScreencode(str, true) else Petscii.encodePetscii(str, true)
         } catch (x: CharConversionException) {
-            throw AssemblyError("There was a problem converting a string to the target machine's char encoding: ${x.message}")
+            throw CharConversionException("can't convert string to target machine's char encoding: ${x.message}")
         }
     override fun decodeString(bytes: List<Short>, altEncoding: Boolean) =
         try {
             if (altEncoding) Petscii.decodeScreencode(bytes, true) else Petscii.decodePetscii(bytes, true)
         } catch (x: CharConversionException) {
-            throw AssemblyError("There was a problem decoding to a string: ${x.message}")
+            throw CharConversionException("can't decode string: ${x.message}")
         }
 
     override fun memorySize(dt: DataType): Int {
@@ -102,13 +101,13 @@ internal object Cx16Target: ICompilationTarget {
         try {
             if (altEncoding) Petscii.encodeScreencode(str, true) else Petscii.encodePetscii(str, true)
         } catch (x: CharConversionException) {
-            throw AssemblyError("There was a problem converting a string to the target machine's char encoding: ${x.message}")
+            throw CharConversionException("can't convert string to target machine's char encoding: ${x.message}")
         }
     override fun decodeString(bytes: List<Short>, altEncoding: Boolean) =
         try {
             if (altEncoding) Petscii.decodeScreencode(bytes, true) else Petscii.decodePetscii(bytes, true)
         } catch (x: CharConversionException) {
-            throw AssemblyError("There was a problem decoding to a string: ${x.message}")
+            throw CharConversionException("can't decode string: ${x.message}")
         }
 
     override fun memorySize(dt: DataType): Int {
diff --git a/examples/test.p8 b/examples/test.p8
index d1109f13a..220bb3873 100644
--- a/examples/test.p8
+++ b/examples/test.p8
@@ -8,19 +8,19 @@
  			txt.print("\"")	; fine
  			txt.print("\n")	; fine
  			txt.print("\r")	; fine
- 			; txt.print("\\")	; yields CharConversionException
- 			; txt.print("xyz\\")	; yields prog8.compiler.AssemblyError
+ 			txt.print("\\")	; yields CharConversionException
+ 			txt.print("xyz\\")	; yields prog8.compiler.AssemblyError
 
  			; @-strings, i.e. translated into
  			; the alternate character encoding (Screencodes/pokes)
  			; ----------------------------------------------------
  			txt.print(@"\"")	; fine
  			txt.print(@"\n")	; yields CharConversionException
- 			; txt.print(@"xyz\n")	; yields prog8.compiler.AssemblyError
- 			; txt.print(@"\r")	; yields CharConversionException
- 			; txt.print(@"xyz\r")	; yields prog8.compiler.AssemblyError
- 			; txt.print(@"\\")	; yields CharConversionException
- 			; txt.print(@"\\")	; yields prog8.compiler.AssemblyError
+ 			txt.print(@"xyz\n")	; yields prog8.compiler.AssemblyError
+ 			txt.print(@"\r")	; yields CharConversionException
+ 			txt.print(@"xyz\r")	; yields prog8.compiler.AssemblyError
+ 			txt.print(@"\\")	; yields CharConversionException
+ 			txt.print(@"\\")	; yields prog8.compiler.AssemblyError
 
  			; there may be more...
  		}