diff --git a/compile.c b/compile.c
index 8296306..35c5f8f 100644
--- a/compile.c
+++ b/compile.c
@@ -48,6 +48,12 @@ static bool promote(env_t *env, CORD *code, type_t *actual, type_t *needed)
     if (actual->tag == IntType || actual->tag == NumType)
         return true;
 
+    // Text to C String
+    if (actual->tag == TextType && !Match(actual, TextType)->lang && needed->tag == CStringType) {
+        *code = CORD_all("Text$as_c_string(", *code, ")");
+        return true;
+    }
+
     // Automatic dereferencing:
     if (actual->tag == PointerType && !Match(actual, PointerType)->is_optional
         && can_promote(Match(actual, PointerType)->pointed, needed)) {
diff --git a/environment.c b/environment.c
index 01c3094..d163936 100644
--- a/environment.c
+++ b/environment.c
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ env_t *new_compilation_unit(CORD *libname)
     } global_vars[] = {
         {"say", {.code="say", .type=Type(FunctionType, .args=new(arg_t, .name="text", .type=TEXT_TYPE,
                                                                  .next=new(arg_t, .name="newline", .type=Type(BoolType), .default_val=FakeAST(Bool, true))), .ret=Type(VoidType))}},
-        {"fail", {.code="fail", .type=Type(FunctionType, .args=new(arg_t, .name="message", .type=TEXT_TYPE), .ret=Type(AbortType))}},
+        {"fail", {.code="fail", .type=Type(FunctionType, .args=new(arg_t, .name="message", .type=Type(CStringType)), .ret=Type(AbortType))}},
         {"USE_COLOR", {.code="USE_COLOR", .type=Type(BoolType)}},
     };
 
diff --git a/types.c b/types.c
index 16a7752..60168a8 100644
--- a/types.c
+++ b/types.c
@@ -289,6 +289,10 @@ bool can_promote(type_t *actual, type_t *needed)
         return cmp == NUM_PRECISION_EQUAL || cmp == NUM_PRECISION_LESS;
     }
 
+    // Text to C String
+    if (actual->tag == TextType && !Match(actual, TextType)->lang && needed->tag == CStringType)
+        return true;
+
     // Automatic dereferencing:
     if (actual->tag == PointerType && !Match(actual, PointerType)->is_optional
         && can_promote(Match(actual, PointerType)->pointed, needed))