diff --git a/rosidl_adapter/rosidl_adapter/msg/__init__.py b/rosidl_adapter/rosidl_adapter/msg/__init__.py
index b02b7b5bd..a0893b2fd 100644
--- a/rosidl_adapter/rosidl_adapter/msg/__init__.py
+++ b/rosidl_adapter/rosidl_adapter/msg/__init__.py
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ def convert_msg_to_idl(package_dir, package_name, input_file, output_dir):
 MSG_TYPE_TO_IDL = {
     'bool': 'boolean',
     'byte': 'octet',
-    'char': 'uint8',
+    'char': 'char',
     'int8': 'int8',
     'uint8': 'uint8',
     'int16': 'int16',
diff --git a/rosidl_adapter/test/data/action/Test.expected.idl b/rosidl_adapter/test/data/action/Test.expected.idl
index 7732f944c..3174bb48e 100644
--- a/rosidl_adapter/test/data/action/Test.expected.idl
+++ b/rosidl_adapter/test/data/action/Test.expected.idl
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ module test_msgs {
       @verbatim (language="comment", text=
         "asd" "\n"
         "bsd")
-      uint8 char_value;
+      char char_value;
 
       float float32_value;
 
diff --git a/rosidl_adapter/test/data/msg/Test.expected.idl b/rosidl_adapter/test/data/msg/Test.expected.idl
index a7bf20a0e..56b0b526b 100644
--- a/rosidl_adapter/test/data/msg/Test.expected.idl
+++ b/rosidl_adapter/test/data/msg/Test.expected.idl
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ module test_msgs {
       @verbatim (language="comment", text=
         "combined styles" "\n"
         "combined styles, part 2")
-      uint8 char_value;
+      char char_value;
 
       float float32_value;
 
diff --git a/rosidl_adapter/test/data/srv/Test.expected.idl b/rosidl_adapter/test/data/srv/Test.expected.idl
index e2225a5d1..ce852fac4 100644
--- a/rosidl_adapter/test/data/srv/Test.expected.idl
+++ b/rosidl_adapter/test/data/srv/Test.expected.idl
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ module test_msgs {
       @verbatim (language="comment", text=
         "5" "\n"
         "6")
-      uint8 char_value;
+      char char_value;
 
       float float32_value;