diff --git a/SWIG/Lib/python/std_basic_string.i b/SWIG/Lib/python/std_basic_string.i
index 386bcafe5..9268223c7 100644
--- a/SWIG/Lib/python/std_basic_string.i
+++ b/SWIG/Lib/python/std_basic_string.i
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#if !defined(SWIG_STD_STRING) && !defined(SWIG_STD_WSTRING)
+#if !defined(SWIG_STD_STRING) 
 #define SWIG_STD_BASIC_STRING
 
 %include <pycontainer.swg>
@@ -45,6 +45,13 @@ SWIGINTERNINLINE PyObject*
   }
 }
 
+%include <std/std_basic_string.i>
+%typemap_asptrfromn(SWIG_CCode(STRING), std::basic_string<char>);
+
+#endif
+
+
+#if !defined(SWIG_STD_WSTRING)
 
 %fragment(SWIG_AsPtr_frag(std::basic_string<wchar_t>),"header",
 	  fragment="SWIG_AsWCharPtrAndSize") {
@@ -87,11 +94,6 @@ SWIGINTERNINLINE PyObject*
   }
 }
 
-
-
-%include <std/std_basic_string.i>
-
-%typemap_asptrfromn(SWIG_CCode(STRING), std::basic_string<char>);
 %typemap_asptrfromn(SWIG_CCode(UNISTRING), std::basic_string<wchar_t>);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/SWIG/Lib/python/wchar.i b/SWIG/Lib/python/wchar.i
index 2743b4b9b..308139a3a 100644
--- a/SWIG/Lib/python/wchar.i
+++ b/SWIG/Lib/python/wchar.i
@@ -1,7 +1,21 @@
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+
+%{
+#include <cwchar>
+%}
+
+#else
+
 %{
 #include <wchar.h>
 %}
 
-%types(wchar_t *);
+#endif
 
+%types(wchar_t *);
 %include <pywstrings.swg>
+
+/*
+  Enable swig wchar support.
+*/
+#define SWIG_WCHAR
diff --git a/SWIG/Lib/std/std_ios.i b/SWIG/Lib/std/std_ios.i
index 4fb5e4cbe..87ca38d00 100644
--- a/SWIG/Lib/std/std_ios.i
+++ b/SWIG/Lib/std/std_ios.i
@@ -248,7 +248,9 @@ namespace std {
 
 namespace std {
   %template(ios) basic_ios<char>;
+#if defined(SWIG_WCHAR)
   %template(wios) basic_ios<wchar_t>;
+#endif
 }
 
   
diff --git a/SWIG/Lib/std/std_streambuf.i b/SWIG/Lib/std/std_streambuf.i
index 85a8132f3..14265eb8f 100644
--- a/SWIG/Lib/std/std_streambuf.i
+++ b/SWIG/Lib/std/std_streambuf.i
@@ -81,5 +81,7 @@ namespace std {
 
 namespace std {
   %template(streambuf) basic_streambuf<char>;
+#if defined(SWIG_WCHAR)
   %template(wstreambuf) basic_streambuf<wchar_t>;
+#endif
 }