diff --git a/flang/lib/Lower/ConvertExpr.cpp b/flang/lib/Lower/ConvertExpr.cpp
--- a/flang/lib/Lower/ConvertExpr.cpp
+++ b/flang/lib/Lower/ConvertExpr.cpp
@@ -2466,7 +2466,21 @@
       mlir::Type argTy = callSiteType.getInput(arg.firArgument);
       if (!actual) {
         // Optional dummy argument for which there is no actual argument.
-        caller.placeInput(arg, builder.create<fir::AbsentOp>(loc, argTy));
+        if (arg.passBy != PassBy::CharProcTuple) {
+          caller.placeInput(arg, builder.create<fir::AbsentOp>(loc, argTy));
+          continue;
+        }
+
+        mlir::Type funcTy = argTy.cast<mlir::TupleType>()
+                                .getType(0)
+                                .cast<fir::BoxProcType>()
+                                .getEleTy();
+        mlir::Value funcAddr = builder.create<fir::AbsentOp>(loc, funcTy);
+        mlir::Value charLen =
+            builder.createIntegerConstant(loc, builder.getCharacterLengthType(),
+                                          fir::CharacterType::singleton());
+        caller.placeInput(
+            arg, createBoxProcCharTuple(converter, argTy, funcAddr, charLen));
         continue;
       }
       const auto *expr = actual->UnwrapExpr();
diff --git a/flang/test/Lower/dummy-argument-optional.f90 b/flang/test/Lower/dummy-argument-optional.f90
--- a/flang/test/Lower/dummy-argument-optional.f90
+++ b/flang/test/Lower/dummy-argument-optional.f90
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 ! RUN: bbc -emit-fir %s -o - | FileCheck %s
+! RUN: flang-new -fc1 -fdefault-integer-8 -emit-fir %s -o - | FileCheck %s
 
 ! Test OPTIONAL lowering on caller/callee and PRESENT intrinsic.
 module opt
@@ -68,6 +69,54 @@
   call character_scalar()
 end subroutine
 
+! Test optional character function
+! CHECK-LABEL: func @_QMoptPchar_proc(
+! CHECK-SAME: %[[arg0:.*]]: !fir.ref<!fir.char<1,3>>,
+character(len=3) function char_proc(i)
+  integer :: i
+  char_proc = "XYZ"
+end function
+! CHECK-LABEL: func @_QMoptPuse_char_proc(
+! CHECK-SAME: %[[arg0:.*]]: tuple<!fir.boxproc<() -> ()>, i64> {fir.char_proc},
+subroutine use_char_proc(f, c)
+  optional :: f
+  interface
+    character(len=3) function f(i)
+      integer :: i
+    end function
+  end interface
+  character(len=3) :: c
+! CHECK: %[[boxProc:.*]] = fir.extract_value %[[arg0]], [0 : index] : (tuple<!fir.boxproc<() -> ()>, i64>) -> !fir.boxproc<() -> ()>
+! CHECK: %[[procAddr:.*]] = fir.box_addr %[[boxProc]] : (!fir.boxproc<() -> ()>) -> (() -> ())
+! CHECK: %{{.*}} = fir.is_present %[[procAddr]] : (() -> ()) -> i1
+  if (present(f)) then
+    c = f(0)
+  else
+    c = "ABC"
+  end if
+end subroutine
+! CHECK-LABEL: func @_QMoptPcall_use_char_proc(
+subroutine call_use_char_proc()
+  character(len=3) :: c
+! CHECK: %[[absent:.*]] = fir.absent () -> ()
+! CHECK: %[[c1:.*]] = arith.constant 1 : index
+! CHECK: %[[boxProc:.*]] = fir.emboxproc %[[absent]] : (() -> ()) -> !fir.boxproc<() -> ()>
+! CHECK: %[[charLen:.*]] = fir.convert %[[c1]] : (index) -> i64
+! CHECK: %[[tuple:.*]] = fir.undefined tuple<!fir.boxproc<() -> ()>, i64>
+! CHECK: %[[tuple2:.*]] = fir.insert_value %[[tuple]], %[[boxProc]], [0 : index] : (tuple<!fir.boxproc<() -> ()>, i64>, !fir.boxproc<() -> ()>) -> tuple<!fir.boxproc<() -> ()>, i64>
+! CHECK: %[[tuple3:.*]] = fir.insert_value %[[tuple2]], %[[charLen]], [1 : index] : (tuple<!fir.boxproc<() -> ()>, i64>, i64) -> tuple<!fir.boxproc<() -> ()>, i64>
+! CHECK: fir.call @_QMoptPuse_char_proc(%[[tuple3]], %{{.*}}){{.*}} : (tuple<!fir.boxproc<() -> ()>, i64>, !fir.boxchar<1>) -> ()
+  call use_char_proc(c=c)
+! CHECK: %[[funcAddr:.*]] = fir.address_of(@_QMoptPchar_proc) : (!fir.ref<!fir.char<1,3>>, index, {{.*}}) -> !fir.boxchar<1>
+! CHECK: %[[c3:.*]] = arith.constant 3 : i64
+! CHECK: %[[boxProc2:.*]] = fir.emboxproc %[[funcAddr]] : ((!fir.ref<!fir.char<1,3>>, index, {{.*}}) -> !fir.boxchar<1>) -> !fir.boxproc<() -> ()>
+! CHECK: %[[tuple4:.*]] = fir.undefined tuple<!fir.boxproc<() -> ()>, i64>
+! CHECK: %[[tuple5:.*]] = fir.insert_value %[[tuple4]], %[[boxProc2]], [0 : index] : (tuple<!fir.boxproc<() -> ()>, i64>, !fir.boxproc<() -> ()>) -> tuple<!fir.boxproc<() -> ()>, i64>
+! CHECK: %[[tuple6:.*]] = fir.insert_value %[[tuple5]], %[[c3]], [1 : index] : (tuple<!fir.boxproc<() -> ()>, i64>, i64) -> tuple<!fir.boxproc<() -> ()>, i64>
+! CHECK: fir.call @_QMoptPuse_char_proc(%[[tuple6]], {{.*}}){{.*}} : (tuple<!fir.boxproc<() -> ()>, i64>, !fir.boxchar<1>) -> ()
+  call use_char_proc(char_proc, c)
+end subroutine
+
 ! Test optional assumed shape
 ! CHECK-LABEL: func @_QMoptPassumed_shape(
 ! CHECK-SAME: %[[arg0:.*]]: !fir.box<!fir.array<?xf32>> {fir.bindc_name = "x", fir.optional}) {