diff --git a/flang/lib/Optimizer/HLFIR/Transforms/BufferizeHLFIR.cpp b/flang/lib/Optimizer/HLFIR/Transforms/BufferizeHLFIR.cpp
--- a/flang/lib/Optimizer/HLFIR/Transforms/BufferizeHLFIR.cpp
+++ b/flang/lib/Optimizer/HLFIR/Transforms/BufferizeHLFIR.cpp
@@ -350,8 +350,10 @@
           builder.createConvert(loc, associate.getResultTypes()[0], hlfirVar);
       associate.getResult(0).replaceAllUsesWith(hlfirVar);
       mlir::Type associateFirVarType = associate.getResultTypes()[1];
-      if (firVar.getType().isa<fir::BaseBoxType>() &&
-          !associateFirVarType.isa<fir::BaseBoxType>())
+      if ((firVar.getType().isa<fir::BaseBoxType>() &&
+           !associateFirVarType.isa<fir::BaseBoxType>()) ||
+          (firVar.getType().isa<fir::BoxCharType>() &&
+           !associateFirVarType.isa<fir::BoxCharType>()))
         firVar =
             builder.create<fir::BoxAddrOp>(loc, associateFirVarType, firVar);
       else
diff --git a/flang/test/HLFIR/associate-codegen.fir b/flang/test/HLFIR/associate-codegen.fir
--- a/flang/test/HLFIR/associate-codegen.fir
+++ b/flang/test/HLFIR/associate-codegen.fir
@@ -53,31 +53,61 @@
 
 
 func.func @associate_char(%arg0: !fir.boxchar<1> ) {
+  %c1 = arith.constant 1 : index
   %0:2 = fir.unboxchar %arg0 : (!fir.boxchar<1>) -> (!fir.ref<!fir.char<1,?>>, index)
   %1:2 = hlfir.declare %0#0 typeparams %0#1 {uniq_name = "x"} : (!fir.ref<!fir.char<1,?>>, index) -> (!fir.boxchar<1>, !fir.ref<!fir.char<1,?>>)
-  %2 = arith.addi %0#1, %0#1 : index
-  %3 = hlfir.concat %1#0, %1#0 len %2 : (!fir.boxchar<1>, !fir.boxchar<1>, index) -> !hlfir.expr<!fir.char<1,?>>
-  %4:3 = hlfir.associate %3 typeparams %2 {uniq_name = "x"} : (!hlfir.expr<!fir.char<1,?>>, index) -> (!fir.boxchar<1>, !fir.ref<!fir.char<1,?>>, i1)
-  fir.call @take_c(%4#0) : (!fir.boxchar<1>) -> ()
-  hlfir.end_associate %4#1, %4#2 : !fir.ref<!fir.char<1,?>>, i1
+  %2 = arith.addi %0#1, %c1 : index
+  %3 = fir.undefined !fir.ref<!fir.char<1>>
+  %4:2 = hlfir.declare %3 typeparams %c1 {fortran_attrs = #fir.var_attrs<parameter>, uniq_name = "char_literal"} : (!fir.ref<!fir.char<1>>, index) -> (!fir.ref<!fir.char<1>>, !fir.ref<!fir.char<1>>)
+  %5 = hlfir.concat %1#0, %4#0 len %2 : (!fir.boxchar<1>, !fir.ref<!fir.char<1>>, index) -> !hlfir.expr<!fir.char<1,?>>
+  %6 = hlfir.no_reassoc %5 : !hlfir.expr<!fir.char<1,?>>
+  %7:3 = hlfir.associate %6 typeparams %2 {uniq_name = "x"} : (!hlfir.expr<!fir.char<1,?>>, index) -> (!fir.boxchar<1>, !fir.ref<!fir.char<1,?>>, i1)
+  fir.call @take_c(%7#0) : (!fir.boxchar<1>) -> ()
+  hlfir.end_associate %7#1, %7#2 : !fir.ref<!fir.char<1,?>>, i1
   return
 }
-// CHECK-LABEL:   func.func @associate_char(
-// CHECK-SAME:    %[[VAL_0:.*]]: !fir.boxchar<1>) {
-// CHECK:  %[[VAL_1:.*]]:2 = fir.unboxchar %[[VAL_0]] : (!fir.boxchar<1>) -> (!fir.ref<!fir.char<1,?>>, index)
-// CHECK:  %[[VAL_2:.*]]:2 = hlfir.declare %[[VAL_1]]#0 typeparams %[[VAL_1]]#1 {uniq_name = "x"} : (!fir.ref<!fir.char<1,?>>, index) -> (!fir.boxchar<1>, !fir.ref<!fir.char<1,?>>)
-// CHECK:  %[[VAL_3:.*]] = arith.addi %[[VAL_1]]#1, %[[VAL_1]]#1 : index
-// CHECK:  %[[VAL_4:.*]] = arith.addi %[[VAL_1]]#1, %[[VAL_1]]#1 : index
-// CHECK:  %[[VAL_5:.*]] = fir.alloca !fir.char<1,?>(%[[VAL_4]] : index) {bindc_name = ".chrtmp"}
-// CHECK:  fir.call @llvm.memmove.p0.p0.i64
-// CHECK:  %[[VAL_21:.*]]:2 = hlfir.declare %[[VAL_5]] typeparams %[[VAL_4]] {uniq_name = "tmp"} : (!fir.ref<!fir.char<1,?>>, index) -> (!fir.boxchar<1>, !fir.ref<!fir.char<1,?>>)
-// CHECK:  %[[VAL_22:.*]] = arith.constant false
-// CHECK:  %[[VAL_23:.*]] = fir.undefined tuple<!fir.boxchar<1>, i1>
-// CHECK:  %[[VAL_24:.*]] = fir.insert_value %[[VAL_23]], %[[VAL_22]], [1 : index] : (tuple<!fir.boxchar<1>, i1>, i1) -> tuple<!fir.boxchar<1>, i1>
-// CHECK:  %[[VAL_25:.*]] = fir.insert_value %[[VAL_24]], %[[VAL_21]]#0, [0 : index] : (tuple<!fir.boxchar<1>, i1>, !fir.boxchar<1>) -> tuple<!fir.boxchar<1>, i1>
-// CHECK:  fir.call @take_c(%[[VAL_21]]#0) : (!fir.boxchar<1>) -> ()
-// CHECK-NOT: fir.freemem
 
+// CHECK-LABEL:   func.func @associate_char(
+// CHECK-SAME:                              %[[VAL_0:.*]]: !fir.boxchar<1>) {
+// CHECK:           %[[VAL_1:.*]] = arith.constant 1 : index
+// CHECK:           %[[VAL_2:.*]]:2 = fir.unboxchar %[[VAL_0]] : (!fir.boxchar<1>) -> (!fir.ref<!fir.char<1,?>>, index)
+// CHECK:           %[[VAL_3:.*]]:2 = hlfir.declare %[[VAL_2]]#0 typeparams %[[VAL_2]]#1 {uniq_name = "x"} : (!fir.ref<!fir.char<1,?>>, index) -> (!fir.boxchar<1>, !fir.ref<!fir.char<1,?>>)
+// CHECK:           %[[VAL_4:.*]] = arith.addi %[[VAL_2]]#1, %[[VAL_1]] : index
+// CHECK:           %[[VAL_5:.*]] = fir.undefined !fir.ref<!fir.char<1>>
+// CHECK:           %[[VAL_6:.*]]:2 = hlfir.declare %[[VAL_5]] typeparams %[[VAL_1]] {fortran_attrs = #fir.var_attrs<parameter>, uniq_name = "char_literal"} : (!fir.ref<!fir.char<1>>, index) -> (!fir.ref<!fir.char<1>>, !fir.ref<!fir.char<1>>)
+// CHECK:           %[[VAL_7:.*]] = arith.addi %[[VAL_2]]#1, %[[VAL_1]] : index
+// CHECK:           %[[VAL_8:.*]] = fir.alloca !fir.char<1,?>(%[[VAL_7]] : index) {bindc_name = ".chrtmp"}
+// CHECK:           %[[VAL_9:.*]] = arith.constant 1 : i64
+// CHECK:           %[[VAL_10:.*]] = fir.convert %[[VAL_2]]#1 : (index) -> i64
+// CHECK:           %[[VAL_11:.*]] = arith.muli %[[VAL_9]], %[[VAL_10]] : i64
+// CHECK:           %[[VAL_12:.*]] = arith.constant false
+// CHECK:           %[[VAL_13:.*]] = fir.convert %[[VAL_8]] : (!fir.ref<!fir.char<1,?>>) -> !fir.ref<i8>
+// CHECK:           %[[VAL_14:.*]] = fir.convert %[[VAL_3]]#1 : (!fir.ref<!fir.char<1,?>>) -> !fir.ref<i8>
+// CHECK:           fir.call @llvm.memmove.p0.p0.i64(%[[VAL_13]], %[[VAL_14]], %[[VAL_11]], %[[VAL_12]]) : (!fir.ref<i8>, !fir.ref<i8>, i64, i1) -> ()
+// CHECK:           %[[VAL_15:.*]] = arith.constant 1 : index
+// CHECK:           %[[VAL_16:.*]] = arith.subi %[[VAL_7]], %[[VAL_15]] : index
+// CHECK:           fir.do_loop %[[VAL_17:.*]] = %[[VAL_2]]#1 to %[[VAL_16]] step %[[VAL_15]] {
+// CHECK:             %[[VAL_18:.*]] = arith.subi %[[VAL_17]], %[[VAL_2]]#1 : index
+// CHECK:             %[[VAL_19:.*]] = fir.convert %[[VAL_6]]#1 : (!fir.ref<!fir.char<1>>) -> !fir.ref<!fir.array<1x!fir.char<1>>>
+// CHECK:             %[[VAL_20:.*]] = fir.coordinate_of %[[VAL_19]], %[[VAL_18]] : (!fir.ref<!fir.array<1x!fir.char<1>>>, index) -> !fir.ref<!fir.char<1>>
+// CHECK:             %[[VAL_21:.*]] = fir.load %[[VAL_20]] : !fir.ref<!fir.char<1>>
+// CHECK:             %[[VAL_22:.*]] = fir.convert %[[VAL_8]] : (!fir.ref<!fir.char<1,?>>) -> !fir.ref<!fir.array<?x!fir.char<1>>>
+// CHECK:             %[[VAL_23:.*]] = fir.coordinate_of %[[VAL_22]], %[[VAL_17]] : (!fir.ref<!fir.array<?x!fir.char<1>>>, index) -> !fir.ref<!fir.char<1>>
+// CHECK:             fir.store %[[VAL_21]] to %[[VAL_23]] : !fir.ref<!fir.char<1>>
+// CHECK:           }
+// CHECK:           %[[VAL_24:.*]]:2 = hlfir.declare %[[VAL_8]] typeparams %[[VAL_7]] {uniq_name = "tmp"} : (!fir.ref<!fir.char<1,?>>, index) -> (!fir.boxchar<1>, !fir.ref<!fir.char<1,?>>)
+// CHECK:           %[[VAL_25:.*]] = arith.constant false
+// CHECK:           %[[VAL_26:.*]] = fir.undefined tuple<!fir.boxchar<1>, i1>
+// CHECK:           %[[VAL_27:.*]] = fir.insert_value %[[VAL_26]], %[[VAL_25]], [1 : index] : (tuple<!fir.boxchar<1>, i1>, i1) -> tuple<!fir.boxchar<1>, i1>
+// CHECK:           %[[VAL_28:.*]] = fir.insert_value %[[VAL_27]], %[[VAL_24]]#0, [0 : index] : (tuple<!fir.boxchar<1>, i1>, !fir.boxchar<1>) -> tuple<!fir.boxchar<1>, i1>
+// CHECK:           %[[VAL_29:.*]] = hlfir.no_reassoc %[[VAL_24]]#0 : !fir.boxchar<1>
+// CHECK:           %[[VAL_30:.*]] = fir.undefined tuple<!fir.boxchar<1>, i1>
+// CHECK:           %[[VAL_31:.*]] = fir.insert_value %[[VAL_30]], %[[VAL_25]], [1 : index] : (tuple<!fir.boxchar<1>, i1>, i1) -> tuple<!fir.boxchar<1>, i1>
+// CHECK:           %[[VAL_32:.*]] = fir.insert_value %[[VAL_31]], %[[VAL_29]], [0 : index] : (tuple<!fir.boxchar<1>, i1>, !fir.boxchar<1>) -> tuple<!fir.boxchar<1>, i1>
+// CHECK:           %[[VAL_33:.*]] = fir.box_addr %[[VAL_29]] : (!fir.boxchar<1>) -> !fir.ref<!fir.char<1,?>>
+// CHECK:           fir.call @take_c(%[[VAL_29]]) : (!fir.boxchar<1>) -> ()
+// CHECK:           return
+// CHECK:         }
 
 func.func @test_end_associate_box(%var: !fir.box<!fir.array<?xf64>>) {
   %true = arith.constant 1 : i1