diff --git a/io_scene_fbx/__init__.py b/io_scene_fbx/__init__.py
index 19d765fcb..75a4ab720 100644
--- a/io_scene_fbx/__init__.py
+++ b/io_scene_fbx/__init__.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 bl_info = {
     "name": "FBX format",
     "author": "Campbell Barton, Bastien Montagne, Jens Restemeier, @Mysteryem",
-    "version": (5, 8, 1),
+    "version": (5, 8, 2),
     "blender": (3, 6, 0),
     "location": "File > Import-Export",
     "description": "FBX IO meshes, UVs, vertex colors, materials, textures, cameras, lamps and actions",
diff --git a/io_scene_fbx/data_types.py b/io_scene_fbx/data_types.py
index ac7b32a42..328ba3a9c 100644
--- a/io_scene_fbx/data_types.py
+++ b/io_scene_fbx/data_types.py
@@ -3,7 +3,8 @@
 #
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-or-later
 
-BOOL = b'C'[0]
+BOOL = b'B'[0]
+CHAR = b'C'[0]
 INT8 = b'Z'[0]
 INT16 = b'Y'[0]
 INT32 = b'I'[0]
diff --git a/io_scene_fbx/encode_bin.py b/io_scene_fbx/encode_bin.py
index fe2bef09d..030f960cb 100644
--- a/io_scene_fbx/encode_bin.py
+++ b/io_scene_fbx/encode_bin.py
@@ -56,6 +56,14 @@ class FBXElem:
         self.props_type.append(data_types.BOOL)
         self.props.append(data)
 
+    def add_char(self, data):
+        assert(isinstance(data, bytes))
+        assert(len(data) == 1)
+        data = pack('<c', data)
+
+        self.props_type.append(data_types.CHAR)
+        self.props.append(data)
+
     def add_int8(self, data):
         assert(isinstance(data, int))
         data = pack('<b', data)
diff --git a/io_scene_fbx/export_fbx_bin.py b/io_scene_fbx/export_fbx_bin.py
index 15ea7141c..2ff5210a1 100644
--- a/io_scene_fbx/export_fbx_bin.py
+++ b/io_scene_fbx/export_fbx_bin.py
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ from .fbx_utils import (
     get_blender_nodetexture_key,
     # FBX element data.
     elem_empty,
-    elem_data_single_bool, elem_data_single_int16, elem_data_single_int32, elem_data_single_int64,
+    elem_data_single_char, elem_data_single_int16, elem_data_single_int32, elem_data_single_int64,
     elem_data_single_float32, elem_data_single_float64,
     elem_data_single_bytes, elem_data_single_string, elem_data_single_string_unicode,
     elem_data_single_bool_array, elem_data_single_int32_array, elem_data_single_int64_array,
@@ -1900,7 +1900,8 @@ def fbx_data_leaf_bone_elements(root, scene_data):
         # object type, etc.
         elem_data_single_int32(model, b"MultiLayer", 0)
         elem_data_single_int32(model, b"MultiTake", 0)
-        elem_data_single_bool(model, b"Shading", True)
+        # Probably the FbxNode.EShadingMode enum. Full description in fbx_data_object_elements.
+        elem_data_single_char(model, b"Shading", b"\x01")
         elem_data_single_string(model, b"Culling", b"CullingOff")
 
         elem_props_template_finalize(tmpl, props)
@@ -1964,7 +1965,12 @@ def fbx_data_object_elements(root, ob_obj, scene_data):
     # object type, etc.
     elem_data_single_int32(model, b"MultiLayer", 0)
     elem_data_single_int32(model, b"MultiTake", 0)
-    elem_data_single_bool(model, b"Shading", True)
+    # This is probably the FbxNode.EShadingMode enum. Not directly used by the FBX SDK, but the SDK guarantees that the
+    # value will be passed through from an imported file to an exported one. Common values are 'Y' and 'T'. 'U' and 'W'
+    # have also been seen in older FBX files. It's not clear which enum member each of these values corresponds to or if
+    # these values are actually application specific. Blender had been exporting this as a `True` bool for a long time
+    # seemingly without issue. The '\x01' char is the same value as `True` in raw bytes.
+    elem_data_single_char(model, b"Shading", b"\x01")
     elem_data_single_string(model, b"Culling", b"CullingOff")
 
     if obj_type == b"Camera":
diff --git a/io_scene_fbx/fbx2json.py b/io_scene_fbx/fbx2json.py
index 487d1884d..8f3d904fe 100755
--- a/io_scene_fbx/fbx2json.py
+++ b/io_scene_fbx/fbx2json.py
@@ -30,7 +30,8 @@ The types are as follows:
 
 * 'Z': - INT8
 * 'Y': - INT16
-* 'C': - BOOL
+* 'B': - BOOL
+* 'C': - CHAR
 * 'I': - INT32
 * 'F': - FLOAT32
 * 'D': - FLOAT64
@@ -109,7 +110,8 @@ def unpack_array(read, array_type, array_stride, array_byteswap):
 read_data_dict = {
     b'Z'[0]: lambda read: unpack(b'<b', read(1))[0],  # 8 bit int
     b'Y'[0]: lambda read: unpack(b'<h', read(2))[0],  # 16 bit int
-    b'C'[0]: lambda read: unpack(b'?', read(1))[0],   # 1 bit bool (yes/no)
+    b'B'[0]: lambda read: unpack(b'?', read(1))[0],   # 1 bit bool (yes/no)
+    b'C'[0]: lambda read: unpack(b'<c', read(1))[0],  # char
     b'I'[0]: lambda read: unpack(b'<i', read(4))[0],  # 32 bit int
     b'F'[0]: lambda read: unpack(b'<f', read(4))[0],  # 32 bit float
     b'D'[0]: lambda read: unpack(b'<d', read(8))[0],  # 64 bit float
@@ -225,7 +227,8 @@ data_types.__dict__.update(
 dict(
 INT8 = b'Z'[0],
 INT16 = b'Y'[0],
-BOOL = b'C'[0],
+BOOL = b'B'[0],
+CHAR = b'C'[0],
 INT32 = b'I'[0],
 FLOAT32 = b'F'[0],
 FLOAT64 = b'D'[0],
diff --git a/io_scene_fbx/fbx_utils.py b/io_scene_fbx/fbx_utils.py
index 6232533b3..f002020ce 100644
--- a/io_scene_fbx/fbx_utils.py
+++ b/io_scene_fbx/fbx_utils.py
@@ -969,6 +969,10 @@ def elem_data_single_bool(elem, name, value):
     return _elem_data_single(elem, name, value, "add_bool")
 
 
+def elem_data_single_char(elem, name, value):
+    return _elem_data_single(elem, name, value, "add_char")
+
+
 def elem_data_single_int8(elem, name, value):
     return _elem_data_single(elem, name, value, "add_int8")
 
diff --git a/io_scene_fbx/json2fbx.py b/io_scene_fbx/json2fbx.py
index 0443cd4ff..19bb09963 100755
--- a/io_scene_fbx/json2fbx.py
+++ b/io_scene_fbx/json2fbx.py
@@ -29,7 +29,8 @@ The types are as follows:
 
 * 'Z': - INT8
 * 'Y': - INT16
-* 'C': - BOOL
+* 'B': - BOOL
+* 'C': - CHAR
 * 'I': - INT32
 * 'F': - FLOAT32
 * 'D': - FLOAT64
@@ -64,8 +65,11 @@ def parse_json_rec(fbx_root, json_node):
 
     e = elem_empty(fbx_root, name.encode())
     for d, dt in zip(data, data_types):
-        if dt == "C":
+        if dt == "B":
             e.add_bool(d)
+        elif dt == "C":
+            d = eval('b"""' + d + '"""')
+            e.add_char(d)
         elif dt == "Z":
             e.add_int8(d)
         elif dt == "Y":
diff --git a/io_scene_fbx/parse_fbx.py b/io_scene_fbx/parse_fbx.py
index 6639be1da..539742ec2 100644
--- a/io_scene_fbx/parse_fbx.py
+++ b/io_scene_fbx/parse_fbx.py
@@ -80,7 +80,8 @@ def unpack_array(read, array_type, array_stride, array_byteswap):
 read_data_dict = {
     b'Z'[0]: lambda read: unpack(b'<b', read(1))[0],  # byte
     b'Y'[0]: lambda read: unpack(b'<h', read(2))[0],  # 16 bit int
-    b'C'[0]: lambda read: unpack(b'?', read(1))[0],   # 1 bit bool (yes/no)
+    b'B'[0]: lambda read: unpack(b'?', read(1))[0],   # 1 bit bool (yes/no)
+    b'C'[0]: lambda read: unpack(b'<c', read(1))[0],  # char
     b'I'[0]: lambda read: unpack(b'<i', read(4))[0],  # 32 bit int
     b'F'[0]: lambda read: unpack(b'<f', read(4))[0],  # 32 bit float
     b'D'[0]: lambda read: unpack(b'<d', read(8))[0],  # 64 bit float