diff --git a/wp-includes/class-wp-meta-query.php b/wp-includes/class-wp-meta-query.php
index b1369a067d..ddafc6181b 100644
--- a/wp-includes/class-wp-meta-query.php
+++ b/wp-includes/class-wp-meta-query.php
@@ -632,7 +632,11 @@ class WP_Meta_Query {
 			}
 
 			if ( $where ) {
-				$sql_chunks['where'][] = "CAST($alias.meta_value AS {$meta_type}) {$meta_compare} {$where}";
+				if ( 'CHAR' === $meta_type ) {
+					$sql_chunks['where'][] = "$alias.meta_value {$meta_compare} {$where}";
+				} else {
+					$sql_chunks['where'][] = "CAST($alias.meta_value AS {$meta_type}) {$meta_compare} {$where}";
+				}
 			}
 		}
 
diff --git a/wp-includes/version.php b/wp-includes/version.php
index a1d152035d..e5085e504b 100644
--- a/wp-includes/version.php
+++ b/wp-includes/version.php
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
  *
  * @global string $wp_version
  */
-$wp_version = '4.6-alpha-37593';
+$wp_version = '4.6-alpha-37594';
 
 /**
  * Holds the WordPress DB revision, increments when changes are made to the WordPress DB schema.