diff --git a/perltest.sh b/perltest.sh
index 37d45119e..65031ce83 100755
--- a/perltest.sh
+++ b/perltest.sh
@@ -118,9 +118,10 @@ fi
 # already have. NOTE: this is different to pcre2test where #pattern sets
 # defaults which can be overridden on individual patterns. The #subject command
 # may be used to set or unset a default "mark" modifier for data lines. This is
-# the only use of #subject that is supported. The #perltest, #forbid_utf, and
-# #newline_default commands, which are needed in the relevant pcre2test files,
-# are ignored. Any other #-command is ignored, with a warning message.
+# the only use of #subject that is supported. The #perltest, #forbid_utf,
+# #newline_default, and #if...#endif commands, which are needed in the relevant
+# pcre2test files, are ignored. Any other #-command is ignored, with a warning
+# message.
 #
 # The pattern lines should use only / as the delimiter. The other characters
 # that pcre2test supports cause problems with this script.
@@ -247,7 +248,7 @@ for (;;)
     }
   elsif ($_ =~ /^#/)
     {
-    if ($_ !~ /^#newline_default|^#perltest|^#forbid_utf/)
+    if ($_ !~ /^#newline_default|^#perltest|^#forbid_utf|^#if|^#endif/)
       {
       printf $outfile "** Warning: #-command ignored: %s", $_;
       }
diff --git a/src/pcre2test.c b/src/pcre2test.c
index 0c773fe0f..ce484bf27 100644
--- a/src/pcre2test.c
+++ b/src/pcre2test.c
@@ -5417,12 +5417,15 @@ switch(cmd)
   for (i = 0; i < COPTLISTCOUNT; i++)
     {
     size_t optlen = strlen(coptlist[i].name);
-    const char *argptr_trail;
-    if (coptlist[i].type != CONF_FIX) continue;
-    if (strncmp(argptr, coptlist[i].name, optlen) != 0) continue;
+    const uint8_t *argptr_trail;
+    if (coptlist[i].type != CONF_FIX)
+      continue;
+    if (strncmp((const char*)argptr, coptlist[i].name, optlen) != 0)
+      continue;
     argptr_trail = argptr + optlen;
     while (isspace(*argptr_trail)) argptr_trail++;
-    if (*argptr_trail == 0 || *argptr_trail == '\n') break;
+    if (*argptr_trail == 0 || *argptr_trail == '\n')
+      break;
     }
   if (i == COPTLISTCOUNT)
     {
@@ -10126,7 +10129,7 @@ while (notdone)
 
   if (skipping_endif)
     {
-    if (strncmp(buffer, "#endif", 6) != 0 ||
+    if (strncmp((char*)buffer, "#endif", 6) != 0 ||
         !(buffer[6] == 0 || isspace(buffer[6])))
       continue;
     skipping_endif = FALSE;