diff --git a/base/modules/psb_penv_mod.F90 b/base/modules/psb_penv_mod.F90
index ce391c32..a904aafe 100644
--- a/base/modules/psb_penv_mod.F90
+++ b/base/modules/psb_penv_mod.F90
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ module psb_penv_mod
     module procedure psb_ibcasts, psb_ibcastv, psb_ibcastm,&
          & psb_dbcasts, psb_dbcastv, psb_dbcastm,&
          & psb_zbcasts, psb_zbcastv, psb_zbcastm,&
-         & psb_hbcasts, psb_lbcasts, psb_lbcastv, psb_hbcastv1
+         & psb_hbcasts, psb_hbcastv, psb_lbcasts, psb_lbcastv
   end interface
 
 
@@ -546,7 +546,7 @@ contains
 
   end subroutine psb_hbcasts
 
-  subroutine psb_hbcastv1(ictxt,dat,root,length)
+  subroutine psb_hbcastv(ictxt,dat,root)
 #ifdef MPI_H
     include 'mpif.h'
 #endif
@@ -554,10 +554,10 @@ contains
     use mpi
 #endif
     integer, intent(in)             :: ictxt
-    character(len=1), intent(inout) :: dat(:)
-    integer, intent(in), optional   :: root,length
+    character(len=*), intent(inout) :: dat(:)
+    integer, intent(in), optional   :: root
 
-    integer  :: iam, np, root_,icomm,length_,info
+    integer  :: iam, np, root_,icomm,length_,info, size_
 
 #if !defined(SERIAL_MPI)
     if (present(root)) then
@@ -565,19 +565,16 @@ contains
     else
       root_ =  psb_root_
     endif
-    if (present(length)) then
-      length_ = length
-    else
-      length_ = size(dat)
-    endif
+    length_ = len(dat)
+    size_   = size(dat) 
 
     call psb_info(ictxt,iam,np)
     call psb_get_mpicomm(ictxt,icomm)
     
-    call mpi_bcast(dat,length_,MPI_CHARACTER,root_,icomm,info)
+    call mpi_bcast(dat,length_*size_,MPI_CHARACTER,root_,icomm,info)
 #endif    
 
-  end subroutine psb_hbcastv1
+  end subroutine psb_hbcastv
 
   subroutine psb_lbcasts(ictxt,dat,root)
 #ifdef MPI_H