diff --git a/src/p_acs.cpp b/src/p_acs.cpp
index 1b6c472d8..6f1d1635d 100644
--- a/src/p_acs.cpp
+++ b/src/p_acs.cpp
@@ -5065,10 +5065,10 @@ bool GetVarAddrType(AActor *self, FName varname, int index, void *&addr, PType *
 	}
 	addr = baddr;
 	// We don't want Int subclasses like Name or Color to be accessible here.
-	if (!type->isInt() && !type->isFloat() && type != TypeBool)
+	if (!type->isInt() && !type->isFloat() && type != TypeBool && type != TypeString)
 	{
-		// For reading, we also support Name and String types.
-		if (readonly && (type == TypeName || type == TypeString))
+		// For reading, we also support Name types.
+		if (readonly && (type == TypeName))
 		{
 			return true;
 		}
@@ -5084,13 +5084,18 @@ static void SetUserVariable(AActor *self, FName varname, int index, int value)
 
 	if (GetVarAddrType(self, varname, index, addr, type, false))
 	{
-		if (!type->isFloat())
+		if (type == TypeString)
 		{
-			type->SetValue(addr, value);
+			FString str = FBehavior::StaticLookupString(value);
+			type->InitializeValue(addr, &str);
+		}
+		else if (type->isFloat())
+		{
+			type->SetValue(addr, ACSToDouble(value));
 		}
 		else
 		{
-			type->SetValue(addr, ACSToDouble(value));
+			type->SetValue(addr, value);
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/src/p_setup.cpp b/src/p_setup.cpp
index 5a61b0560..dbc3d31d2 100644
--- a/src/p_setup.cpp
+++ b/src/p_setup.cpp
@@ -1658,7 +1658,7 @@ static void SetMapThingUserData(AActor *actor, unsigned udi)
 		else
 		{ // Set the value of the specified user variable.
 			void *addr = reinterpret_cast<uint8_t *>(actor) + var->Offset;
-			if (var->Type->isString())
+			if (var->Type == TypeString)
 			{
 				var->Type->InitializeValue(addr, &MapThingsUserData[udi].StringVal);
 			}
@@ -1666,7 +1666,7 @@ static void SetMapThingUserData(AActor *actor, unsigned udi)
 			{
 				var->Type->SetValue(addr, MapThingsUserData[udi].FloatVal);
 			}
-			else if (var->Type->isIntCompatible())
+			else if (var->Type->isInt() || var->Type == TypeBool)
 			{
 				var->Type->SetValue(addr, MapThingsUserData[udi].IntVal);
 			}
diff --git a/src/scripting/types.h b/src/scripting/types.h
index dbfca2039..5c55db6c1 100644
--- a/src/scripting/types.h
+++ b/src/scripting/types.h
@@ -200,7 +200,6 @@ public:
 	bool isStruct() const { return TypeTableType == NAME_Struct; }
 	bool isClass() const { return TypeTableType == NAME_Object; }
 	bool isPrototype() const { return TypeTableType == NAME_Prototype; }
-	bool isString() const { return TypeTableType == NAME_String; }
 
 	PContainerType *toContainer() { return isContainer() ? (PContainerType*)this : nullptr; }
 	PPointer *toPointer() { return isPointer() ? (PPointer*)this : nullptr; }