diff --git a/lib/core/option.py b/lib/core/option.py
index 7fc2116df96..63cfb6d3f8b 100644
--- a/lib/core/option.py
+++ b/lib/core/option.py
@@ -2830,10 +2830,6 @@ def _basicOptionValidation():
         errMsg = "value for option '--time-sec' must be a positive integer"
         raise SqlmapSyntaxException(errMsg)
 
-    if conf.uChar and not re.match(UNION_CHAR_REGEX, conf.uChar):
-        errMsg = "value for option '--union-char' must be an alpha-numeric value (e.g. 1)"
-        raise SqlmapSyntaxException(errMsg)
-
     if conf.hashFile and any((conf.direct, conf.url, conf.logFile, conf.bulkFile, conf.googleDork, conf.configFile, conf.requestFile, conf.updateAll, conf.smokeTest, conf.wizard, conf.dependencies, conf.purge, conf.listTampers)):
         errMsg = "option '--crack' should be used as a standalone"
         raise SqlmapSyntaxException(errMsg)
diff --git a/lib/core/settings.py b/lib/core/settings.py
index fe9f40a1930..2bbf50715f2 100644
--- a/lib/core/settings.py
+++ b/lib/core/settings.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
 from thirdparty.six import unichr as _unichr
 
 # sqlmap version (<major>.<minor>.<month>.<monthly commit>)
-VERSION = "1.7.8.10"
+VERSION = "1.7.8.11"
 TYPE = "dev" if VERSION.count('.') > 2 and VERSION.split('.')[-1] != '0' else "stable"
 TYPE_COLORS = {"dev": 33, "stable": 90, "pip": 34}
 VERSION_STRING = "sqlmap/%s#%s" % ('.'.join(VERSION.split('.')[:-1]) if VERSION.count('.') > 2 and VERSION.split('.')[-1] == '0' else VERSION, TYPE)