diff --git a/src/Thrift/Transport/THttpClient.php b/src/Thrift/Transport/THttpClient.php
index f46b18a..3c0bb28 100644
--- a/src/Thrift/Transport/THttpClient.php
+++ b/src/Thrift/Transport/THttpClient.php
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ class THttpClient extends TTransport {
    * @param string $uri
    */
   public function __construct($host, $port=80, $uri='', $scheme = 'http') {
-    if ((TStringFuncFactory::create()->strlen($uri) > 0) && ($uri{0} != '/')) {
+    if ((TStringFuncFactory::create()->strlen($uri) > 0) && (substr($uri, 0, 1) != '/')) {
       $uri = '/'.$uri;
     }
     $this->scheme_ = $scheme;