diff --git a/runtime/src/launcher/cpp/launcher.cpp b/runtime/src/launcher/cpp/launcher.cpp
index f59197a904c..bd32b1b58ec 100644
--- a/runtime/src/launcher/cpp/launcher.cpp
+++ b/runtime/src/launcher/cpp/launcher.cpp
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ ArrayHeader* setupArgs(int argc, char** argv) {
     ArrayHeader* args = AllocArrayInstance(theArrayTypeInfo, SCOPE_GLOBAL, argc-1);
 
     for (int i = 0; i < argc-1; i++) {
-        Kotlin_Array_set(args, i, AllocStringInstance( argv[i+1] ));
+        Kotlin_Array_set(args, i, AllocStringInstance( argv[i+1], strlen(argv[i+1]) ));
     }
 
     return args;
diff --git a/runtime/src/main/cpp/Memory.cpp b/runtime/src/main/cpp/Memory.cpp
index b0caebf0b2c..2c90ad9bd45 100644
--- a/runtime/src/main/cpp/Memory.cpp
+++ b/runtime/src/main/cpp/Memory.cpp
@@ -89,12 +89,11 @@ ArrayHeader* AllocArrayInstance(
   return ArrayContainer(type_info, elements).GetPlace();
 }
 
-ArrayHeader* AllocStringInstance(const char* cstring) {
-  uint32_t length = strlen(cstring);
+ArrayHeader* AllocStringInstance(const char* data, uint32_t length) {
   ArrayHeader* result = ArrayContainer(theStringTypeInfo, length).GetPlace();
   memcpy(
       ByteArrayAddressOfElementAt(result, 0),
-      cstring,
+      data,
       length);
   return result;
 }
diff --git a/runtime/src/main/cpp/Memory.h b/runtime/src/main/cpp/Memory.h
index c66054d0387..f45b8f38379 100644
--- a/runtime/src/main/cpp/Memory.h
+++ b/runtime/src/main/cpp/Memory.h
@@ -254,7 +254,7 @@ void InitMemory();
 ObjHeader* AllocInstance(const TypeInfo* type_info, PlacementHint hint);
 ArrayHeader* AllocArrayInstance(
     const TypeInfo* type_info, PlacementHint hint, uint32_t elements);
-ArrayHeader* AllocStringInstance(const char* cstring);
+ArrayHeader* AllocStringInstance(const char* data, uint32_t length);
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }