diff --git a/src/reader.rs b/src/reader.rs
index e2d1a8e..3a897ad 100644
--- a/src/reader.rs
+++ b/src/reader.rs
@@ -71,10 +71,7 @@ impl<'a, R: Reader+Buffer> Decoder for DecoderReader<'a, R> {
     }
     fn read_str(&mut self) -> IoResult<String> {
         let len = try!(self.read_uint());
-        let mut vector = Vec::with_capacity(len as uint);
-        for _ in range(0, len) {
-            vector.push(try!(self.reader.read_u8()));
-        }
+        let vector = try!(self.reader.read_exact(len));
         Ok(String::from_utf8(vector).unwrap())
     }
     fn read_enum<T, F>(&mut self, _: &str, f: F) -> IoResult<T> where
diff --git a/src/test.rs b/src/test.rs
index ef3b7c0..cc053ab 100644
--- a/src/test.rs
+++ b/src/test.rs
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ fn test_numbers() {
 fn test_string() {
     the_same("".to_string());
     the_same("a".to_string());
+    the_same("ƒoo".to_string());
 }
 
 #[test]