diff --git a/include/boost/python/converter/builtin_converters.hpp b/include/boost/python/converter/builtin_converters.hpp
index aebfd459..3b3a473b 100644
--- a/include/boost/python/converter/builtin_converters.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/python/converter/builtin_converters.hpp
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ BOOST_PYTHON_TO_PYTHON_BY_VALUE(unsigned LONG_LONG, PyLong_FromUnsignedLongLong(
 
 BOOST_PYTHON_TO_PYTHON_BY_VALUE(char, converter::do_return_to_python(x))
 BOOST_PYTHON_TO_PYTHON_BY_VALUE(char const*, converter::do_return_to_python(x))
-BOOST_PYTHON_TO_PYTHON_BY_VALUE(std::string, PyString_FromString(x.c_str()))
+BOOST_PYTHON_TO_PYTHON_BY_VALUE(std::string, PyString_FromStringAndSize(x.c_str(),x.size()))
 BOOST_PYTHON_TO_PYTHON_BY_VALUE(float, PyFloat_FromDouble(x))
 BOOST_PYTHON_TO_PYTHON_BY_VALUE(double, PyFloat_FromDouble(x))
 BOOST_PYTHON_TO_PYTHON_BY_VALUE(long double, PyFloat_FromDouble(x))
diff --git a/src/converter/builtin_converters.cpp b/src/converter/builtin_converters.cpp
index b5916dde..ce842b12 100644
--- a/src/converter/builtin_converters.cpp
+++ b/src/converter/builtin_converters.cpp
@@ -222,9 +222,9 @@ namespace
       };
 
       // Remember that this will be used to construct the result object 
-      static char const* extract(PyObject* intermediate)
+      static std::string extract(PyObject* intermediate)
       {
-          return PyString_AsString(intermediate);
+          return std::string(PyString_AsString(intermediate),PyString_Size(intermediate));
       }
   };
 
diff --git a/test/test_builtin_converters.py b/test/test_builtin_converters.py
index f6caf56b..e4d8b335 100644
--- a/test/test_builtin_converters.py
+++ b/test/test_builtin_converters.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-"""
+r"""
 >>> from builtin_converters import *
 
 # Synthesize idendity functions in case long long not supported
@@ -73,6 +73,11 @@
 >>> rewrap_value_string('yo, wassup?')
 'yo, wassup?'
 
+   wrap strings with embedded nulls:
+   
+>>> rewrap_value_string('yo,\0wassup?')
+'yo,\x00wassup?'
+
 >>> rewrap_value_handle(1)
 1
 >>> x = 'hi'