diff --git a/src/string.cpp b/src/string.cpp
index 9a0c783..f84f4b5 100644
--- a/src/string.cpp
+++ b/src/string.cpp
@@ -1065,7 +1065,7 @@ namespace bx
 
 			if (err.isOk() )
 			{
-				return size;
+				return size - 1 /* size without '\0' terminator */;
 			}
 		}