diff --git a/core/src/com/riiablo/io/BitInput.java b/core/src/com/riiablo/io/BitInput.java
index 621c086a..70da63cd 100644
--- a/core/src/com/riiablo/io/BitInput.java
+++ b/core/src/com/riiablo/io/BitInput.java
@@ -478,12 +478,12 @@ public class BitInput {
   }
 
   /**
-   * Reads <i>n</i> characters of size {@code bits} and constructs a string.
+   * Reads up to <i>n</i> characters of size {@code bits} and constructs a
+   * string.
    *
-   * @param maxLen number of characters to read
+   * @param maxLen maximum number of characters to read
    * @param bits size of each character ({@code 7} or {@code 8})
-   * @param nullTerminated {@code true} to stop reading at {@code \0}, otherwise
-   *     {@code maxLen} characters will be read (variable-width string)
+   * @param nullTerminated {@code true} to stop reading at {@code '\0}'
    */
   public String readString(int maxLen, int bits, boolean nullTerminated) {
     if (maxLen < 0) throw new IllegalArgumentException("maxLen(" + maxLen + ") < " + 0);
diff --git a/core/src/com/riiablo/io/ByteInput.java b/core/src/com/riiablo/io/ByteInput.java
index bc3a8079..085e0392 100644
--- a/core/src/com/riiablo/io/ByteInput.java
+++ b/core/src/com/riiablo/io/ByteInput.java
@@ -411,4 +411,22 @@ public class ByteInput {
       throw new EndOfInput(t);
     }
   }
+
+  /**
+   * Reads up to <i>n</i> bytes and constructs a string.
+   *
+   * @param maxLen maximum number of characters to read
+   * @param nullTerminated {@code true} to stop reading at {@code '\0'}
+   */
+  public String readString(int maxLen, boolean nullTerminated) {
+    assert aligned() : "not aligned";
+    if (!nullTerminated) return readString(maxLen);
+    try {
+      final String string = unalign().readString(maxLen, Byte.SIZE, true);
+      assert aligned() : "not aligned";
+      return string;
+    } catch (IndexOutOfBoundsException t) {
+      throw new EndOfInput(t);
+    }
+  }
 }