diff --git a/core/conversations/src/api.rs b/core/conversations/src/api.rs
index a189627..be0618a 100644
--- a/core/conversations/src/api.rs
+++ b/core/conversations/src/api.rs
@@ -52,8 +52,8 @@ pub struct ContextHandle(pub(crate) Context);
 /// so the caller always gets a deterministic name reflecting their input.
 #[ffi_export]
 pub fn create_context(name: c_slice::Ref<'_, u8>) -> repr_c::Box<ContextHandle> {
-    let name_str = std::string::String::from_utf8_lossy(name.as_slice());
-    Box::new(ContextHandle(Context::new_with_name(&name_str))).into()
+    let name_str = std::string::String::from_utf8_lossy(name.as_slice()).into_owned();
+    Box::new(ContextHandle(Context::new_with_name(name_str))).into()
 }
 
 /// Returns the friendly name of the contexts installation.
diff --git a/nim-bindings/src/libchat.nim b/nim-bindings/src/libchat.nim
index 90960c1..7368c73 100644
--- a/nim-bindings/src/libchat.nim
+++ b/nim-bindings/src/libchat.nim
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ type
 ## Create a new conversations context
 proc newConversationsContext*(name: string): LibChat =
 
-  result.handle = create_context(name.toReprCString)
+  result.handle = create_context(name.toSlice)
   result.buffer_size = 256
   if result.handle.isNil:
     raise newException(IOError, "Failed to create context")
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ proc sendContent*(ctx: LibChat, convoId: string, content: seq[byte]): Result[seq
   if content.len == 0:
     return err("content is zero length")
 
-  let res = bindings.send_content(ctx.handle, convoId.toReprCString, content.toSlice())
+  let res = bindings.send_content(ctx.handle, convoId.toSlice, content.toSlice())
   defer: destroy_send_content_result(res)
 
   if res.error_code != 0: