diff --git a/stew/arraybuf.nim b/stew/arraybuf.nim
index 573eb25..63d1f2f 100644
--- a/stew/arraybuf.nim
+++ b/stew/arraybuf.nim
@@ -48,19 +48,22 @@ template len*(b: ArrayBuf): int =
   int(b.n)
 
 template setLen*(b: var ArrayBuf, newLenParam: int) =
-  newLenParam.evalOnceAs(newLen)
-  let nl = typeof(b.n)(newLen)
-  for i in newLen ..< b.len():
-    reset(b.buf[i]) # reset cleared items when shrinking
-  b.n = nl
+  block:
+    newLenParam.evalOnceAs(newLen)
+    let nl = typeof(b.n)(newLen)
+    for i in newLen ..< b.len():
+      reset(b.buf[i]) # reset cleared items when shrinking
+    b.n = nl
 
 template data*(bParam: ArrayBuf): openArray =
-  bParam.evalOnceAs(b)
-  b.buf.toOpenArray(0, b.len() - 1)
+  block:
+    bParam.evalOnceAs(b)
+    b.buf.toOpenArray(0, b.len() - 1)
 
 template data*(bParam: var ArrayBuf): var openArray =
-  bParam.evalOnceAs(b)
-  b.buf.toOpenArray(0, b.len() - 1)
+  block:
+    bParam.evalOnceAs(b)
+    b.buf.toOpenArray(0, b.len() - 1)
 
 iterator items*[N, T](b: ArrayBuf[N, T]): lent T =
   for i in 0 ..< b.len:
@@ -92,6 +95,22 @@ template `==`*(a, b: ArrayBuf): bool =
 template `<`*(a, b: ArrayBuf): bool =
   a.data() < b.data()
 
+template initCopyFrom*[N, T](
+    _: type ArrayBuf[N, T], data: openArray[T]
+): ArrayBuf[N, T] =
+  var v: ArrayBuf[N, T]
+  v.n = typeof(v.n)(v.buf.copyFrom(data))
+  v
+
+template initCopyFrom*[N, T](
+    _: type ArrayBuf[N, T], data: array[N, T]
+): ArrayBuf[N, T] =
+  # Shortcut version that avoids zeroMem on matching lengths
+  ArrayBuf[N, T](
+    buf: data,
+    n: N
+  )
+
 template add*[N, T](b: var ArrayBuf[N, T], v: T) =
   ## Adds items up to capacity then drops the rest
   # TODO `b` is evaluated multiple times but since it's a `var` this should
@@ -112,4 +131,4 @@ template pop*[N, T](b: var ArrayBuf[N, T]): T =
   #      _hopefully_ be fine..
   assert b.n > 0, "pop from empty ArrayBuf"
   b.n -= 1
-  move(b.buf[b.n])
\ No newline at end of file
+  move(b.buf[b.n])
diff --git a/tests/test_arraybuf.nim b/tests/test_arraybuf.nim
index a80ad5c..0a6b2d0 100644
--- a/tests/test_arraybuf.nim
+++ b/tests/test_arraybuf.nim
@@ -56,3 +56,16 @@ suite "ArrayBuf":
       v.len == 1
     v.setLen(2)
     doAssert v.data() == [byte 1, 0]
+
+  test "construction":
+    let
+      a0 = ArrayBuf[4, byte].initCopyFrom([])
+      a2 = ArrayBuf[2, byte].initCopyFrom([byte 2, 3, 4, 5])
+      a3 = ArrayBuf[5, byte].initCopyFrom([byte 2, 3, 4])
+      a5 = ArrayBuf[5, byte].initCopyFrom([byte 2, 3])
+
+    check:
+      a0.len == 0
+      a2.data() == [byte 2, 3]
+      a3.data() == [byte 2, 3, 4]
+      a5.data() == [byte 2, 3]