diff --git a/waku-bindings/src/node/store.rs b/waku-bindings/src/node/store.rs
index 98dfc5c..c5dca16 100644
--- a/waku-bindings/src/node/store.rs
+++ b/waku-bindings/src/node/store.rs
@@ -52,20 +52,15 @@ pub fn waku_store_query(
 /// the node must return messages on a per-page basis and include [`PagingOptions`](`crate::general::PagingOptions`) in the response.
 /// These [`PagingOptions`](`crate::general::PagingOptions`) must contain a cursor pointing to the Index from which a new page can be requested
 pub fn waku_local_store_query(query: &StoreQuery) -> Result<StoreResponse> {
-    let result = unsafe {
-        CStr::from_ptr(waku_sys::waku_store_local_query(
-            CString::new(
-                serde_json::to_string(query)
-                    .expect("StoreQuery should always be able to be serialized"),
-            )
-            .expect("CString should build properly from the serialized filter subscription")
-            .into_raw(),
-        ))
-    }
-    .to_str()
-    .expect("Response should always succeed to load to a &str");
-
-    let response: JsonResponse<StoreResponse> =
-        serde_json::from_str(result).expect("JsonResponse should always succeed to deserialize");
-    response.into()
+    let query_ptr = CString::new(
+        serde_json::to_string(query).expect("StoreQuery should always be able to be serialized"),
+    )
+    .expect("CString should build properly from the serialized filter subscription")
+    .into_raw();
+    let result_ptr = unsafe {
+        let res = waku_sys::waku_store_local_query(query_ptr);
+        drop(CString::from_raw(query_ptr));
+        res
+    };
+    decode_and_free_response(result_ptr)
 }