diff --git a/PROTO_tests/tests/numeric_test.py b/PROTO_tests/tests/numeric_test.py
index 6bca490267..05ef9d1406 100644
--- a/PROTO_tests/tests/numeric_test.py
+++ b/PROTO_tests/tests/numeric_test.py
@@ -88,13 +88,16 @@ def test_seeded_rng_general(self, prob_size):
     def test_cast(self, prob_size, cast_to):
         arrays = {
             ak.int64: ak.randint(-(2**48), 2**48, prob_size),
+            ak.uint64: ak.randint(0, 2**48, prob_size, dtype=ak.uint64),
             ak.float64: ak.randint(0, 1, prob_size, dtype=ak.float64),
             ak.bool: ak.randint(0, 2, prob_size, dtype=ak.bool),
+            ak.str_: ak.cast(ak.randint(0, 2**48, prob_size), "str"),
         }
 
         for t1, orig in arrays.items():
-            if t1 == ak.float64 and cast_to == ak.bigint:
+            if (t1 == ak.float64 and cast_to == ak.bigint) or (t1 == ak.str_ and cast_to == ak.bool):
                 # we don't support casting a float to a bigint
+                # we do support str to bool, but it's expected to contain "true/false" not numerics
                 continue
             other = ak.cast(orig, cast_to)
             assert orig.size == other.size
diff --git a/PROTO_tests/tests/pdarray_creation_test.py b/PROTO_tests/tests/pdarray_creation_test.py
index f145e60aa2..d14db2e532 100644
--- a/PROTO_tests/tests/pdarray_creation_test.py
+++ b/PROTO_tests/tests/pdarray_creation_test.py
@@ -29,20 +29,18 @@
 class TestPdarrayCreation:
     @pytest.mark.parametrize("dtype", DTYPES)
     def test_array_creation(self, dtype):
-        # TODO - remove the 'if' below (to make everything that follows unconditional) after #2645 is complete
-        if dtype != str:
-            fixed_size = 100
-            for pda in [
-                ak.array(ak.ones(fixed_size, int), dtype),
-                ak.array(np.ones(fixed_size), dtype),
-                ak.array(list(range(fixed_size)), dtype=dtype),
-                ak.array((range(fixed_size)), dtype),
-                ak.array(deque(range(fixed_size)), dtype),
-                ak.array([f"{i}" for i in range(fixed_size)], dtype=dtype),
-            ]:
-                assert isinstance(pda, ak.pdarray if dtype != str else ak.Strings)
-                assert len(pda) == fixed_size
-                assert dtype == pda.dtype
+        fixed_size = 100
+        for pda in [
+            ak.array(ak.ones(fixed_size, int), dtype),
+            ak.array(np.ones(fixed_size), dtype),
+            ak.array(list(range(fixed_size)), dtype=dtype),
+            ak.array((range(fixed_size)), dtype),
+            ak.array(deque(range(fixed_size)), dtype),
+            ak.array([f"{i}" for i in range(fixed_size)], dtype=dtype),
+        ]:
+            assert isinstance(pda, ak.pdarray if dtype != str else ak.Strings)
+            assert len(pda) == fixed_size
+            assert dtype == pda.dtype
 
     @pytest.mark.parametrize("size", pytest.prob_size)
     def test_large_array_creation(self, size):
diff --git a/src/CastMsg.chpl b/src/CastMsg.chpl
index a06d6a433f..3cf0fec81d 100644
--- a/src/CastMsg.chpl
+++ b/src/CastMsg.chpl
@@ -76,13 +76,13 @@ module CastMsg {
             when (DType.UInt64, "uint64") {
                 return new MsgTuple(castGenSymEntry(gse, st, uint, uint), MsgType.NORMAL);
             }
-            when (DType.UInt64, "float") {
+            when (DType.UInt64, "float64") {
                 return new MsgTuple(castGenSymEntry(gse, st, uint, real), MsgType.NORMAL);
             }
             when (DType.UInt64, "bool") {
                 return new MsgTuple(castGenSymEntry(gse, st, uint, bool), MsgType.NORMAL);
             }
-            when (DType.UInt64, "string") {
+            when (DType.UInt64, "str") {
                 return new MsgTuple(castGenSymEntryToString(gse, st, uint), MsgType.NORMAL);
             }
             when (DType.UInt64, "bigint") {
@@ -168,6 +168,13 @@ module CastMsg {
               when "bigint" {
                   return new MsgTuple(castStringToBigInt(strings, st, errors), MsgType.NORMAL);
               }
+              when "str" {
+                  const oname = st.nextName();
+                  const vname = st.nextName();
+                  var offsets = st.addEntry(oname, createSymEntry(strings.offsets.a));
+                  var values = st.addEntry(vname, createSymEntry(strings.values.a));
+                  return new MsgTuple("created " + st.attrib(oname) + "+created " + st.attrib(vname), MsgType.NORMAL);
+              }
               otherwise {
                  var errorMsg = notImplementedError(pn,"str",":",targetDtype);
                  castLogger.error(getModuleName(),getRoutineName(),getLineNumber(),errorMsg);