diff --git a/core/src/main/java/com/riiablo/io/ByteOutput.java b/core/src/main/java/com/riiablo/io/ByteOutput.java
index cb4318af..048c2d31 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/com/riiablo/io/ByteOutput.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/com/riiablo/io/ByteOutput.java
@@ -112,21 +112,36 @@ public ByteOutput writeBytes(byte[] src, int srcOffset, int len) {
     return this;
   }
 
-  public ByteOutput writeString(CharSequence chars) {
+  // TODO: create readChars int com.riiablo.io.BitInput
+  //       Chars methods for explicit chars
+  //       String methods for implicit null-termination
+  public ByteOutput writeChars(CharSequence chars) {
     assert aligned() : "not aligned";
     incrementBitsWritten((long) chars.length() * Byte.SIZE);
     buffer.writeCharSequence(chars, CharsetUtil.US_ASCII);
     return this;
   }
 
-  public ByteOutput writeString(CharSequence chars, int len) {
+  public ByteOutput writeChars(CharSequence chars, int len) {
     if (len < 0) throw new IllegalArgumentException("len(" + len + ") < " + 0);
     assert aligned() : "not aligned";
     final int charsLength = chars.length();
     if (len <= charsLength) {
-      return writeString(chars.subSequence(0, len));
+      return writeChars(chars.subSequence(0, len));
     } else {
-      return writeString(chars).skipBytes(len - charsLength);
+      return writeChars(chars).skipBytes(len - charsLength);
     }
   }
+
+  public ByteOutput writeString(CharSequence chars) {
+    return writeChars(chars).skipBytes(1);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * @deprecated until fixed and null termination
+   */
+  // @Deprecated
+  // public ByteOutput writeString(CharSequence chars, int len) {
+  //   throw new UnsupportedOperationException("Not supported yet!");
+  // }
 }
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/com/riiablo/save/D2SWriter96.java b/core/src/main/java/com/riiablo/save/D2SWriter96.java
index 9040b362..0c05e284 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/com/riiablo/save/D2SWriter96.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/com/riiablo/save/D2SWriter96.java
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ static void writeHeader(D2S d2s, ByteOutput out) {
     out.write32(d2s.size);
     out.write32(d2s.checksum);
     out.write32(d2s.alternate);
-    out.writeString(d2s.name, Riiablo.MAX_NAME_LENGTH + 1);
+    out.writeChars(d2s.name, Riiablo.MAX_NAME_LENGTH + 1);
     out.write32(d2s.flags);
     out.write8(d2s.charClass);
   }