diff --git a/gappy/element.pyx b/gappy/element.pyx
index 1228b8e..ea63002 100644
--- a/gappy/element.pyx
+++ b/gappy/element.pyx
@@ -343,12 +343,10 @@ cdef Obj make_gap_string(s) except NULL:
         >>> gap('string')  # indirect doctest
         "string"
     """
-    cdef Obj result
     try:
         GAP_Enter()
         b = str_to_bytes(s)
-        C_NEW_STRING(result, len(b), b)
-        return result
+        return GAP_MakeStringWithLen(b, len(b))
     finally:
         GAP_Leave()
 
diff --git a/gappy/gap_includes.pxd b/gappy/gap_includes.pxd
index 29c08ff..4614c43 100644
--- a/gappy/gap_includes.pxd
+++ b/gappy/gap_includes.pxd
@@ -177,4 +177,4 @@ cdef extern from "gap/records.h" nogil:
 
 
 cdef extern from "gap/stringobj.h" nogil:
-    void C_NEW_STRING(Obj new_gap_string, int length, char* c_string)
+    Obj GAP_MakeStringWithLen "MakeStringWithLen" (char *, size_t)