diff --git a/src/grib_accessor_class_bufr_data_array.c b/src/grib_accessor_class_bufr_data_array.c
index 222e9194e..6c28403e7 100644
--- a/src/grib_accessor_class_bufr_data_array.c
+++ b/src/grib_accessor_class_bufr_data_array.c
@@ -743,7 +743,12 @@ static int encode_string_array(grib_context* c, grib_buffer* buff, long* pos, bu
     modifiedWidth = bd->width;
 
     grib_buffer_set_ulength_bits(c, buff, buff->ulength_bits + modifiedWidth);
-    grib_encode_string(buff->data, pos, modifiedWidth / 8, stringValues->v[ival]);
+    err = grib_encode_string(buff->data, pos, modifiedWidth / 8, stringValues->v[ival]);
+    if (err) {
+        grib_context_log(c, GRIB_LOG_ERROR, "encode_string_array: %s. Failed to encode '%s'",
+                         bd->shortName, stringValues->v[ival]);
+        return err;
+    }
     width = n > 1 ? modifiedWidth : 0;
 
     grib_buffer_set_ulength_bits(c, buff, buff->ulength_bits + 6);
@@ -752,7 +757,12 @@ static int encode_string_array(grib_context* c, grib_buffer* buff, long* pos, bu
         grib_buffer_set_ulength_bits(c, buff, buff->ulength_bits + width * n);
         for (j = 0; j < n; j++) {
             k = self->iss_list->v[j];
-            grib_encode_string(buff->data, pos, width / 8, stringValues->v[k]);
+            err = grib_encode_string(buff->data, pos, width / 8, stringValues->v[k]);
+            if (err) {
+                grib_context_log(c, GRIB_LOG_ERROR, "encode_string_array: %s. Failed to encode '%s'",
+                                 bd->shortName, stringValues->v[k]);
+                return err;
+            }
         }
     }
     return err;
@@ -1057,8 +1067,10 @@ static int encode_string_value(grib_context* c, grib_buffer* buff, long* pos, bu
 
     len = bd->width / 8;
     grib_buffer_set_ulength_bits(c, buff, buff->ulength_bits + bd->width);
-
-    grib_encode_string(buff->data, pos, len, sval);
+    err = grib_encode_string(buff->data, pos, len, sval);
+    if (err) {
+        grib_context_log(c, GRIB_LOG_ERROR, "encode_string_value: %s. Failed to encode '%s'", bd->shortName, sval);
+    }
 
     return err;
 }
diff --git a/src/grib_bits_any_endian.c b/src/grib_bits_any_endian.c
index bcdc7eb2d..3c5059339 100644
--- a/src/grib_bits_any_endian.c
+++ b/src/grib_bits_any_endian.c
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ int grib_is_all_bits_one(int64_t val, long nbits)
 
 int grib_encode_string(unsigned char* bitStream, long* bitOffset, size_t numberOfCharacters, const char* string)
 {
-    size_t i;
+    size_t i = 0, slen = 0;
     int err         = 0;
     long byteOffset = *bitOffset / 8;
     int remainder   = *bitOffset % 8;
@@ -103,15 +103,20 @@ int grib_encode_string(unsigned char* bitStream, long* bitOffset, size_t numberO
     char* s = str;
 
     Assert(numberOfCharacters < 512);
+    Assert(string);
 
-    if (string)
-        memcpy(s, string, strlen(string));
+    slen = strlen(string);
+    memcpy(s, string, slen);
 
     /* if (remainder) byteOffset++; */
 
     if (numberOfCharacters == 0)
         return err;
 
+    if (slen > numberOfCharacters) {
+        return GRIB_ENCODING_ERROR;
+    }
+
     p = (unsigned char*)bitStream + byteOffset;
 
     if (remainder == 0) {