diff --git a/deps/ox/src/ox/mc/write.hpp b/deps/ox/src/ox/mc/write.hpp
index dfa70a2a..abcb4c7f 100644
--- a/deps/ox/src/ox/mc/write.hpp
+++ b/deps/ox/src/ox/mc/write.hpp
@@ -211,11 +211,14 @@ constexpr Error MetalClawWriter<Writer>::field(const char *name, const IString<L
 }
 
 template<Writer_c Writer>
-constexpr Error MetalClawWriter<Writer>::fieldCString(const char*, const char *const*val, std::size_t buffLen) noexcept {
+constexpr Error MetalClawWriter<Writer>::fieldCString(const char*, const char *const*val, std::size_t) noexcept {
 	bool fieldSet = false;
 	if (!m_unionIdx.has_value() || *m_unionIdx == m_field) {
 		OX_ALLOW_UNSAFE_BUFFERS_BEGIN
-		const auto strLen = *val ? ox::strnlen_s(*val, buffLen) : 0;
+		// this strlen is tolerated because sometimes 0 gets passed to
+		// the size param, which is a lie
+		// this code should be cleaned up at some point...
+		const auto strLen = *val ? ox::strlen(*val) : 0;
 		OX_ALLOW_UNSAFE_BUFFERS_END
 		// write the length
 		const auto strLenBuff = mc::encodeInteger(strLen);