diff --git a/srcbmi/mf6bmi.f90 b/srcbmi/mf6bmi.f90
index 35c4ffda775..4f1ba11d200 100644
--- a/srcbmi/mf6bmi.f90
+++ b/srcbmi/mf6bmi.f90
@@ -46,9 +46,8 @@ function bmi_get_component_name(name) result(bmi_status) &
     ! -- dummy variables
     character(kind=c_char), intent(out) :: name(BMI_LENCOMPONENTNAME)
     integer(kind=c_int) :: bmi_status !< BMI status code
-    ! -- local variables
 
-    name = string_to_char_array('MODFLOW 6', 9)
+    name = string_to_char_array('MODFLOW 6')
     bmi_status = BMI_SUCCESS
 
   end function bmi_get_component_name
@@ -612,7 +611,7 @@ function get_value_string(c_var_address, c_arr_ptr) result(bmi_status) &
       call mem_setptr(srcstr, var_name, mem_path)
       call get_mem_elem_size(var_name, mem_path, ilen)
       call c_f_pointer(c_arr_ptr, tgtstr, shape=[ilen + 1])
-      tgtstr(1:len(srcstr) + 1) = string_to_char_array(srcstr, len(srcstr))
+      tgtstr(1:len(srcstr) + 1) = string_to_char_array(trim(srcstr))
 
     else if (rank == 1) then
       ! an array of strings
@@ -634,7 +633,7 @@ function get_value_string(c_var_address, c_arr_ptr) result(bmi_status) &
       allocate (character(ilen) :: tempstr)
       do i = 1, isize
         tempstr = srccharstr1d(i)
-        tgtstr1d(1:ilen + 1, i) = string_to_char_array(tempstr, ilen)
+        tgtstr1d(1:ilen + 1, i) = string_to_char_array(trim(tempstr))
       end do
       deallocate (tempstr)
     else
@@ -1172,7 +1171,7 @@ function get_var_type(c_var_address, c_var_type) result(bmi_status) &
 
     call get_mem_type(var_name, mem_path, mem_type)
     c_var_type(1:len(trim(mem_type)) + 1) = &
-      string_to_char_array(trim(mem_type), len(trim(mem_type)))
+      string_to_char_array(trim(mem_type))
 
     if (mem_type == 'UNKNOWN') then
       write (bmi_last_error, fmt_general_err) 'unknown memory type'
diff --git a/srcbmi/mf6bmiGrid.f90 b/srcbmi/mf6bmiGrid.f90
index 4af4d122e28..8dc6a766bc2 100644
--- a/srcbmi/mf6bmiGrid.f90
+++ b/srcbmi/mf6bmiGrid.f90
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ function get_grid_type(grid_id, grid_type) result(bmi_status) &
     else
       return
     end if
-    grid_type = string_to_char_array(trim(grid_type_f), len_trim(grid_type_f))
+    grid_type = string_to_char_array(trim(grid_type_f))
     bmi_status = BMI_SUCCESS
   end function get_grid_type
 
diff --git a/srcbmi/mf6bmiUtil.f90 b/srcbmi/mf6bmiUtil.f90
index b0ff1770aef..b6420ee613e 100644
--- a/srcbmi/mf6bmiUtil.f90
+++ b/srcbmi/mf6bmiUtil.f90
@@ -145,18 +145,12 @@ end function char_array_to_string
 
   !> @brief Convert Fortran string to C-style character string
   !<
-  pure function string_to_char_array(string, length) result(c_array)
+  pure function string_to_char_array(string) result(c_array)
     ! -- dummy variables
-    integer(c_int), intent(in) :: length !< Fortran string length
-    character(len=length), intent(in) :: string !< string to convert
-    character(kind=c_char, len=1) :: c_array(length + 1) !< C-style character string
-    ! -- local variables
-    integer(I4B) :: i
+    character(len=*), intent(in) :: string !< string to convert
+    character(kind=c_char, len=1) :: c_array(len(string) + 1) !< C-style character string
 
-    do i = 1, length
-      c_array(i) = string(i:i)
-    end do
-    c_array(length + 1) = C_NULL_CHAR
+    c_array = trim(string)//c_null_char
 
   end function string_to_char_array
 
diff --git a/srcbmi/mf6xmi.F90 b/srcbmi/mf6xmi.F90
index 9c476236054..f1048715ce7 100644
--- a/srcbmi/mf6xmi.F90
+++ b/srcbmi/mf6xmi.F90
@@ -357,7 +357,7 @@ function xmi_get_version(mf_version) result(bmi_status) &
     else
       vstr = VERSIONNUMBER
     end if
-    mf_version = string_to_char_array(vstr, len_trim(vstr))
+    mf_version = string_to_char_array(trim(vstr))
     bmi_status = BMI_SUCCESS
 
   end function xmi_get_version
@@ -412,7 +412,7 @@ function get_var_address(c_component_name, c_subcomponent_name, &
 
     ! convert to c string:
     c_var_address(1:len(trim(mem_address)) + 1) = &
-      string_to_char_array(trim(mem_address), len(trim(mem_address)))
+      string_to_char_array(trim(mem_address))
 
     bmi_status = BMI_SUCCESS