diff --git a/tokens/create-token/steel/Cargo.toml b/tokens/create-token/steel/Cargo.toml
index 88477c5f7..d294bdd12 100644
--- a/tokens/create-token/steel/Cargo.toml
+++ b/tokens/create-token/steel/Cargo.toml
@@ -9,3 +9,4 @@ bytemuck = "1.4"
 num_enum = "0.7"
 spl-token = { version = "4.0.0", features = [ "no-entrypoint" ] }
 mpl-token-metadata = { version = "4.1.2" }
+thiserror = "2.0.3"
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tokens/create-token/steel/api/Cargo.toml b/tokens/create-token/steel/api/Cargo.toml
index 139cf2b43..af6f7ae35 100644
--- a/tokens/create-token/steel/api/Cargo.toml
+++ b/tokens/create-token/steel/api/Cargo.toml
@@ -13,3 +13,4 @@ bytemuck.workspace = true
 num_enum.workspace = true
 spl-token.workspace = true
 mpl-token-metadata.workspace = true
+thiserror.workspace = true
diff --git a/tokens/create-token/steel/api/src/error.rs b/tokens/create-token/steel/api/src/error.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a3c09c76c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tokens/create-token/steel/api/src/error.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+use steel::*;
+
+#[derive(Debug, Error, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq, IntoPrimitive)]
+#[repr(u32)]
+pub enum SteelError {
+    #[error("Failed to parse string from bytes")]
+    ParseError = 0,
+}
+
+error!(SteelError);
diff --git a/tokens/create-token/steel/api/src/instruction.rs b/tokens/create-token/steel/api/src/instruction.rs
index 5b09203c2..ac46ec46a 100644
--- a/tokens/create-token/steel/api/src/instruction.rs
+++ b/tokens/create-token/steel/api/src/instruction.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 use {
-    mpl_token_metadata::instructions as mpl_instruction,
+    crate::error::*,
+    mpl_token_metadata::{instructions as mpl_instruction, types::DataV2},
     solana_program::{msg, program::invoke, program_pack::Pack, rent::Rent, system_instruction},
     spl_token::state::Mint,
     std::ffi::CStr,
@@ -17,9 +18,9 @@ instruction!(SteelInstruction, CreateToken);
 #[repr(C)]
 #[derive(Clone, Copy, Debug, Pod, Zeroable)]
 pub struct CreateToken {
-    pub token_name: [u8; 32],
-    pub token_symbol: [u8; 10],
-    pub token_uri: [u8; 256],
+    pub token_name: [u8; 32],   // Metaplex metadata name: 32 bytes max
+    pub token_symbol: [u8; 10], // Metaplex metadata symbol: 10 bytes max
+    pub token_uri: [u8; 256],   // Metaplex metadata uri: 200 bytes max
     pub decimals: u8,
 }
 
@@ -72,21 +73,9 @@ impl CreateToken {
         msg!("Creating metadata account...");
         msg!("Metadata account address: {}", metadata_account.key);
 
-        let name = CStr::from_bytes_until_nul(&args.token_name)
-            .unwrap()
-            .to_str()
-            .unwrap()
-            .to_string();
-        let symbol = CStr::from_bytes_until_nul(&args.token_symbol)
-            .unwrap()
-            .to_str()
-            .unwrap()
-            .to_string();
-        let uri = CStr::from_bytes_until_nul(&args.token_uri)
-            .unwrap()
-            .to_str()
-            .unwrap()
-            .to_string();
+        let name = Self::str_from_bytes(&mut args.token_name.to_vec())?.to_string();
+        let symbol = Self::str_from_bytes(&mut args.token_symbol.to_vec())?.to_string();
+        let uri = Self::str_from_bytes(&mut args.token_uri.to_vec())?.to_string();
 
         mpl_instruction::CreateMetadataAccountV3Cpi {
             __program: token_metadata_program,
@@ -97,8 +86,8 @@ impl CreateToken {
             update_authority: (mint_authority, true),
             system_program,
             rent: Some(rent),
-            __args: mpl_token_metadata::instructions::CreateMetadataAccountV3InstructionArgs {
-                data: mpl_token_metadata::types::DataV2 {
+            __args: mpl_instruction::CreateMetadataAccountV3InstructionArgs {
+                data: DataV2 {
                     name,
                     symbol,
                     uri,
@@ -117,4 +106,17 @@ impl CreateToken {
 
         Ok(())
     }
+
+    fn str_from_bytes(bytes: &mut Vec<u8>) -> Result<&str, ProgramError> {
+        // add an extra null byte, in the case every position is occupied with a non-null byte
+        bytes.push(0);
+
+        // remove excess null bytes
+        if let Ok(cstr) = CStr::from_bytes_until_nul(bytes) {
+            if let Ok(str) = cstr.to_str() {
+                return Ok(str);
+            }
+        }
+        Err(SteelError::ParseError.into())
+    }
 }
diff --git a/tokens/create-token/steel/api/src/lib.rs b/tokens/create-token/steel/api/src/lib.rs
index 0ee82eb65..2ae690b1d 100644
--- a/tokens/create-token/steel/api/src/lib.rs
+++ b/tokens/create-token/steel/api/src/lib.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
+pub mod error;
 pub mod instruction;
 
 pub mod prelude {
+    pub use crate::error::*;
     pub use crate::instruction::*;
 }