diff --git a/main/gbx/gbx_stream.c b/main/gbx/gbx_stream.c
index 5cfdb0cdd..250fb346b 100644
--- a/main/gbx/gbx_stream.c
+++ b/main/gbx/gbx_stream.c
@@ -1243,8 +1243,17 @@ void STREAM_write_type(STREAM *stream, TYPE type, VALUE *value)
 		case T_STRING:
 		case T_CSTRING:
 
-			write_length(stream, value->_string.len);
-			STREAM_write(stream, value->_string.addr + value->_string.start, value->_string.len);
+			if (stream->type == &STREAM_memory)
+			{
+				STREAM_write(stream, value->_string.addr + value->_string.start, value->_string.len);
+				buffer._byte = 0;
+				STREAM_write(stream, &buffer._byte, 1);
+			}
+			else
+			{
+				write_length(stream, value->_string.len);
+				STREAM_write(stream, value->_string.addr + value->_string.start, value->_string.len);
+			}
 			break;
 			
 		case T_OBJECT:
diff --git a/main/gbx/gbx_stream_string.c b/main/gbx/gbx_stream_string.c
index 2d81dd8ad..b153a1625 100644
--- a/main/gbx/gbx_stream_string.c
+++ b/main/gbx/gbx_stream_string.c
@@ -46,16 +46,23 @@ static int stream_open(STREAM *stream, const char *path, int mode)
 {
 	stream->string.buffer = NULL;
 	stream->common.available_now = TRUE;
+	stream->string.size = 0;
+	stream->string.pos = 0;
 
 	if (path && *path)
 	{
-		STRING_ref((char *)path);
-		stream->string.buffer = (char *)path;
+		if (mode & ST_WRITE)
+		{
+			stream->string.buffer = STRING_new(path, STRING_length(path));
+		}
+		else
+		{
+			stream->string.buffer = (char *)path;
+			STRING_ref((char *)path);
+		}
 		stream->string.size = STRING_length(path);
 	}
 
-	stream->string.pos = 0;
-
   return FALSE;
 }
 
@@ -94,9 +101,14 @@ static int stream_read(STREAM *stream, char *buffer, int len)
 
 static int stream_write(STREAM *stream, char *buffer, int len)
 {
+	if ((stream->common.mode & ST_WRITE) == 0)
+		THROW(E_ACCESS);
+
 	stream->string.buffer = STRING_add(stream->string.buffer, buffer, len);
-	stream->string.pos = stream->string.size + len;
+
 	stream->string.size += len;
+	stream->string.pos = stream->string.size;
+
   return FALSE;
 }
 
diff --git a/main/gbx/gbx_subr_file.c b/main/gbx/gbx_subr_file.c
index 6419291f4..d716a1435 100755
--- a/main/gbx/gbx_subr_file.c
+++ b/main/gbx/gbx_subr_file.c
@@ -213,12 +213,19 @@ void SUBR_close(void)
 
 	if (stream->type == &STREAM_string)
 	{
+		char *buffer = stream->string.buffer;
+
 		RETURN->type = T_STRING;
-		RETURN->_string.addr = stream->string.buffer;
+		RETURN->_string.addr = buffer;
 		RETURN->_string.start = 0;
 		RETURN->_string.len = stream->string.size;
 
+		STRING_ref(buffer);
 		STREAM_close(stream);
+		STRING_free_later(buffer);
+
+		//fprintf(stderr, "buffer ref = %d\n", STRING_from_ptr(buffer)->ref);
+
 		SUBR_LEAVE();
 	}
 	else