diff --git a/src/libluau.zig b/src/libluau.zig
index fa443f2..56deb07 100644
--- a/src/libluau.zig
+++ b/src/libluau.zig
@@ -974,18 +974,20 @@ pub const Lua = struct {
 
     /// Converts the Lua string at the given `index` to a string atom.
     /// The Lua value must be a string.
-    pub fn toStringAtom(lua: *Lua, index: i32, atom: *c_int) ![*:0]const u8 {
-        if (c.lua_tostringatom(lua.state, index, atom)) |ptr| {
-            return ptr;
+    pub fn toStringAtom(lua: *Lua, index: i32) !struct { i32, [:0]const u8 } {
+        var atom: c_int = -1;
+        if (c.lua_tostringatom(lua.state, index, &atom)) |ptr| {
+            return .{ atom, std.mem.span(ptr) };
         }
         return error.Fail;
     }
 
     /// Retrieve the user atom index and name for the method being
     /// invoked in a namecall.
-    pub fn namecallAtom(lua: *Lua, atom: *c_int) ![*:0]const u8 {
-        if (c.lua_namecallatom(lua.state, atom)) |ptr| {
-            return ptr;
+    pub fn namecallAtom(lua: *Lua) !struct { i32, [:0]const u8 } {
+        var atom: c_int = -1;
+        if (c.lua_namecallatom(lua.state, &atom)) |ptr| {
+            return .{ atom, std.mem.span(ptr) };
         }
         return error.Fail;
     }
diff --git a/src/tests.zig b/src/tests.zig
index d0ab9aa..faed081 100644
--- a/src/tests.zig
+++ b/src/tests.zig
@@ -2340,24 +2340,20 @@ test "useratom" {
     _ = lua.pushString("unknownatom");
     _ = lua.pushString("method_one");
     _ = lua.pushString("another_method");
-    var atom_idx0: c_int = 0;
-    var atom_idx1: c_int = 0;
-    var atom_idx2: c_int = 0;
 
-    const str0 = try lua.toStringAtom(-2, &atom_idx0);
-    const str1 = try lua.toStringAtom(-1, &atom_idx1);
-    const str2 = try lua.toStringAtom(-3, &atom_idx2);
-    try testing.expect(std.mem.eql(u8, std.mem.span(str0), "method_one"));
-    try testing.expect(std.mem.eql(u8, std.mem.span(str1), "another_method"));
-    try testing.expect(std.mem.eql(u8, std.mem.span(str2), "unknownatom")); // should work, but returns -1 for atom idx
+    const atom_idx0, const str0 = try lua.toStringAtom(-2);
+    const atom_idx1, const str1 = try lua.toStringAtom(-1);
+    const atom_idx2, const str2 = try lua.toStringAtom(-3);
+    try testing.expect(std.mem.eql(u8, str0, "method_one"));
+    try testing.expect(std.mem.eql(u8, str1, "another_method"));
+    try testing.expect(std.mem.eql(u8, str2, "unknownatom")); // should work, but returns -1 for atom idx
 
     try expectEqual(0, atom_idx0);
     try expectEqual(1, atom_idx1);
     try expectEqual(-1, atom_idx2);
 
     lua.pushInteger(13);
-    var dummy: c_int = 0;
-    try expectError(error.Fail, lua.toStringAtom(-1, &dummy));
+    try expectError(error.Fail, lua.toStringAtom(-1));
 }
 
 test "namecall" {
@@ -2381,23 +2377,22 @@ test "namecall" {
         }
 
         pub fn vectorNamecall(l: *Lua) i32 {
-            var atom_idx: c_int = -1;
-            if (l.namecallAtom(&atom_idx)) |_| {
-                switch (atom_idx) {
-                    dot_idx => {
-                        const a = l.checkVector(1);
-                        const b = l.checkVector(2);
-                        l.pushNumber(a[0] * b[0] + a[1] * b[1] + a[2] * b[2]); // vec3 dot
-                    },
-                    sum_idx => {
-                        const a = l.checkVector(1);
-                        l.pushNumber(a[0] + a[1] + a[2]);
-                    },
-                    else => unreachable,
-                }
-                return 1;
-            } else |_| {
+            const atom_idx, _ = l.namecallAtom() catch {
                 l.raiseErrorStr("%s is not a valid vector method", .{l.checkString(1)});
+            };
+            switch (atom_idx) {
+                dot_idx => {
+                    const a = l.checkVector(1);
+                    const b = l.checkVector(2);
+                    l.pushNumber(a[0] * b[0] + a[1] * b[1] + a[2] * b[2]); // vec3 dot
+                    return 1;
+                },
+                sum_idx => {
+                    const a = l.checkVector(1);
+                    l.pushNumber(a[0] + a[1] + a[2]);
+                    return 1;
+                },
+                else => unreachable,
             }
         }
     };