diff --git a/packages/guardian-crypto/src/transactions/guardian-group-permissions.ts b/packages/guardian-crypto/src/transactions/guardian-group-permissions.ts
index ec1a270c..eeb6f666 100644
--- a/packages/guardian-crypto/src/transactions/guardian-group-permissions.ts
+++ b/packages/guardian-crypto/src/transactions/guardian-group-permissions.ts
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ export class GuardianGroupPermissionsTransaction extends Transactions.Transactio
         const { data } = this;
 
         const nameLength: number = buf.readUint8();
-        const name: string = buf.readString(nameLength);
+        const name: string = buf.readBytes(nameLength).toBuffer().toString("utf8");
         const priority = buf.readUInt32();
         const active = Boolean(buf.readUint8());
         const isDefault = Boolean(buf.readUint8());
diff --git a/packages/guardian-crypto/src/transactions/guardian-user-permissions.ts b/packages/guardian-crypto/src/transactions/guardian-user-permissions.ts
index bd414cc3..ae8711d4 100644
--- a/packages/guardian-crypto/src/transactions/guardian-user-permissions.ts
+++ b/packages/guardian-crypto/src/transactions/guardian-user-permissions.ts
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ export class GuardianUserPermissionsTransaction extends Transactions.Transaction
             setUserPermissions.groupNames = [];
             for (let i = 0; i < numOfGroupNames; i++) {
                 const groupNameLength: number = buf.readUint8();
-                setUserPermissions.groupNames.push(buf.readString(groupNameLength));
+                setUserPermissions.groupNames.push(buf.readBytes(groupNameLength).toBuffer().toString("utf8"));
             }
         }