diff --git a/src/asset.cpp b/src/asset.cpp
index 4654d91..af21bd6 100644
--- a/src/asset.cpp
+++ b/src/asset.cpp
@@ -70,6 +70,18 @@ arenaAllocateBlock(memory_arena* arena, size_t block_size)
 	return ret;
 }
 
+#define MAX_NAME_LENGTH 256
+char*
+arenaCopyCStr(memory_arena* arena, const char* input)
+{
+	u32 name_len = std::strlen(input) + 1;
+	assert(name_len < MAX_NAME_LENGTH);
+	// TODO: make an arena alloc macro
+	char* out = (char*) arenaAllocateBlock(arena, name_len);
+	std::strncpy(out, input, name_len);
+	return out;
+}
+
 
 // forward declarations
 void dumpNodes(tinygltf::Model t_mdl);
diff --git a/src/asset.h b/src/asset.h
index 6a5e2a0..9a9cf1a 100644
--- a/src/asset.h
+++ b/src/asset.h
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@ uint arenaGetFreeSize(memory_arena* arena);
 
 void* arenaAllocateBlock(memory_arena* arena, size_t block_size);
 
+char* arenaCopyCStr(memory_arena* arena, const char* input);
+
 // NOTE: wrapper for stb_image
 struct util_image
 {
diff --git a/src/shader.cpp b/src/shader.cpp
index 3ed061b..a98319e 100644
--- a/src/shader.cpp
+++ b/src/shader.cpp
@@ -45,10 +45,7 @@ addShaderProgram(memory_arena* arena,
 
 	shader_program* s = &gl_ctx->shaders[gl_ctx->num_shaders];
 	gl_ctx->num_shaders++;
-
-	u32 name_len = std::strlen(name) + 1;
-	s->name = (char*) arenaAllocateBlock(arena, name_len);
-	std::strncpy(s->name, name, name_len);
+	s->name = arenaCopyCStr(arena, name);
 
 	const u32 max_len = 256;
 	std::string hash_str = vs;