diff --git a/examples/Runlen.cpp b/examples/Runlen.cpp
index 41cda29..547090a 100644
--- a/examples/Runlen.cpp
+++ b/examples/Runlen.cpp
@@ -3,48 +3,31 @@
 using namespace deepstate;
 
 char* encode(const char* input) {
-  unsigned int l = strlen(input);
-  char* encoded = (char*)malloc((l*2)+1);
-  if (l == 0) {
-    encoded[0] = '\0';
-    return encoded;
-  }
-  unsigned char last = input[0];
-  unsigned char current = input[0];
-  int count = 1;
+  char* encoded = (char*)malloc((strlen(input)*2)+1);
   int pos = 0;
-  for (int i = 1; i < l; i++) {
-    current = input[i];
-    if ((current == last) && (count < 26)) {
-      count++;
-    } else {
-      encoded[pos++] = last;
-      encoded[pos++] = 64 + count;
-      last = current;
-      count = 1;
+  if (strlen(input) > 0) {
+    unsigned char last = input[0]; int count = 1;
+    for (int i = 1; i < strlen(input); i++) {
+      if (((unsigned char)input[i] == last) && (count < 26))
+	count++;
+      else {
+	encoded[pos++] = last; encoded[pos++] = 64 + count;
+	last = (unsigned char)input[i]; count = 1;
+      }
     }
+    encoded[pos++] = last; encoded[pos++] = 65;
   }
-  encoded[pos++] = last;
-  encoded[pos++] = 65;
   encoded[pos] = '\0';
   return encoded;
 }
 
 char* decode(const char* output) {
-  unsigned int l = strlen(output);
-  char* decoded = (char*)malloc(((l/2)*26)+1);
-  if (l == 0) {
-    decoded[0] = '\0';
-    return decoded;
-  }
+  char* decoded = (char*)malloc(((strlen(output))/2)*26);
   int pos = 0;
-  unsigned char current;
-  for (int i = 0; i < l; i++) {
-    current = output[i++];
-    unsigned int count = output[i] - 64;
-    for (int j = 0; j < count; j++) {
-      decoded[pos++] = current;
-    }
+  if (strlen(output) > 0) {
+    for (int i = 0; i < strlen(output); i += 2)
+      for (int j = 0; j < (output[i+1] - 64); j++)
+	decoded[pos++] = output[i];
   }
   decoded[pos] = '\0';
   return decoded;
@@ -53,7 +36,7 @@ char* decode(const char* output) {
 #define MAX_STR_LEN 10
 
 TEST(Runlength, EncodeDecode) {
-  char* original = DeepState_CStrUpToLen(MAX_STR_LEN, "abcde");
+  char* original = DeepState_CStrUpToLen(MAX_STR_LEN, "ab");
   LOG(TRACE) << "original = `" << original << "`";
   char* encoded = encode(original);
   char* roundtrip = decode(encoded);