diff --git a/packages/core/package.json b/packages/core/package.json
index 883de3b..439a0ee 100644
--- a/packages/core/package.json
+++ b/packages/core/package.json
@@ -23,6 +23,6 @@
   "dependencies": {
     "debug": "^4.1.1",
     "immutable": "^3.8.2",
-    "preserves": "0.0.8"
+    "preserves": "0.0.9"
   }
 }
diff --git a/packages/driver-mdns/src/index.js b/packages/driver-mdns/src/index.js
index 1f334fd..c3c1955 100644
--- a/packages/driver-mdns/src/index.js
+++ b/packages/driver-mdns/src/index.js
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ spawn named 'driver/avahi-publish' {
         on retracted S.Stream(stderr, S.Readable()) topFacet.stop();
 
         on message S.Stream(stderr, S.Line($line)) {
-          line = line.toString('utf-8');
+          line = line.fromUtf8();
           if (line.startsWith('Established')) {
             this.established = true;
           } else if (line.startsWith('Disconnected')) {
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ spawn named 'driver/avahi-browse' {
           //
           // However, it's still useful to have, so we do our best!
           //
-          const pieces = line.toString('utf-8').split(/;/);
+          const pieces = line.fromUtf8().split(/;/);
           if (pieces[0] === '=') {
             // A resolved address record, which has TXT data.
             const normalFields = pieces.slice(0, 9);
diff --git a/packages/syntax-playground/src/chatclient.js b/packages/syntax-playground/src/chatclient.js
index 168e42d..d4ed1ae 100644
--- a/packages/syntax-playground/src/chatclient.js
+++ b/packages/syntax-playground/src/chatclient.js
@@ -45,10 +45,10 @@ spawn named 'chatclient' {
       assert S.Stream(id, S.BackPressure(stdout));
 
       on message S.Stream(stdin, S.Line($line)) {
-        send S.Stream(id, S.Push(line.toString('utf-8') + '\n', false));
+        send S.Stream(id, S.Push(line.fromUtf8() + '\n', false));
       }
       on message S.Stream(id, S.Line($line)) {
-        send S.Stream(stdout, S.Push(line.toString('utf-8') + '\n', false));
+        send S.Stream(stdout, S.Push(line.fromUtf8() + '\n', false));
       }
     }
   }
diff --git a/packages/syntax-playground/src/chatserver.js b/packages/syntax-playground/src/chatserver.js
index 486c358..8a0b331 100644
--- a/packages/syntax-playground/src/chatserver.js
+++ b/packages/syntax-playground/src/chatserver.js
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ spawn named 'chatserver' {
       on asserted  Present($who) send S.Stream(id, S.Push(`${who} arrived.\n`, false));
       on retracted Present($who) send S.Stream(id, S.Push(`${who} departed.\n`, false));
 
-      on message S.Stream(id, S.Line($line)) send Speak(me, line);
+      on message S.Stream(id, S.Line($line)) send Speak(me, line.fromUtf8());
       on message Speak($who, $what) send S.Stream(id, S.Push(`${who}: ${what}\n`, false));
     }
   }
diff --git a/packages/syntax-playground/src/ncchatclient.js b/packages/syntax-playground/src/ncchatclient.js
index 1c8f0f6..5576de8 100644
--- a/packages/syntax-playground/src/ncchatclient.js
+++ b/packages/syntax-playground/src/ncchatclient.js
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ spawn named 'chatclient-via-nc' {
     react {
       on message S.Stream(stdin, S.Line($line)) {
         console.log('INPUT:', line);
-        send S.Stream(i, S.Push(line.toString('utf-8') + '\n', false));
+        send S.Stream(i, S.Push(line.fromUtf8() + '\n', false));
       }
       on message S.Stream(stdin, S.End()) {
         console.log('INPUT EOF');
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ spawn named 'chatclient-via-nc' {
       }
 
       on message S.Stream(o, S.Line($line)) {
-        send S.Stream(stdout, S.Push(line.toString('utf-8') + '\n', false));
+        send S.Stream(stdout, S.Push(line.fromUtf8() + '\n', false));
       }
     }
   }
diff --git a/packages/syntax-playground/src/socks-gateway.js b/packages/syntax-playground/src/socks-gateway.js
index 9fc6919..02ceb22 100644
--- a/packages/syntax-playground/src/socks-gateway.js
+++ b/packages/syntax-playground/src/socks-gateway.js
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ spawn named 'socks-server' {
           case 3: // domain name
             readChunk(1, (octetCount) => {
               readChunk(octetCount.get(0), (domainNameBytes) => {
-                const domainName = domainNameBytes.toString('utf-8');
+                const domainName = domainNameBytes.fromUtf8();
                 readPort(domainName, k);
               });
             });
diff --git a/packages/syntax-server/src/index.js b/packages/syntax-server/src/index.js
index 77a4232..ef54aa1 100644
--- a/packages/syntax-server/src/index.js
+++ b/packages/syntax-server/src/index.js
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ function _collectSource(streamId, cb) {
   const chunks = [];
   on message S.Stream(streamId, S.Data($chunk)) chunks.push(chunk);
   on asserted S.Stream(streamId, S.End()) {
-    const source = Bytes.concat(chunks).toString();
+    const source = Bytes.concat(chunks).fromUtf8();
     cb(source);
   }
 }