diff --git a/src/core/strings/str8/str8.c b/src/core/strings/str8/str8.c
index 6abb626..c5086ef 100644
--- a/src/core/strings/str8/str8.c
+++ b/src/core/strings/str8/str8.c
@@ -147,7 +147,8 @@ bool wapp_str8_equal_to_count(Str8RO* s1, Str8RO* s2, u64 count) {
 
 Str8 wapp_str8_slice(Str8RO *str, u64 start, u64 end) {
   if (start >= str->size || start >= end) {
-    return (Str8RO){0};
+    start = str->size;
+    end   = str->size;
   }
 
   if (end > str->size) {
@@ -258,7 +259,7 @@ void wapp_str8_format(Str8 *dst, const char *format, ...) {
 }
 
 i64 wapp_str8_find(Str8RO *str, Str8RO substr) {
-  if (substr.size > str->size) {
+  if (!str || substr.size > str->size) {
     return -1;
   }
 
@@ -280,7 +281,7 @@ i64 wapp_str8_find(Str8RO *str, Str8RO substr) {
 }
 
 i64 wapp_str8_rfind(Str8RO *str, Str8RO substr) {
-  if (substr.size > str->size) {
+  if (!str || substr.size > str->size) {
     return -1;
   }
 
@@ -330,10 +331,7 @@ Str8List *wapp_str8_split_with_max(const Allocator *allocator, Str8RO *str, Str8
       break;
     }
 
-    Str8RO before = wapp_str8_slice(str, start, start + end);
-    Str8RO after  = wapp_str8_slice(str, start + end + delimiter->size, str->size);
-
-    before_str     = wapp_str8_alloc_str8(allocator, &before);
+    before_str     = wapp_str8_alloc_substr(allocator, str, start, start + end);
     Str8Node *node = wapp_mem_allocator_alloc(allocator, sizeof(Str8Node));
     if (node) {
       node->string = before_str;
@@ -341,14 +339,14 @@ Str8List *wapp_str8_split_with_max(const Allocator *allocator, Str8RO *str, Str8
     }
 
     wapp_mem_allocator_free(allocator, (void **)&rest, sizeof(Str8));
-    rest   = wapp_str8_alloc_str8(allocator, &after);
+    rest   = wapp_str8_alloc_substr(allocator, str, start + end + delimiter->size, str->size);
     start += end + delimiter->size;
 
     ++splits;
   }
 
-  Str8RO last    = wapp_str8_slice(str, start, str->size);
-  rest           = wapp_str8_alloc_str8(allocator, &last);
+  // Ensure the last part of the string after the delimiter is added to the list
+  rest           = wapp_str8_alloc_substr(allocator, str, start, str->size);
   Str8Node *node = wapp_mem_allocator_alloc(allocator, sizeof(Str8Node));
   if (node) {
     node->string = rest;
@@ -387,10 +385,7 @@ Str8List *wapp_str8_rsplit_with_max(const Allocator *allocator, Str8RO *str, Str
       break;
     }
 
-    Str8RO before = wapp_str8_slice(rest, 0, end);
-    Str8RO after  = wapp_str8_slice(rest, end + delimiter->size, str->size);
-
-    after_str     = wapp_str8_alloc_str8(allocator, &after);
+    after_str     = wapp_str8_alloc_substr(allocator, rest, end + delimiter->size, str->size);
     Str8Node *node = wapp_mem_allocator_alloc(allocator, sizeof(Str8Node));
     if (node) {
       node->string = after_str;
@@ -398,13 +393,12 @@ Str8List *wapp_str8_rsplit_with_max(const Allocator *allocator, Str8RO *str, Str
     }
 
     wapp_mem_allocator_free(allocator, (void **)&rest, sizeof(Str8));
-    rest   = wapp_str8_alloc_str8(allocator, &before);
+    rest   = wapp_str8_alloc_substr(allocator, rest, 0, end);
 
     ++splits;
   }
 
-  Str8RO last    = wapp_str8_slice(str, 0, rest->size);
-  rest           = wapp_str8_alloc_str8(allocator, &last);
+  rest           = wapp_str8_alloc_substr(allocator, str, 0, rest->size);
   Str8Node *node = wapp_mem_allocator_alloc(allocator, sizeof(Str8Node));
   if (node) {
     node->string = rest;