diff --git a/Source/String.m b/Source/String.m
index 77ed817c4..4e1b97f31 100644
--- a/Source/String.m
+++ b/Source/String.m
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@
 {
   if (strcmp(contentEncoding, @encode(char)))
     [self error:"invalid args to String initializer"];
-  [self initWithCString:NULL range:((IndexRange){0,0})];
+  [super initWithType:contentEncoding];
   return self;
 }