diff --git a/RLP.cabal b/RLP.cabal
--- a/RLP.cabal
+++ b/RLP.cabal
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 Name:                   RLP
-Version:                1.0.0
-Author:                 Javier Sagredo <jasagredo@gmail.com>
-Maintainer:             Javier Sagredo <jasagredo@gmail.com>
+Version:                1.0.1
+Author:                 Javier Sagredo <jasataco@gmail.com>
+Maintainer:             Javier Sagredo <jasataco@gmail.com>
 License:                LGPL-3
 License-File:           LICENSE
 Homepage:		https://github.com/jasagredo/RLP
diff --git a/src/Data/Serialize/RLP.hs b/src/Data/Serialize/RLP.hs
--- a/src/Data/Serialize/RLP.hs
+++ b/src/Data/Serialize/RLP.hs
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+{-# LANGUAGE FlexibleInstances #-}
 -- |
 -- Module      : Data.Serialize.RLP
 -- License     : LGPL-3 (see LICENSE)
@@ -128,7 +129,7 @@
 
 -- Serializing lists implies making a list with the serialization
 -- of each element
-instance RLPSerialize a => RLPSerialize [a] where
+instance {-# OVERLAPPABLE #-} RLPSerialize a => RLPSerialize [a] where
   toRLP = RLPL . map toRLP
 
   fromRLP (RLPL x) = map fromRLP x
@@ -144,6 +145,13 @@
   fromRLP x
     | x == toRLP True = True
     | otherwise       = False
+
+-- Strings are serialized as ByteStrings
+instance {-# OVERLAPPING #-} RLPSerialize String where
+  toRLP = RLPB . toByteStringS
+  
+  fromRLP (RLPB x) = fromByteStringS x
+  fromRLP _        = undefined
 
 -- Chars are just length-one strings
 instance RLPSerialize Char where