diff --git a/mlua-sys/src/lua51/compat.rs b/mlua-sys/src/lua51/compat.rs
index 2294cd4..8c2d7bf 100644
--- a/mlua-sys/src/lua51/compat.rs
+++ b/mlua-sys/src/lua51/compat.rs
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ unsafe fn compat53_findfield(L: *mut lua_State, objidx: c_int, level: c_int) ->
             } else if compat53_findfield(L, objidx, level - 1) != 0 {
                 // try recursively
                 lua_remove(L, -2); // remove table (but keep name)
-                lua_pushliteral(L, ".");
+                lua_pushliteral(L, c".");
                 lua_insert(L, -2); // place '.' between the two names
                 lua_concat(L, 3);
                 return 1;
@@ -121,13 +121,13 @@ unsafe fn compat53_pushfuncname(L: *mut lua_State, ar: *mut lua_Debug) {
         lua_pushfstring(L, cstr!("function '%s'"), (*ar).name);
     } else if *(*ar).what == b'm' as c_char {
         // main?
-        lua_pushliteral(L, "main chunk");
+        lua_pushliteral(L, c"main chunk");
     } else if *(*ar).what == b'C' as c_char {
         if compat53_pushglobalfuncname(L, ar) != 0 {
             lua_pushfstring(L, cstr!("function '%s'"), lua_tostring(L, -1));
             lua_remove(L, -2); // remove name
         } else {
-            lua_pushliteral(L, "?");
+            lua_pushliteral(L, c"?");
         }
     } else {
         lua_pushfstring(
@@ -377,7 +377,7 @@ pub unsafe fn luaL_checkstack(L: *mut lua_State, sz: c_int, msg: *const c_char)
         if !msg.is_null() {
             luaL_error(L, cstr!("stack overflow (%s)"), msg);
         } else {
-            lua_pushliteral(L, "stack overflow");
+            lua_pushliteral(L, c"stack overflow");
             lua_error(L);
         }
     }
@@ -467,12 +467,12 @@ pub unsafe fn luaL_traceback(L: *mut lua_State, L1: *mut lua_State, msg: *const
     if !msg.is_null() {
         lua_pushfstring(L, cstr!("%s\n"), msg);
     }
-    lua_pushliteral(L, "stack traceback:");
+    lua_pushliteral(L, c"stack traceback:");
     while lua_getstack(L1, level, &mut ar) != 0 {
         level += 1;
         if level == mark {
             // too many levels?
-            lua_pushliteral(L, "\n\t..."); // add a '...'
+            lua_pushliteral(L, c"\n\t..."); // add a '...'
             level = numlevels - COMPAT53_LEVELS2; // and skip to last ones
         } else {
             lua_getinfo(L1, cstr!("Slnt"), &mut ar);
@@ -480,7 +480,7 @@ pub unsafe fn luaL_traceback(L: *mut lua_State, L1: *mut lua_State, msg: *const
             if ar.currentline > 0 {
                 lua_pushfstring(L, cstr!("%d:"), ar.currentline);
             }
-            lua_pushliteral(L, " in ");
+            lua_pushliteral(L, c" in ");
             compat53_pushfuncname(L, &mut ar);
             lua_concat(L, lua_gettop(L) - top);
         }
@@ -493,16 +493,16 @@ pub unsafe fn luaL_tolstring(L: *mut lua_State, mut idx: c_int, len: *mut usize)
     if luaL_callmeta(L, idx, cstr!("__tostring")) == 0 {
         match lua_type(L, idx) {
             LUA_TNIL => {
-                lua_pushliteral(L, "nil");
+                lua_pushliteral(L, c"nil");
             }
             LUA_TSTRING | LUA_TNUMBER => {
                 lua_pushvalue(L, idx);
             }
             LUA_TBOOLEAN => {
                 if lua_toboolean(L, idx) == 0 {
-                    lua_pushliteral(L, "false");
+                    lua_pushliteral(L, c"false");
                 } else {
-                    lua_pushliteral(L, "true");
+                    lua_pushliteral(L, c"true");
                 }
             }
             t => {
diff --git a/mlua-sys/src/lua51/lua.rs b/mlua-sys/src/lua51/lua.rs
index f222b38..4789c56 100644
--- a/mlua-sys/src/lua51/lua.rs
+++ b/mlua-sys/src/lua51/lua.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 //! Contains definitions from `lua.h`.
 
+use std::ffi::CStr;
 use std::marker::{PhantomData, PhantomPinned};
 use std::os::raw::{c_char, c_double, c_int, c_void};
 use std::ptr;
@@ -312,10 +313,8 @@ pub unsafe fn lua_isnoneornil(L: *mut lua_State, n: c_int) -> c_int {
 }
 
 #[inline(always)]
-pub unsafe fn lua_pushliteral(L: *mut lua_State, s: &'static str) {
-    use std::ffi::CString;
-    let c_str = CString::new(s).unwrap();
-    lua_pushlstring_(L, c_str.as_ptr(), c_str.as_bytes().len())
+pub unsafe fn lua_pushliteral(L: *mut lua_State, s: &'static CStr) {
+    lua_pushstring_(L, s.as_ptr());
 }
 
 #[inline(always)]
diff --git a/mlua-sys/src/lua52/compat.rs b/mlua-sys/src/lua52/compat.rs
index d6a79ac..68c7029 100644
--- a/mlua-sys/src/lua52/compat.rs
+++ b/mlua-sys/src/lua52/compat.rs
@@ -199,16 +199,16 @@ pub unsafe fn luaL_tolstring(L: *mut lua_State, mut idx: c_int, len: *mut usize)
     if luaL_callmeta(L, idx, cstr!("__tostring")) == 0 {
         match lua_type(L, idx) {
             LUA_TNIL => {
-                lua_pushliteral(L, "nil");
+                lua_pushliteral(L, c"nil");
             }
             LUA_TSTRING | LUA_TNUMBER => {
                 lua_pushvalue(L, idx);
             }
             LUA_TBOOLEAN => {
                 if lua_toboolean(L, idx) == 0 {
-                    lua_pushliteral(L, "false");
+                    lua_pushliteral(L, c"false");
                 } else {
-                    lua_pushliteral(L, "true");
+                    lua_pushliteral(L, c"true");
                 }
             }
             t => {
diff --git a/mlua-sys/src/lua52/lua.rs b/mlua-sys/src/lua52/lua.rs
index 6714611..b77ef14 100644
--- a/mlua-sys/src/lua52/lua.rs
+++ b/mlua-sys/src/lua52/lua.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 //! Contains definitions from `lua.h`.
 
+use std::ffi::CStr;
 use std::marker::{PhantomData, PhantomPinned};
 use std::os::raw::{c_char, c_double, c_int, c_uchar, c_uint, c_void};
 use std::ptr;
@@ -395,10 +396,8 @@ pub unsafe fn lua_isnoneornil(L: *mut lua_State, n: c_int) -> c_int {
 }
 
 #[inline(always)]
-pub unsafe fn lua_pushliteral(L: *mut lua_State, s: &'static str) -> *const c_char {
-    use std::ffi::CString;
-    let c_str = CString::new(s).unwrap();
-    lua_pushlstring_(L, c_str.as_ptr(), c_str.as_bytes().len())
+pub unsafe fn lua_pushliteral(L: *mut lua_State, s: &'static CStr) {
+    lua_pushstring(L, s.as_ptr());
 }
 
 #[inline(always)]
diff --git a/mlua-sys/src/lua53/lua.rs b/mlua-sys/src/lua53/lua.rs
index 47010f5..3fd84f5 100644
--- a/mlua-sys/src/lua53/lua.rs
+++ b/mlua-sys/src/lua53/lua.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 //! Contains definitions from `lua.h`.
 
+use std::ffi::CStr;
 use std::marker::{PhantomData, PhantomPinned};
 use std::os::raw::{c_char, c_double, c_int, c_uchar, c_void};
 use std::{mem, ptr};
@@ -407,10 +408,8 @@ pub unsafe fn lua_isnoneornil(L: *mut lua_State, n: c_int) -> c_int {
 }
 
 #[inline(always)]
-pub unsafe fn lua_pushliteral(L: *mut lua_State, s: &'static str) -> *const c_char {
-    use std::ffi::CString;
-    let c_str = CString::new(s).unwrap();
-    lua_pushlstring(L, c_str.as_ptr(), c_str.as_bytes().len())
+pub unsafe fn lua_pushliteral(L: *mut lua_State, s: &'static CStr) {
+    lua_pushstring(L, s.as_ptr());
 }
 
 #[inline(always)]
diff --git a/mlua-sys/src/lua54/lua.rs b/mlua-sys/src/lua54/lua.rs
index 796bec7..afad4a3 100644
--- a/mlua-sys/src/lua54/lua.rs
+++ b/mlua-sys/src/lua54/lua.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 //! Contains definitions from `lua.h`.
 
+use std::ffi::CStr;
 use std::marker::{PhantomData, PhantomPinned};
 use std::os::raw::{c_char, c_double, c_int, c_uchar, c_ushort, c_void};
 use std::{mem, ptr};
@@ -434,10 +435,8 @@ pub unsafe fn lua_isnoneornil(L: *mut lua_State, n: c_int) -> c_int {
 }
 
 #[inline(always)]
-pub unsafe fn lua_pushliteral(L: *mut lua_State, s: &'static str) -> *const c_char {
-    use std::ffi::CString;
-    let c_str = CString::new(s).unwrap();
-    lua_pushlstring(L, c_str.as_ptr(), c_str.as_bytes().len())
+pub unsafe fn lua_pushliteral(L: *mut lua_State, s: &'static CStr) {
+    lua_pushstring(L, s.as_ptr());
 }
 
 #[inline(always)]
diff --git a/mlua-sys/src/luau/compat.rs b/mlua-sys/src/luau/compat.rs
index 0cbed7b..a54b6f5 100644
--- a/mlua-sys/src/luau/compat.rs
+++ b/mlua-sys/src/luau/compat.rs
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ unsafe fn compat53_findfield(L: *mut lua_State, objidx: c_int, level: c_int) ->
             } else if compat53_findfield(L, objidx, level - 1) != 0 {
                 // try recursively
                 lua_remove(L, -2); // remove table (but keep name)
-                lua_pushliteral(L, ".");
+                lua_pushliteral(L, c".");
                 lua_insert(L, -2); // place '.' between the two names
                 lua_concat(L, 3);
                 return 1;
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ unsafe fn compat53_pushfuncname(L: *mut lua_State, level: c_int, ar: *mut lua_De
         lua_pushfstring(L, cstr!("function '%s'"), lua_tostring(L, -1));
         lua_remove(L, -2); // remove name
     } else {
-        lua_pushliteral(L, "?");
+        lua_pushliteral(L, c"?");
     }
 }
 
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ pub unsafe fn lua_rawgetp(L: *mut lua_State, idx: c_int, p: *const c_void) -> c_
 pub unsafe fn lua_getuservalue(L: *mut lua_State, mut idx: c_int) -> c_int {
     luaL_checkstack(L, 2, cstr!("not enough stack slots available"));
     idx = lua_absindex(L, idx);
-    lua_pushliteral(L, "__mlua_uservalues");
+    lua_pushliteral(L, c"__mlua_uservalues");
     if lua_rawget(L, LUA_REGISTRYINDEX) != LUA_TTABLE {
         return LUA_TNIL;
     }
@@ -234,13 +234,13 @@ pub unsafe fn lua_rawsetp(L: *mut lua_State, idx: c_int, p: *const c_void) {
 pub unsafe fn lua_setuservalue(L: *mut lua_State, mut idx: c_int) {
     luaL_checkstack(L, 4, cstr!("not enough stack slots available"));
     idx = lua_absindex(L, idx);
-    lua_pushliteral(L, "__mlua_uservalues");
+    lua_pushliteral(L, c"__mlua_uservalues");
     lua_pushvalue(L, -1);
     if lua_rawget(L, LUA_REGISTRYINDEX) != LUA_TTABLE {
         lua_pop(L, 1);
         lua_createtable(L, 0, 2); // main table
         lua_createtable(L, 0, 1); // metatable
-        lua_pushliteral(L, "k");
+        lua_pushliteral(L, c"k");
         lua_setfield(L, -2, cstr!("__mode"));
         lua_setmetatable(L, -2);
         lua_pushvalue(L, -2);
@@ -301,7 +301,7 @@ pub unsafe fn luaL_checkstack(L: *mut lua_State, sz: c_int, msg: *const c_char)
         if !msg.is_null() {
             luaL_error(L, cstr!("stack overflow (%s)"), msg);
         } else {
-            lua_pushliteral(L, "stack overflow");
+            lua_pushliteral(L, c"stack overflow");
             lua_error(L);
         }
     }
@@ -440,11 +440,11 @@ pub unsafe fn luaL_traceback(L: *mut lua_State, L1: *mut lua_State, msg: *const
     if !msg.is_null() {
         lua_pushfstring(L, cstr!("%s\n"), msg);
     }
-    lua_pushliteral(L, "stack traceback:");
+    lua_pushliteral(L, c"stack traceback:");
     while lua_getinfo(L1, level, cstr!(""), &mut ar) != 0 {
         if level + 1 == mark {
             // too many levels?
-            lua_pushliteral(L, "\n\t..."); // add a '...'
+            lua_pushliteral(L, c"\n\t..."); // add a '...'
             level = numlevels - COMPAT53_LEVELS2; // and skip to last ones
         } else {
             lua_getinfo(L1, level, cstr!("sln"), &mut ar);
@@ -452,7 +452,7 @@ pub unsafe fn luaL_traceback(L: *mut lua_State, L1: *mut lua_State, msg: *const
             if ar.currentline > 0 {
                 lua_pushfstring(L, cstr!("%d:"), ar.currentline);
             }
-            lua_pushliteral(L, " in ");
+            lua_pushliteral(L, c" in ");
             compat53_pushfuncname(L, level, &mut ar);
             lua_concat(L, lua_gettop(L) - top);
         }
@@ -466,16 +466,16 @@ pub unsafe fn luaL_tolstring(L: *mut lua_State, mut idx: c_int, len: *mut usize)
     if luaL_callmeta(L, idx, cstr!("__tostring")) == 0 {
         match lua_type(L, idx) {
             LUA_TNIL => {
-                lua_pushliteral(L, "nil");
+                lua_pushliteral(L, c"nil");
             }
             LUA_TSTRING | LUA_TNUMBER => {
                 lua_pushvalue(L, idx);
             }
             LUA_TBOOLEAN => {
                 if lua_toboolean(L, idx) == 0 {
-                    lua_pushliteral(L, "false");
+                    lua_pushliteral(L, c"false");
                 } else {
-                    lua_pushliteral(L, "true");
+                    lua_pushliteral(L, c"true");
                 }
             }
             t => {
diff --git a/mlua-sys/src/luau/lauxlib.rs b/mlua-sys/src/luau/lauxlib.rs
index 0b75cbe..ddedb2c 100644
--- a/mlua-sys/src/luau/lauxlib.rs
+++ b/mlua-sys/src/luau/lauxlib.rs
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ pub unsafe fn luaL_sandbox(L: *mut lua_State, enabled: c_int) {
     }
 
     // set all builtin metatables to read-only
-    lua_pushliteral(L, "");
+    lua_pushliteral(L, c"");
     if lua_getmetatable(L, -1) != 0 {
         lua_setreadonly(L, -1, enabled);
         lua_pop(L, 2);
diff --git a/mlua-sys/src/luau/lua.rs b/mlua-sys/src/luau/lua.rs
index a916f80..f97a80c 100644
--- a/mlua-sys/src/luau/lua.rs
+++ b/mlua-sys/src/luau/lua.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 //! Contains definitions from `lua.h`.
 
+use std::ffi::CStr;
 use std::marker::{PhantomData, PhantomPinned};
 use std::os::raw::{c_char, c_double, c_float, c_int, c_uint, c_void};
 use std::{mem, ptr};
@@ -405,10 +406,8 @@ pub unsafe fn lua_isnoneornil(L: *mut lua_State, n: c_int) -> c_int {
 }
 
 #[inline(always)]
-pub unsafe fn lua_pushliteral(L: *mut lua_State, s: &'static str) {
-    use std::ffi::CString;
-    let c_str = CString::new(s).unwrap();
-    lua_pushlstring_(L, c_str.as_ptr(), c_str.as_bytes().len())
+pub unsafe fn lua_pushliteral(L: *mut lua_State, s: &'static CStr) {
+    lua_pushstring_(L, s.as_ptr());
 }
 
 #[inline(always)]
diff --git a/src/function.rs b/src/function.rs
index 37b33fa..aa16230 100644
--- a/src/function.rs
+++ b/src/function.rs
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@ impl Function {
                 // Traverse upvalues until we find the _ENV one
                 match ffi::lua_getupvalue(state, -1, i) {
                     s if s.is_null() => break,
-                    s if std::ffi::CStr::from_ptr(s as _).to_bytes() == b"_ENV" => break,
+                    s if std::ffi::CStr::from_ptr(s as _) == c"_ENV" => break,
                     _ => ffi::lua_pop(state, 1),
                 }
             }
@@ -319,7 +319,7 @@ impl Function {
             for i in 1..=255 {
                 match ffi::lua_getupvalue(state, -1, i) {
                     s if s.is_null() => return Ok(false),
-                    s if std::ffi::CStr::from_ptr(s as _).to_bytes() == b"_ENV" => {
+                    s if std::ffi::CStr::from_ptr(s as _) == c"_ENV" => {
                         ffi::lua_pop(state, 1);
                         // Create an anonymous function with the new environment
                         let f_with_env = lua
diff --git a/src/state/raw.rs b/src/state/raw.rs
index 1f94db8..61dbd63 100644
--- a/src/state/raw.rs
+++ b/src/state/raw.rs
@@ -416,7 +416,7 @@ impl RawLua {
                         }
                         #[cfg(any(feature = "lua52", feature = "lua51", feature = "luajit"))]
                         {
-                            ffi::lua_pushliteral(state, "attempt to yield from a hook");
+                            ffi::lua_pushliteral(state, c"attempt to yield from a hook");
                             ffi::lua_error(state);
                         }
                     }
diff --git a/src/userdata.rs b/src/userdata.rs
index b3be682..b8479ce 100644
--- a/src/userdata.rs
+++ b/src/userdata.rs
@@ -220,9 +220,7 @@ impl MetaMethod {
     pub(crate) const fn as_cstr(self) -> &'static CStr {
         match self {
             #[rustfmt::skip]
-            MetaMethod::Type => unsafe {
-                CStr::from_bytes_with_nul_unchecked(if cfg!(feature = "luau") { b"__type\0" } else { b"__name\0" })
-            },
+            MetaMethod::Type => if cfg!(feature = "luau") { c"__type" } else { c"__name" },
             _ => unreachable!(),
         }
     }
diff --git a/tests/conversion.rs b/tests/conversion.rs
index e75a3a0..d724fa8 100644
--- a/tests/conversion.rs
+++ b/tests/conversion.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 use std::borrow::Cow;
 use std::collections::{BTreeMap, BTreeSet, HashMap, HashSet};
-use std::ffi::{CStr, CString, OsString};
+use std::ffi::{CString, OsString};
 use std::path::PathBuf;
 
 use bstr::BString;
@@ -450,8 +450,8 @@ fn test_conv_cstring() -> Result<()> {
     let s2: CString = lua.globals().get("s")?;
     assert_eq!(s, s2);
 
-    let cs = CStr::from_bytes_with_nul(b"hello\0").unwrap();
-    lua.globals().set("cs", cs)?;
+    let cs = c"hello";
+    lua.globals().set("cs", c"hello")?;
     let cs2: CString = lua.globals().get("cs")?;
     assert_eq!(cs, cs2.as_c_str());