diff --git a/lib/fieldio.py b/lib/fieldio.py
index 4fa4688..1fbd2da 100644
--- a/lib/fieldio.py
+++ b/lib/fieldio.py
@@ -37,6 +37,13 @@ def xmlFind(s,r):
         raise ValueError(f'finding record {r} in unsupported xml: {s}')
     return m[0]
 
+def trimNull(d):
+    n = d.find(b'\0')
+    if n>=0:
+        return d[:n]
+    else:
+        return d
+
 def printLimeHeaders(file):
     f = open(file,'rb')
     while True:
@@ -51,7 +58,7 @@ def printLimeHeaders(file):
         mend = 1 & mbeg_end_res>>14
         mres = ~(3<<14) & mbeg_end_res
         print(f'mbeg mend res: {mbeg} , {mend} , {mres}')
-        type = type[:type.find(b'\0')]
+        type = trimNull(type)
         print(f'size: {size}')
         print(f'type: {type}')
         loca = f.tell()
@@ -60,9 +67,7 @@ def printLimeHeaders(file):
             next = (size+7)//8*8
         else:
             data = f.read(size)
-            s = data.find(b'\0')
-            if s>0:
-                data = data[:s]
+            data = trimNull(data)
             print(f'* DATA: {data}')
             next = 7-(size+7)%8
         # print(f'next: {next}')
@@ -98,7 +103,7 @@ def logput(*args,**kwargs):
         # mend = 1 & mbeg_end_res>>14
         # mres = ~(3<<14) & mbeg_end_res
         # logput(f'mbeg mend res: {mbeg} , {mend} , {mres}')
-        type = type[:type.find(b'\0')]
+        type = trimNull(type)
         # logput(f'size: {size}')
         # logput(f'type: {type}')
         loca = f.tell()
@@ -110,7 +115,7 @@ def logput(*args,**kwargs):
             next = 7-(size+7)%8
         else:
             data = f.read(size)
-            data = data[:data.find(b'\0')]
+            data = trimNull(data)
             if type==b'scidac-private-file-xml':
                 # logput('version: ',xmlFind(data,'version'))
                 spacetime = int(xmlFind(data,'spacetime'))
@@ -240,16 +245,16 @@ def writeLattice(gauge, file):
     binary = numpy.ascontiguousarray(gauge, dtype=f'>c{latprec}').tobytes()
     suma,sumb = scidacChecksum(binary, vol, latdatacount*lattypesize)
 
-    scidac_private_file = f'<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><scidacFile><version>1.1</version><spacetime>{latdatacount}</spacetime><dims>{dims}</dims><volfmt>0</volfmt></scidacFile>'.encode()
-    scidac_private_record = f'<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><scidacRecord><version>1.1</version><date>{datetime.datetime.now(datetime.timezone.utc).ctime()} UTC</date><recordtype>0</recordtype><datatype>numpy.ndarray</datatype><precision>{precision}</precision><colors>{latnc}</colors><spins>1</spins><typesize>{lattypesize}</typesize><datacount>{latdatacount}</datacount></scidacRecord>'.encode()
-    scidac_checksum = f'<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><scidacChecksum><version>1.0</version><suma>{suma:x}</suma><sumb>{sumb:x}</sumb></scidacChecksum>'.encode()
+    scidac_private_file = f'<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><scidacFile><version>1.1</version><spacetime>{latdatacount}</spacetime><dims>{dims}</dims><volfmt>0</volfmt></scidacFile>\0'.encode()
+    scidac_private_record = f'<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><scidacRecord><version>1.1</version><date>{datetime.datetime.now(datetime.timezone.utc).ctime()} UTC</date><recordtype>0</recordtype><datatype>numpy.ndarray</datatype><precision>{precision}</precision><colors>{latnc}</colors><spins>1</spins><typesize>{lattypesize}</typesize><datacount>{latdatacount}</datacount></scidacRecord>\0'.encode()
+    scidac_checksum = f'<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><scidacChecksum><version>1.0</version><suma>{suma:x}</suma><sumb>{sumb:x}</sumb></scidacChecksum>\0'.encode()
 
     f = open(file,'wb')
 
     limeItemWrite(f, True, False, scidac_private_file, b'scidac-private-file-xml')
-    limeItemWrite(f, False, True, b'<?xml version="1.0"?><note>generated by NTHMC</note>', b'scidac-file-xml')
+    limeItemWrite(f, False, True, b'<?xml version="1.0"?><note>generated by NTHMC</note>\0', b'scidac-file-xml')
     limeItemWrite(f, True, False, scidac_private_record, b'scidac-private-record-xml')
-    limeItemWrite(f, False, False, b'<?xml version="1.0"?><note>gauge configuration</note>', b'scidac-record-xml')
+    limeItemWrite(f, False, False, b'<?xml version="1.0"?><note>gauge configuration</note>\0', b'scidac-record-xml')
     limeItemWrite(f, False, False, binary, b'scidac-binary-data')
     limeItemWrite(f, False, True, scidac_checksum, b'scidac-checksum')