diff --git a/inst/include/Rcpp/String.h b/inst/include/Rcpp/String.h
index cd6d19484..04262cd65 100644
--- a/inst/include/Rcpp/String.h
+++ b/inst/include/Rcpp/String.h
@@ -108,6 +108,7 @@ namespace Rcpp {
 
         /** from a std::string */
         String( const std::string& s) : buffer(s), valid(false), buffer_ready(true), enc(CE_NATIVE) {
+            data = R_NilValue ;
             RCPP_STRING_DEBUG( "String(const std::string& )" ) ;
         }
 
@@ -118,6 +119,7 @@ namespace Rcpp {
 
         /** from a const char* */
         String( const char* s) : buffer(s), valid(false), buffer_ready(true), enc(CE_NATIVE){
+            data = R_NilValue ;
             RCPP_STRING_DEBUG( "String(const char*)" ) ;
         }
 
diff --git a/inst/unitTests/cpp/String.cpp b/inst/unitTests/cpp/String.cpp
index b97f26201..0c23c3e5f 100644
--- a/inst/unitTests/cpp/String.cpp
+++ b/inst/unitTests/cpp/String.cpp
@@ -46,6 +46,13 @@ CharacterVector test_sapply_string( CharacterVector text, CharacterVector old ,
    return res ;
 }
 
+// [[Rcpp::export]]
+String test_ctor(String x) {
+    String test = "test";
+    test = x;
+    return test;
+}
+
 // [[Rcpp::export]]
 List test_compare_Strings( String aa, String bb ){
     return List::create(
diff --git a/inst/unitTests/runit.String.R b/inst/unitTests/runit.String.R
index bd42e1a59..1409cc05a 100644
--- a/inst/unitTests/runit.String.R
+++ b/inst/unitTests/runit.String.R
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@
 # along with Rcpp.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
 .runThisTest <- Sys.getenv("RunAllRcppTests") == "yes"
-
 if (.runThisTest) {
 
     .setUp <- Rcpp:::unitTestSetup("String.cpp")
@@ -50,6 +49,11 @@ if (.runThisTest) {
         checkEquals( res, target )
     }
 
+    test.String.ctor <- function() {
+        res <- test_ctor("abc")
+        checkIdentical(res, "abc")
+    }
+
     test.push.front <- function() {
         res <- test_push_front("def")
         checkIdentical(res, "abcdef")