diff --git a/python/tests/test_hdf5dataset.py b/python/tests/test_hdf5dataset.py
index 99e72901..485f2719 100644
--- a/python/tests/test_hdf5dataset.py
+++ b/python/tests/test_hdf5dataset.py
@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
-import numpy
+import os
 import time
 
 import h5py as h5
+import numpy
 
-from odin_data.meta_writer.hdf5dataset import HDF5UnlimitedCache, StringHDF5Dataset
+from odin_data.meta_writer.hdf5dataset import (HDF5UnlimitedCache,
+                                               StringHDF5Dataset)
 
 
 class _TestMockDataset:
@@ -247,3 +249,61 @@ def test_unlimited_cache_2D(self):
         assert ds.values[0][6][1][0] == 4
         assert ds.values[0][6][1][1] == 5
         assert ds.values[0][6][1][2] == 6
+
+def test_string_types():
+    variable_utf = StringHDF5Dataset("variable_utf", encoding="utf-8", cache=False)
+    variable_ascii = StringHDF5Dataset("variable_ascii", encoding="ascii", cache=False)
+    fixed_utf = StringHDF5Dataset("fixed_utf", encoding="utf-8", length=9, cache=False)
+    fixed_ascii = StringHDF5Dataset(
+        "fixed_ascii", encoding="ascii", length=11, cache=False
+    )
+    variable_utf_int = StringHDF5Dataset(
+        "variable_utf_int", encoding="utf-8", cache=False
+    )
+
+    with h5.File("/tmp/strings.h5", "w") as f:
+        variable_utf.initialise(
+            f.create_dataset(
+                "variable_utf", shape=(1,), maxshape=(1,), dtype=variable_utf.dtype
+            ),
+            0,
+        )
+        variable_ascii.initialise(
+            f.create_dataset(
+                "variable_ascii", shape=(1,), maxshape=(1,), dtype=variable_ascii.dtype
+            ),
+            0,
+        )
+        fixed_utf.initialise(
+            f.create_dataset(
+                "fixed_utf", shape=(1,), maxshape=(1,), dtype=fixed_utf.dtype
+            ),
+            0,
+        )
+        fixed_ascii.initialise(
+            f.create_dataset(
+                "fixed_ascii", shape=(1,), maxshape=(1,), dtype=fixed_ascii.dtype
+            ),
+            0,
+        )
+        variable_utf_int.initialise(
+            f.create_dataset(
+                "variable_utf_int", shape=(1,), maxshape=(1,), dtype=variable_utf.dtype
+            ),
+            0,
+        )
+
+        variable_utf.write("variable_utf")
+        variable_ascii.write("variable_ascii")
+        fixed_utf.write("fixed_utf")
+        fixed_ascii.write("fixed_ascii")
+        variable_utf_int.write(2)  # Check non-strings can be handled
+
+    with h5.File("/tmp/strings.h5", "r") as f:
+        assert f["variable_utf"][0] == b"variable_utf"
+        assert f["variable_ascii"][0] == b"variable_ascii"
+        assert f["fixed_utf"][0] == b"fixed_utf"
+        assert f["fixed_ascii"][0] == b"fixed_ascii"
+        assert f["variable_utf_int"][0] == b"2"
+
+    os.remove("/tmp/strings.h5")