diff --git a/crates/nostr/src/nips/nip44/mod.rs b/crates/nostr/src/nips/nip44/mod.rs
index 62345c30d..43545b643 100644
--- a/crates/nostr/src/nips/nip44/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/nostr/src/nips/nip44/mod.rs
@@ -181,6 +181,19 @@ pub fn decrypt<T>(
     public_key: &XOnlyPublicKey,
     payload: T,
 ) -> Result<String, Error>
+where
+    T: AsRef<[u8]>,
+{
+    let bytes: Vec<u8> = decrypt_to_bytes(secret_key, public_key, payload)?;
+    String::from_utf8(bytes.to_vec()).map_err(|_| Error::Utf8Encode)
+}
+
+/// Decrypt **without** converting bytes to UTF-8 string
+pub fn decrypt_to_bytes<T>(
+    secret_key: &SecretKey,
+    public_key: &XOnlyPublicKey,
+    payload: T,
+) -> Result<Vec<u8>, Error>
 where
     T: AsRef<[u8]>,
 {
@@ -212,12 +225,11 @@ where
             let mut buffer: Vec<u8> = ciphertext.to_vec();
             cipher.apply_keystream(&mut buffer);
 
-            // Convert bytes to string
-            String::from_utf8(buffer.to_vec()).map_err(|_| Error::Utf8Encode)
+            Ok(buffer)
         }
         Version::V2 => {
             let conversation_key: ConversationKey = ConversationKey::derive(secret_key, public_key);
-            v2::decrypt(&conversation_key, &payload)
+            v2::decrypt_to_bytes(&conversation_key, &payload)
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/crates/nostr/src/nips/nip44/v2.rs b/crates/nostr/src/nips/nip44/v2.rs
index 03a23226e..f5cae9af1 100644
--- a/crates/nostr/src/nips/nip44/v2.rs
+++ b/crates/nostr/src/nips/nip44/v2.rs
@@ -227,17 +227,6 @@ where
     Ok(payload)
 }
 
-/// Decrypt with NIP44 (v2)
-///
-/// **The payload MUST be already decoded from base64**
-pub fn decrypt<T>(conversation_key: &ConversationKey, payload: T) -> Result<String, Error>
-where
-    T: AsRef<[u8]>,
-{
-    let bytes: Vec<u8> = decrypt_to_bytes(conversation_key, payload)?;
-    String::from_utf8(bytes).map_err(|e| Error::V2(ErrorV2::from(e)))
-}
-
 /// Decrypt with NIP44 (v2)
 ///
 /// **The payload MUST be already decoded from base64**
@@ -631,7 +620,7 @@ mod tests {
             let note = vector.get("note").unwrap().as_str().unwrap();
 
             let payload: Vec<u8> = general_purpose::STANDARD.decode(ciphertext).unwrap();
-            let result = decrypt(&conversation_key, &payload);
+            let result = decrypt_to_bytes(&conversation_key, &payload);
             assert!(result.is_err(), "Should not have decrypted: {}", note);
 
             let err = result.unwrap_err();
diff --git a/crates/nostr/src/prelude.rs b/crates/nostr/src/prelude.rs
index 17a081262..4b15df896 100644
--- a/crates/nostr/src/prelude.rs
+++ b/crates/nostr/src/prelude.rs
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ pub use crate::message::*;
 // NIPs
 pub use crate::nips::nip01::{self, *};
 #[cfg(feature = "nip04")]
-pub use crate::nips::nip04::{self, *};
+pub use crate::nips::nip04;
 #[cfg(all(feature = "std", feature = "nip05"))]
 pub use crate::nips::nip05::{self, *};
 #[cfg(feature = "nip06")]