diff --git a/examples/solverdummy/solverdummy.f90 b/examples/solverdummy/solverdummy.f90
index 8b0ae22..bc4909b 100644
--- a/examples/solverdummy/solverdummy.f90
+++ b/examples/solverdummy/solverdummy.f90
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ PROGRAM main
   commsize = 1
   dt = 1
   numberOfVertices = 3
-  CALL precicef_create(participantName, config, rank, commsize, 50, 50)
+  CALL precicef_create(participantName, config, rank, commsize)
 
   ! Allocate dummy mesh with only one vertex
   CALL precicef_get_mesh_dimensions(meshName, dimensions, 50)
diff --git a/precice.f90 b/precice.f90
index 0bd0390..8a939bd 100644
--- a/precice.f90
+++ b/precice.f90
@@ -3,20 +3,22 @@ module precice
   implicit none
 
   interface
+
+    ! This interface contains subroutines of two kinds:
+    ! - precicec_<name> expect C-style, null-terminated strings and their sizes
+    ! - precicef_<name> automatically convert strings to null-terminated and call
+    !   the corresponding `precicec_<name>`.
   
-    subroutine precicef_create(participantName, configFileName, &
-      &                        solverProcessIndex, solverProcessSize, &
-      &                        participantNameLength, configFileNameLength) &
-      &  bind(c, name='precicef_create_')
+    subroutine precicec_create(participantName, configFileName, &
+      &                        solverProcessIndex, solverProcessSize) &
+      &  bind(c, name='precicec_createParticipant')
 
       use, intrinsic :: iso_c_binding
       character(kind=c_char), dimension(*) :: participantName
       character(kind=c_char), dimension(*) :: configFileName
       integer(kind=c_int) :: solverProcessIndex
       integer(kind=c_int) :: solverProcessSize
-      integer(kind=c_int), value :: participantNameLength
-      integer(kind=c_int), value :: configFileNameLength
-    end subroutine precicef_create
+    end subroutine precicec_create
 
     subroutine precicef_initialize() &
       &  bind(c, name='precicef_initialize_')
@@ -312,4 +314,21 @@ end subroutine precicef_get_version_information
 
   end interface
 
+  contains
+
+  subroutine precicef_create(participantName, configFileName, &
+    &                        solverProcessIndex, solverProcessSize)
+
+    use, intrinsic :: iso_c_binding, only: c_char, c_int
+    character(len=*), intent(in) :: participantName
+    character(len=*), intent(in) :: configFileName
+    integer(c_int), intent(in) :: solverProcessIndex
+    integer(c_int), intent(in) :: solverProcessSize
+
+    call precicec_create( &
+      trim(participantName)//c_null_char, &
+      trim(configFileName)//c_null_char, &
+      solverProcessIndex, solverProcessSize)
+  end subroutine precicef_create
+  
 end module precice