diff --git a/include/zenoh/api/interop.hxx b/include/zenoh/api/interop.hxx
index 24d18d68..5ccc78c6 100644
--- a/include/zenoh/api/interop.hxx
+++ b/include/zenoh/api/interop.hxx
@@ -13,7 +13,9 @@
 #pragma once
 
 #include <optional>
+#include <string>
 #include <type_traits>
+#include <vector>
 
 #include "base.hxx"
 
@@ -179,6 +181,23 @@ OwnedType move_to_c_obj(Owned<OwnedType>&& owned_cpp_obj) {
 }
 
 namespace detail {
+// Copy the strings into a vector and consume the C array, including on exceptions.
+inline std::vector<std::string> string_array_to_vector(::z_owned_string_array_t& array) {
+    struct DropGuard {
+        ::z_owned_string_array_t& array;
+        ~DropGuard() { ::z_drop(::z_move(array)); }
+    } guard{array};
+    const auto* loaned = ::z_loan(guard.array);
+    const size_t count = ::z_string_array_len(loaned);
+    std::vector<std::string> result;
+    result.reserve(count);
+    for (size_t i = 0; i < count; ++i) {
+        const auto* value = ::z_string_array_get(loaned, i);
+        result.emplace_back(::z_string_data(value), ::z_string_len(value));
+    }
+    return result;
+}
+
 template <class OwnedType>
 bool check(const Owned<OwnedType>& owned_cpp_obj) {
     return ::z_internal_check(*as_owned_c_ptr(owned_cpp_obj));
diff --git a/include/zenoh/api/link.hxx b/include/zenoh/api/link.hxx
index 8cfd858d..41ab1fd6 100644
--- a/include/zenoh/api/link.hxx
+++ b/include/zenoh/api/link.hxx
@@ -93,15 +93,7 @@ class Link : public Owned<::z_owned_link_t> {
     std::vector<std::string> get_interfaces() const {
         ::z_owned_string_array_t interfaces_out;
         ::z_link_interfaces(interop::as_loaned_c_ptr(*this), &interfaces_out);
-        auto loaned = ::z_loan(interfaces_out);
-        std::vector<std::string> result;
-        result.reserve(::z_string_array_len(loaned));
-        for (size_t i = 0; i < ::z_string_array_len(loaned); i++) {
-            auto s = ::z_string_array_get(loaned, i);
-            result.emplace_back(::z_string_data(s), ::z_string_len(s));
-        }
-        ::z_drop(::z_move(interfaces_out));
-        return result;
+        return interop::detail::string_array_to_vector(interfaces_out);
     }
 
     /// @brief Get the priority range supported by this link.
diff --git a/tests/universal/details.cxx b/tests/universal/details.cxx
index 34a65f1c..1fa4fe5d 100644
--- a/tests/universal/details.cxx
+++ b/tests/universal/details.cxx
@@ -14,6 +14,9 @@
 
 #include "zenoh.hxx"
 
+#undef NDEBUG
+#include <cassert>
+
 using namespace zenoh;
 
 static_assert(detail::is_take_from_loaned_available_v<::z_owned_session_t> == false);
@@ -22,4 +25,25 @@ static_assert(detail::is_take_from_loaned_available_v<::z_owned_sample_t>);
 static_assert(detail::is_take_from_loaned_available_v<::z_owned_reply_t>);
 static_assert(detail::is_take_from_loaned_available_v<::z_owned_query_t>);
 
-int main() { return 0; }
\ No newline at end of file
+static void test_string_array_to_vector() {
+    ::z_owned_string_array_t array;
+    ::z_string_array_new(&array);
+    assert(interop::detail::string_array_to_vector(array).empty());
+    assert(!::z_internal_string_array_check(&array));
+
+    ::z_string_array_new(&array);
+    const std::vector<std::string> expected{"eth0", "", std::string("a\0b", 3), "lo"};
+    for (const auto& text : expected) {
+        ::z_view_string_t view;
+        assert(::z_view_string_from_substr(&view, text.data(), text.size()) == Z_OK);
+        ::z_string_array_push_by_copy(::z_loan_mut(array), ::z_loan(view));
+    }
+    const auto result = interop::detail::string_array_to_vector(array);
+    assert(!::z_internal_string_array_check(&array));
+    assert(result == expected);
+}
+
+int main() {
+    test_string_array_to_vector();
+    return 0;
+}