diff --git a/clay.h b/clay.h
index 32b07b1..a86ff72 100644
--- a/clay.h
+++ b/clay.h
@@ -94,7 +94,10 @@
 
 #define CLAY__STRING_LENGTH(s) ((sizeof(s) / sizeof((s)[0])) - sizeof((s)[0]))
 
-#define CLAY_STRING(string) (CLAY__INIT(Clay_String) { .length = CLAY__STRING_LENGTH(string), .chars = (string) })
+#define CLAY__ENSURE_STRING_LITERAL(x) ("" x "")
+
+// Note: If an error led you here, it's because CLAY_STRING can only be used with string literals, i.e. CLAY_STRING("SomeString") and not CLAY_STRING(yourString)
+#define CLAY_STRING(string) (CLAY__INIT(Clay_String) { .length = CLAY__STRING_LENGTH(CLAY__ENSURE_STRING_LITERAL(string)), .chars = (string) })
 
 static uint8_t CLAY__ELEMENT_DEFINITION_LATCH;