diff.patch

diff --git a/src/strings/ops.c b/src/strings/ops.c
index 76015bff..b0ad843f 100644
--- a/src/strings/ops.c
+++ b/src/strings/ops.c
@@ -71,10 +71,14 @@ static MVMString * collapse_strands(MVMThreadContext *tc, MVMString *orig) {
 
     MVM_string_gi_init(tc, &gi, orig);
     for (i = 0; i < ographs; i++) {
-        MVMGrapheme32 g = MVM_string_gi_get_grapheme(tc, &gi);
-        if (g < -127 || g > 127)
+        result->body.storage.blob_32[i] = MVM_string_gi_get_grapheme(tc, &gi);
+    }
+
+    for (i = 0; i < ographs; i++) {
+        if (result->body.storage.blob_32[i] < -127 || result->body.storage.blob_32[i] > 127) {
             can_use_8bit = 0;
-        result->body.storage.blob_32[i] = g;
+            break;
+        }
     }
 
     if (can_use_8bit)