diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 3ff0924..33b1440 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -121,14 +121,12 @@ There is an application which can be used for testing the validator with the
 If you have cloned this repository providing a path the repository-root via the
 cmake-variable `JSON_SCHEMA_TEST_SUITE_PATH` will enable the test-target(s).
 
-Currently **14** of **305** tests are failing:
+All required tests are **OK**.
 
-- 10 of them are `format`-strings which are not supported. *(optional)*
-- and 4 bugs
-  - unicode string length (2x)
-  - big numbers are not working (2) *(optional)*
+**12** optional tests of **305** total (required + optional) tests are failing:
 
-In other word **2** tests required tests are failing
+- 10 of them are `format`-strings which are not supported.
+- big numbers are not working (2)
 
 # Additional features
 
diff --git a/src/json-validator.cpp b/src/json-validator.cpp
index 84f6e21..3944062 100644
--- a/src/json-validator.cpp
+++ b/src/json-validator.cpp
@@ -658,6 +658,15 @@ void json_validator::validate_object(json &instance, const json &schema, const s
 	}
 }
 
+static std::size_t utf8_length(const std::string &s)
+{
+	size_t len = 0;
+	for (const unsigned char &c: s)
+		if ((c & 0xc0) != 0x80)
+			len++;
+	return len;
+}
+
 void json_validator::validate_string(json &instance, const json &schema, const std::string &name)
 {
 	validate_type(schema, "string", name);
@@ -665,7 +674,7 @@ void json_validator::validate_string(json &instance, const json &schema, const s
 	// minLength
 	auto attr = schema.find("minLength");
 	if (attr != schema.end())
-		if (instance.get<std::string>().size() < attr.value()) {
+		if (utf8_length( instance ) < attr.value()) {
 			std::ostringstream s;
 			s << "'" << name << "' of value '" << instance << "' is too short as per minLength ("
 			  << attr.value() << ")";
@@ -675,7 +684,7 @@ void json_validator::validate_string(json &instance, const json &schema, const s
 	// maxLength
 	attr = schema.find("maxLength");
 	if (attr != schema.end())
-		if (instance.get<std::string>().size() > attr.value()) {
+		if (utf8_length(instance) > attr.value()) {
 			std::ostringstream s;
 			s << "'" << name << "' of value '" << instance << "' is too long as per maxLength ("
 			  << attr.value() << ")";