diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/strings/string/string.C b/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/strings/string/string.C
index 9059a99e7a..ef3fc146f5 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/strings/string/string.C
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/strings/string/string.C
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
   =========                 |
   \\      /  F ield         | OpenFOAM: The Open Source CFD Toolbox
    \\    /   O peration     | Website:  https://openfoam.org
-    \\  /    A nd           | Copyright (C) 2011-2019 OpenFOAM Foundation
+    \\  /    A nd           | Copyright (C) 2011-2020 OpenFOAM Foundation
      \\/     M anipulation  |
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 License
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ License
 
 #include "string.H"
 #include "stringOps.H"
-
+#include "UList.H"
 
 /* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Static Member Data  * * * * * * * * * * * * * */
 
@@ -34,6 +34,14 @@ int Foam::string::debug(Foam::debug::debugSwitch(string::typeName, 0));
 const Foam::string Foam::string::null;
 
 
+// * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Constructors  * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
+
+Foam::string::string(const UList<char>& str)
+:
+    std::string(str.begin(), str.end())
+{}
+
+
 // * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Member Functions  * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
 
 Foam::string::size_type Foam::string::count(const char c) const
diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/strings/string/string.H b/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/strings/string/string.H
index 4a54be458a..4ba576b0e9 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/strings/string/string.H
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/strings/string/string.H
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
   =========                 |
   \\      /  F ield         | OpenFOAM: The Open Source CFD Toolbox
    \\    /   O peration     | Website:  https://openfoam.org
-    \\  /    A nd           | Copyright (C) 2011-2019 OpenFOAM Foundation
+    \\  /    A nd           | Copyright (C) 2011-2020 OpenFOAM Foundation
      \\/     M anipulation  |
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 License
@@ -67,6 +67,8 @@ Istream& operator>>(Istream&, string&);
 Ostream& operator<<(Ostream&, const string&);
 Ostream& operator<<(Ostream&, const std::string&);
 
+template<class T>
+class UList;
 
 /*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*\
                            Class string Declaration
@@ -115,6 +117,9 @@ public:
         //- Construct as copy of character array
         inline string(const char*);
 
+        //- Construct as copy of UList of character
+        string(const UList<char>&);
+
         //- Construct as copy of specified number of characters
         inline string(const char*, const size_type);