diff --git a/sol/error_handler.hpp b/sol/error_handler.hpp
index 6842f7da..ad3bd532 100644
--- a/sol/error_handler.hpp
+++ b/sol/error_handler.hpp
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 #define SOL_ERROR_HANDLER_HPP
 
 #include "types.hpp"
+#include "demangle.hpp"
 
 namespace sol {
 
diff --git a/sol/simple_usertype_metatable.hpp b/sol/simple_usertype_metatable.hpp
index fe5d91d1..e9215c85 100644
--- a/sol/simple_usertype_metatable.hpp
+++ b/sol/simple_usertype_metatable.hpp
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ namespace sol {
 					}
 				}
 			}
-			string_detail::string_shim accessor = stack::get<string_detail::string_shim>(L, keyidx);
+			string_view accessor = stack::get<string_view>(L, keyidx);
 			std::string accessorkey = accessor.data();
 			auto vit = variables.find(accessorkey);
 			if (vit != variables.cend()) {
diff --git a/sol/stack.hpp b/sol/stack.hpp
index 13d13e56..18af8a22 100644
--- a/sol/stack.hpp
+++ b/sol/stack.hpp
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ namespace sol {
 			return call_syntax::colon;
 		}
 
-		inline void script(lua_State* L, const string_detail::string_shim& code, const std::string& chunkname = detail::default_chunk_name(), load_mode mode = load_mode::any) {
+		inline void script(lua_State* L, const string_view& code, const std::string& chunkname = detail::default_chunk_name(), load_mode mode = load_mode::any) {
 			char basechunkname[17] = {};
 			const char* chunknametarget = detail::make_chunk_name(code, chunkname, basechunkname);
 			if (luaL_loadbufferx(L, code.data(), code.size(), chunknametarget, to_string(mode).c_str()) || lua_pcall(L, 0, LUA_MULTRET, 0)) {
diff --git a/sol/stack_get.hpp b/sol/stack_get.hpp
index 7ac70f06..a7ae7400 100644
--- a/sol/stack_get.hpp
+++ b/sol/stack_get.hpp
@@ -422,6 +422,16 @@ namespace sol {
 			}
 		};
 
+		template<>
+		struct getter<string_view> {
+			static string_view get(lua_State* L, int index, record& tracking) {
+				tracking.use(1);
+				size_t sz;
+				const char* str = lua_tolstring(L, index, &sz);
+				return string_view(str, sz);
+			}
+		};
+
 #ifdef SOL_CODECVT_SUPPORT
 		template<>
 		struct getter<std::wstring> {
@@ -725,16 +735,6 @@ namespace sol {
 		};
 
 #ifdef SOL_CXX17_FEATURES
-		template<>
-		struct getter<std::string_view> {
-			static std::string_view get(lua_State* L, int index, record& tracking) {
-				tracking.use(1);
-				size_t sz;
-				const char* str = lua_tolstring(L, index, &sz);
-				return std::string_view(str, sz);
-			}
-		};
-
 		template <typename... Tn>
 		struct getter<std::variant<Tn...>> {
 			typedef std::variant<Tn...> V;
@@ -770,16 +770,6 @@ namespace sol {
 				return get_one(std::integral_constant<std::size_t, V_size::value>(), L, index, tracking);
 			}
 		};
-#else
-		template <>
-		struct getter<string_detail::string_shim> {
-			string_detail::string_shim get(lua_State* L, int index, record& tracking) {
-				tracking.use(1);
-				size_t len;
-				const char* p = lua_tolstring(L, index, &len);
-				return string_detail::string_shim(p, len);
-			}
-		};
 #endif // C++17-wave
 
 	} // stack
diff --git a/sol/stack_push.hpp b/sol/stack_push.hpp
index e012392c..962f72f8 100644
--- a/sol/stack_push.hpp
+++ b/sol/stack_push.hpp
@@ -567,6 +567,13 @@ namespace sol {
 			}
 		};
 
+		template <>
+		struct pusher<string_view> {
+			static int push(lua_State* L, const string_view& sv) {
+				return stack::push(L, sv.data(), sv.length());
+			}
+		};
+
 		template<>
 		struct pusher<meta_function> {
 			static int push(lua_State* L, meta_function m) {
@@ -756,6 +763,27 @@ namespace sol {
 				return stack::push(L, u32str.data(), u32str.data() + sz);
 			}
 		};
+
+		template <>
+		struct pusher<wstring_view> {
+			static int push(lua_State* L, const wstring_view& sv) {
+				return stack::push(L, sv.data(), sv.length());
+			}
+		};
+
+		template <>
+		struct pusher<u16string_view> {
+			static int push(lua_State* L, const u16string_view& sv) {
+				return stack::push(L, sv.data(), sv.length());
+			}
+		};
+
+		template <>
+		struct pusher<u32string_view> {
+			static int push(lua_State* L, const u32string_view& sv) {
+				return stack::push(L, sv.data(), sv.length());
+			}
+		};
 #endif // codecvt Header Support
 
 		template<typename... Args>
@@ -826,35 +854,6 @@ namespace sol {
 		};
 
 #ifdef SOL_CXX17_FEATURES
-		template <>
-		struct pusher<std::string_view> {
-			static int push(lua_State* L, const std::string_view& sv) {
-				return stack::push(L, sv.data(), sv.length());
-			}
-		};
-#ifdef SOL_CODECVT_SUPPORT
-		template <>
-		struct pusher<std::wstring_view> {
-			static int push(lua_State* L, const std::wstring_view& sv) {
-				return stack::push(L, sv.data(), sv.length());
-			}
-		};
-
-		template <>
-		struct pusher<std::u16string_view> {
-			static int push(lua_State* L, const std::u16string_view& sv) {
-				return stack::push(L, sv.data(), sv.length());
-			}
-		};
-
-		template <>
-		struct pusher<std::u32string_view> {
-			static int push(lua_State* L, const std::u32string_view& sv) {
-				return stack::push(L, sv.data(), sv.length());
-			}
-		};
-#endif // codecvt header support
-
 		namespace stack_detail {
 
 			struct push_function {
@@ -880,18 +879,9 @@ namespace sol {
 				return std::visit(stack_detail::push_function(L), std::move(v));
 			}
 		};
-#else
-		template <>
-		struct pusher<string_view> {
-			static int push(lua_State* L, const std::string_view& sv) {
-				return stack::push(L, sv.data(), sv.length());
-			}
-
-			static int push(lua_State* L, const std::string_view& sv, std::size_t len) {
-				return stack::push(L, sv.data(), len);
-			}
-		};
 #endif // C++17 Support
+
+
 	} // stack
 } // sol
 
diff --git a/sol/state.hpp b/sol/state.hpp
index 33e3cd80..d8415a66 100644
--- a/sol/state.hpp
+++ b/sol/state.hpp
@@ -47,15 +47,15 @@ namespace sol {
 		inline int default_traceback_error_handler(lua_State*L) {
 			using namespace sol;
 			std::string msg = "An unknown error has triggered the default error handler";
-			optional<string_detail::string_shim> maybetopmsg = stack::check_get<string_detail::string_shim>(L, 1);
+			optional<string_view> maybetopmsg = stack::check_get<string_view>(L, 1);
 			if (maybetopmsg) {
-				const string_detail::string_shim& topmsg = maybetopmsg.value();
+				const string_view& topmsg = maybetopmsg.value();
 				msg.assign(topmsg.data(), topmsg.size());
 			}
 			luaL_traceback(L, L, msg.c_str(), 1);
-			optional<string_detail::string_shim> maybetraceback = stack::check_get<string_detail::string_shim>(L, -1);
+			optional<string_view> maybetraceback = stack::check_get<string_view>(L, -1);
 			if (maybetraceback) {
-				const string_detail::string_shim& traceback = maybetraceback.value();
+				const string_view& traceback = maybetraceback.value();
 				msg.assign(traceback.data(), traceback.size());
 			}
 			return stack::push(L, msg);
diff --git a/sol/string_shim.hpp b/sol/string_shim.hpp
deleted file mode 100644
index bd3fbb43..00000000
--- a/sol/string_shim.hpp
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,110 +0,0 @@
-// The MIT License (MIT) 
-
-// Copyright (c) 2013-2017 Rapptz, ThePhD and contributors
-
-// Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of
-// this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal in
-// the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights to
-// use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of
-// the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so,
-// subject to the following conditions:
-
-// The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
-// copies or substantial portions of the Software.
-
-// THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
-// IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS
-// FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR
-// COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER
-// IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN
-// CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
-
-#ifndef SOL_STRING_SHIM_HPP
-#define SOL_STRING_SHIM_HPP
-
-#include "feature_test.hpp"
-#include <cstddef>
-#include <string>
-#ifdef SOL_CXX17_FEATURES
-#include <string_view>
-#endif // C++17 features
-
-namespace sol {
-	namespace string_detail {
-#ifdef SOL_CXX17_FEATURES
-		typedef std::string_view string_shim;
-#else
-		struct string_shim {
-			std::size_t s;
-			const char* p;
-
-			string_shim(const std::string& r) : string_shim(r.data(), r.size()) {}
-			string_shim(const char* ptr) : string_shim(ptr, std::char_traits<char>::length(ptr)) {}
-			string_shim(const char* ptr, std::size_t sz) : s(sz), p(ptr) {}
-
-			static int compare(const char* lhs_p, std::size_t lhs_sz, const char* rhs_p, std::size_t rhs_sz) {
-				int result = std::char_traits<char>::compare(lhs_p, rhs_p, lhs_sz < rhs_sz ? lhs_sz : rhs_sz);
-				if (result != 0)
-					return result;
-				if (lhs_sz < rhs_sz)
-					return -1;
-				if (lhs_sz > rhs_sz)
-					return 1;
-				return 0;
-			}
-
-			const char* begin() const {
-				return p;
-			}
-
-			const char* end() const {
-				return p + s;
-			}
-
-			const char* cbegin() const {
-				return p;
-			}
-
-			const char* cend() const {
-				return p + s;
-			}
-
-			const char* data() const {
-				return p;
-			}
-
-			std::size_t size() const {
-				return s;
-			}
-
-			bool operator==(const string_shim& r) const {
-				return compare(p, s, r.data(), r.size()) == 0;
-			}
-
-			bool operator==(const char* r) const {
-				return compare(r, std::char_traits<char>::length(r), p, s) == 0;
-			}
-
-			bool operator==(const std::string& r) const {
-				return compare(r.data(), r.size(), p, s) == 0;
-			}
-
-			bool operator!=(const string_shim& r) const {
-				return !(*this == r);
-			}
-
-			bool operator!=(const char* r) const {
-				return !(*this == r);
-			}
-
-			bool operator!=(const std::string& r) const {
-				return !(*this == r);
-			}
-		};
-#endif // C++17
-	}
-
-	typedef string_detail::string_shim string_view;
-}
-
-#endif // SOL_STRING_SHIM_HPP
diff --git a/sol/string_view.hpp b/sol/string_view.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a07637b3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sol/string_view.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,119 @@
+// The MIT License (MIT) 
+
+// Copyright (c) 2013-2017 Rapptz, ThePhD and contributors
+
+// Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of
+// this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal in
+// the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights to
+// use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of
+// the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so,
+// subject to the following conditions:
+
+// The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
+// copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+
+// THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
+// IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS
+// FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR
+// COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER
+// IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN
+// CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
+
+#ifndef SOL_STRING_VIEW_HPP
+#define SOL_STRING_VIEW_HPP
+
+#include "feature_test.hpp"
+#include <cstddef>
+#include <string>
+#ifdef SOL_CXX17_FEATURES
+#include <string_view>
+#endif // C++17 features
+
+namespace sol {
+#ifdef SOL_CXX17_FEATURES
+	typedef std::string_view string_view;
+	typedef std::wstring_view wstring_view;
+	typedef std::u16string_view u16string_view;
+	typedef std::u32string_view u32string_view;
+#else
+	template <typename Char, typename Traits = std::char_traits<Char>>
+	struct basic_string_view {
+		std::size_t s;
+		const Char* p;
+
+		basic_string_view(const std::string& r) : basic_string_view(r.data(), r.size()) {}
+		basic_string_view(const Char* ptr) : basic_string_view(ptr, Traits::length(ptr)) {}
+		basic_string_view(const Char* ptr, std::size_t sz) : s(sz), p(ptr) {}
+
+		static int compare(const Char* lhs_p, std::size_t lhs_sz, const Char* rhs_p, std::size_t rhs_sz) {
+			int result = Traits::compare(lhs_p, rhs_p, lhs_sz < rhs_sz ? lhs_sz : rhs_sz);
+			if (result != 0)
+				return result;
+			if (lhs_sz < rhs_sz)
+				return -1;
+			if (lhs_sz > rhs_sz)
+				return 1;
+			return 0;
+		}
+
+		const Char* begin() const {
+			return p;
+		}
+
+		const Char* end() const {
+			return p + s;
+		}
+
+		const Char* cbegin() const {
+			return p;
+		}
+
+		const Char* cend() const {
+			return p + s;
+		}
+
+		const Char* data() const {
+			return p;
+		}
+
+		std::size_t size() const {
+			return s;
+		}
+
+		std::size_t length() const {
+			return size();
+		}
+
+		bool operator==(const basic_string_view& r) const {
+			return compare(p, s, r.data(), r.size()) == 0;
+		}
+
+		bool operator==(const Char* r) const {
+			return compare(r, std::char_traits<char>::length(r), p, s) == 0;
+		}
+
+		bool operator==(const std::basic_string<Char, Traits>& r) const {
+			return compare(r.data(), r.size(), p, s) == 0;
+		}
+
+		bool operator!=(const basic_string_view& r) const {
+			return !(*this == r);
+		}
+
+		bool operator!=(const char* r) const {
+			return !(*this == r);
+		}
+
+		bool operator!=(const std::basic_string<Char, Traits>& r) const {
+			return !(*this == r);
+		}
+	};
+
+	using string_view = basic_string_view<char>;
+	using wstring_view = basic_string_view<wchar_t>;
+	using u16string_view = basic_string_view<char16_t>;
+	using u32string_view = basic_string_view<char32_t>;
+#endif // C++17 Support
+}
+
+#endif // SOL_STRING_VIEW_HPP
diff --git a/sol/types.hpp b/sol/types.hpp
index 551b540f..c06cb915 100644
--- a/sol/types.hpp
+++ b/sol/types.hpp
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
 #include "forward.hpp"
 #include "forward_detail.hpp"
 #include "traits.hpp"
-#include "string_shim.hpp"
+#include "string_view.hpp"
 #include "raii.hpp"
 #include "filters.hpp"
 
@@ -890,24 +890,21 @@ namespace sol {
 		template <>
 		struct lua_type_of<meta_function> : std::integral_constant<type, type::string> {};
 
+		template <>
+		struct lua_type_of<string_view> : std::integral_constant<type, type::string> {};
+
+		template <>
+		struct lua_type_of<wstring_view> : std::integral_constant<type, type::string> {};
+
+		template <>
+		struct lua_type_of<u16string_view> : std::integral_constant<type, type::string> {};
+
+		template <>
+		struct lua_type_of<u32string_view> : std::integral_constant<type, type::string> {};
+
 #ifdef SOL_CXX17_FEATURES
-		template <>
-		struct lua_type_of<std::string_view> : std::integral_constant<type, type::string> {};
-
-		template <>
-		struct lua_type_of<std::wstring_view> : std::integral_constant<type, type::string> {};
-
-		template <>
-		struct lua_type_of<std::u16string_view> : std::integral_constant<type, type::string> {};
-
-		template <>
-		struct lua_type_of<std::u32string_view> : std::integral_constant<type, type::string> {};
-
 		template <typename... Tn>
 		struct lua_type_of<std::variant<Tn...>> : std::integral_constant<type, type::poly> {};
-#else
-		template <>
-		struct lua_type_of<string_detail::string_shim> : std::integral_constant<type, type::string> {};
 #endif // C++ 17 (or not) features
 		
 		template <typename T>
diff --git a/sol/usertype_metatable.hpp b/sol/usertype_metatable.hpp
index 3901945b..6a8d89c1 100644
--- a/sol/usertype_metatable.hpp
+++ b/sol/usertype_metatable.hpp
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ namespace sol {
 		const int index_function_index = 3;
 		const int newindex_function_index = 4;
 
-		typedef void(*base_walk)(lua_State*, bool&, int&, string_detail::string_shim&);
+		typedef void(*base_walk)(lua_State*, bool&, int&, string_view&);
 		typedef int(*member_search)(lua_State*, void*, int);
 
 		struct call_information {
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ namespace sol {
 	namespace usertype_detail {
 		const lua_Integer toplevel_magic = static_cast<lua_Integer>(0xCCC2CCC1);
 
-		inline int is_indexer(string_detail::string_shim s) {
+		inline int is_indexer(string_view s) {
 			if (s == to_string(meta_function::index)) {
 				return 1;
 			}
@@ -156,31 +156,31 @@ namespace sol {
 			return 0;
 		}
 
-		inline auto make_shim(string_detail::string_shim s) {
+		inline auto make_string_view(string_view s) {
 			return s;
 		}
 
-		inline auto make_shim(call_construction) {
-			return string_detail::string_shim(to_string(meta_function::call_function));
+		inline auto make_string_view(call_construction) {
+			return string_view(to_string(meta_function::call_function));
 		}
 
-		inline auto make_shim(meta_function mf) {
-			return string_detail::string_shim(to_string(mf));
+		inline auto make_string_view(meta_function mf) {
+			return string_view(to_string(mf));
 		}
 
-		inline auto make_shim(base_classes_tag) {
-			return string_detail::string_shim(detail::base_class_cast_key());
+		inline auto make_string_view(base_classes_tag) {
+			return string_view(detail::base_class_cast_key());
 		}
 
 		template <typename Arg>
 		inline std::string make_string(Arg&& arg) {
-			string_detail::string_shim s = make_shim(arg);
+			string_view s = make_string_view(arg);
 			return std::string(s.data(), s.size());
 		}
 
 		template <typename N>
 		inline luaL_Reg make_reg(N&& n, lua_CFunction f) {
-			luaL_Reg l{ make_shim(std::forward<N>(n)).data(), f };
+			luaL_Reg l{ make_string_view(std::forward<N>(n)).data(), f };
 			return l;
 		}
 
@@ -227,8 +227,8 @@ namespace sol {
 #endif
 			}
 			else {
-				auto maybeaccessor = stack::get<optional<string_detail::string_shim>>(L, is_index ? -1 : -2);
-				string_detail::string_shim accessor = maybeaccessor.value_or(string_detail::string_shim("(unknown)"));
+				auto maybeaccessor = stack::get<optional<string_view>>(L, is_index ? -1 : -2);
+				string_view accessor = maybeaccessor.value_or(string_view("(unknown)"));
 				return luaL_error(L, "sol: attempt to index (set) nil value \"%s\" on userdata (bad (misspelled?) key name or does not exist)", accessor.data());
 			}
 		}
@@ -325,7 +325,7 @@ namespace sol {
 		}
 
 		template <bool is_index, typename Base>
-		static void walk_single_base(lua_State* L, bool& found, int& ret, string_detail::string_shim&) {
+		static void walk_single_base(lua_State* L, bool& found, int& ret, string_view&) {
 			if (found)
 				return;
 			const char* metakey = &usertype_traits<Base>::metatable()[0];
@@ -355,7 +355,7 @@ namespace sol {
 		}
 
 		template <bool is_index, typename... Bases>
-		static void walk_all_bases(lua_State* L, bool& found, int& ret, string_detail::string_shim& accessor) {
+		static void walk_all_bases(lua_State* L, bool& found, int& ret, string_view& accessor) {
 			(void)L;
 			(void)found;
 			(void)ret;
@@ -404,7 +404,7 @@ namespace sol {
 		template <std::size_t Idx, meta::disable<std::is_same<lua_CFunction, meta::unqualified_tuple_element<Idx + 1, RawTuple>>> = meta::enabler>
 		lua_CFunction make_func() const {
 			const auto& name = std::get<Idx>(functions);
-			return (usertype_detail::make_shim(name) == "__newindex") ? &call<Idx + 1, false> : &call<Idx + 1, true>;
+			return (usertype_detail::make_string_view(name) == "__newindex") ? &call<Idx + 1, false> : &call<Idx + 1, true>;
 		}
 
 		static bool contains_variable() {
@@ -558,7 +558,7 @@ namespace sol {
 				const usertype_detail::member_search& member = is_index ? ci.index: ci.new_index;
 				return (member)(L, static_cast<void*>(&f), ci.runtime_target);
 			}
-			string_detail::string_shim accessor = name;
+			string_view accessor = name;
 			int ret = 0;
 			bool found = false;
 			// Otherwise, we need to do propagating calls through the bases