diff --git a/compiler/libs/libs/c.yaka b/compiler/libs/libs/c.yaka
index 6b8b2639..245234c5 100644
--- a/compiler/libs/libs/c.yaka
+++ b/compiler/libs/libs/c.yaka
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ macros! {
         (list (yk_create_token YK_TOKEN_NAME "inlinec")
             (ykt_paren_open)
             (ykt_string (+ "Const[" yk_import_ref ".Char]")) (ykt_comma)
-            (ykt_string (+ "'" elem::value "'") (ykt_paren_close))))
+            (ykt_string (+ "'" elem::value "'")) (ykt_paren_close)))
     (yk_register {dsl const_str const_str})
     (yk_register {dsl cstr cstr})
     # c.const_str!{"Hi"} --> create a const char * const --> inlinec("Const[Ptr[Const[Char]]]", "\"Hi\"")
diff --git a/compiler/src/yaksha_lisp/yaksha_lisp.cpp b/compiler/src/yaksha_lisp/yaksha_lisp.cpp
index 35dafea7..f03e8800 100644
--- a/compiler/src/yaksha_lisp/yaksha_lisp.cpp
+++ b/compiler/src/yaksha_lisp/yaksha_lisp.cpp
@@ -958,6 +958,8 @@ void yaksha_envmap::setup_builtins() {
       create_builtin(this, "os_exec", yaksha_lisp_builtins::os_exec_));
   set("os_shell",
       create_builtin(this, "os_shell", yaksha_lisp_builtins::os_shell_));
+  set("explode_string",
+      create_builtin(this, "explode_string", yaksha_lisp_builtins::explode_string_));
   // magic_dot -> map_get or access_module
   set("magic_dot",
       create_builtin(this, "magic_dot", yaksha_lisp_builtins::magic_dot_));
diff --git a/compiler/src/yaksha_lisp/yaksha_lisp_builtins.cpp b/compiler/src/yaksha_lisp/yaksha_lisp_builtins.cpp
index 5fd82bec..af392388 100644
--- a/compiler/src/yaksha_lisp/yaksha_lisp_builtins.cpp
+++ b/compiler/src/yaksha_lisp/yaksha_lisp_builtins.cpp
@@ -1759,3 +1759,23 @@ yaksha_lisp_builtins::os_shell_(const std::vector<yaksha_lisp_value *> &args,
   auto result = exec(cmd_args);
   return env->create_number(result);
 }
+yaksha_lisp_value *yaksha_lisp_builtins::explode_string_(
+    const std::vector<yaksha_lisp_value *> &args, yaksha_envmap *env) {
+  if (args.size() != 1) {
+    throw parsing_error{"explode_string takes 1 argument", "", 0, 0};
+  }
+  auto e_args = eval_args(args, env);
+  auto arg = e_args[0];
+  if (arg->type_ != yaksha_lisp_value_type::STRING) {
+    throw parsing_error{"explode_string takes a string as argument", "", 0, 0};
+  }
+  auto result = env->create_val();
+  result->type_ = yaksha_lisp_value_type::LIST;
+  for (auto c : arg->str_) {
+    auto val = env->create_val();
+    val->type_ = yaksha_lisp_value_type::STRING;
+    val->str_ = c;
+    result->list_.push_back(val);
+  }
+  return result;
+}
diff --git a/compiler/src/yaksha_lisp/yaksha_lisp_builtins.h b/compiler/src/yaksha_lisp/yaksha_lisp_builtins.h
index f92c7f4c..f5b9b3c6 100644
--- a/compiler/src/yaksha_lisp/yaksha_lisp_builtins.h
+++ b/compiler/src/yaksha_lisp/yaksha_lisp_builtins.h
@@ -267,6 +267,9 @@ namespace yaksha {
     os_exec_(const std::vector<yaksha_lisp_value *> &args, yaksha_envmap *env);
     static yaksha_lisp_value *
     os_shell_(const std::vector<yaksha_lisp_value *> &args, yaksha_envmap *env);
+    static yaksha_lisp_value *
+    explode_string_(const std::vector<yaksha_lisp_value *> &args,
+                    yaksha_envmap *env);
     // --
     static yaksha_lisp_value *
     system_lock_root_scope_(const std::vector<yaksha_lisp_value *> &args,
diff --git a/compiler/tests/test_yaksha_lisp.cpp b/compiler/tests/test_yaksha_lisp.cpp
index 7de2fdba..54c10245 100644
--- a/compiler/tests/test_yaksha_lisp.cpp
+++ b/compiler/tests/test_yaksha_lisp.cpp
@@ -425,6 +425,15 @@ TEST_CASE("yaksha_lisp: test pop") {
     (if (and (== (pop x) 3) (== x (list 1 2))) (= success 1))
     )");
 }
+TEST_CASE("yaksha_lisp: test explode string") {
+  test_snippet_execute(R"(
+    (= x (explode_string "123"))
+    (= x (tail x))
+    (pop x)
+    (= s (reduce + x))
+    (if (== s "2") (= success 1))
+    )");
+}
 TEST_CASE("yaksha_lisp: test lambda") {
   test_snippet_execute(R"(
     (if (== ((lambda (x) (+ x 1)) 1) 2) (= success 1))