diff --git a/core/src/Streamly/Internal/Data/Array/Type.hs b/core/src/Streamly/Internal/Data/Array/Type.hs
index 99080b4348..df6dbc89c2 100644
--- a/core/src/Streamly/Internal/Data/Array/Type.hs
+++ b/core/src/Streamly/Internal/Data/Array/Type.hs
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ module Streamly.Internal.Data.Array.Type
     -- *** Mutable and Immutable
     , unsafeFreeze -- XXX unsafeFreezeMutArray
     , unsafeFreezeWithShrink -- XXX unsafeFreezeMutArrayShrink
+    , rightSize
     , unsafeThaw -- XXX unsafeThawArray
     , unsafeFromMutByteArray
     , unsafeCastMutByteArray
@@ -89,6 +90,7 @@ module Streamly.Internal.Data.Array.Type
     , fromStreamN
     , fromStream
     , fromPureStreamN
+    , fromPureStreamMin
     , fromPureStream
     , fromCString#
     , fromCString
@@ -398,6 +400,13 @@ unsafeFreezeWithShrink arr = unsafePerformIO $ do
   MA.MutArray ac as ae _ <- MA.rightSize arr
   return $ Array ac as ae
 
+-- | Trim any reserved free space off the end of the array's backing buffer,
+-- reallocating to a tighter capacity if the waste exceeds 25%. See
+-- 'MA.rightSize' for the full policy.
+{-# INLINE rightSize #-}
+rightSize :: Unbox a => Array a -> Array a
+rightSize = unsafeFreezeWithShrink . unsafeThaw
+
 -- | Makes a mutable array using the underlying memory of the immutable array.
 --
 -- Please make sure that there are no other references to the immutable array
@@ -519,6 +528,9 @@ splice arr1 arr2 =
 -- allocated to size N, if the list terminates before N elements then the
 -- array may hold less than N elements.
 --
+-- /WARNING/: if the list has more than N elements the trailing elements are
+-- silently dropped.
+--
 {-# INLINABLE fromListN #-}
 fromListN :: Unbox a => Int -> [a] -> Array a
 fromListN n xs = unsafePerformIO $ unsafeFreeze <$> MA.fromListN n xs
@@ -534,6 +546,9 @@ RENAME_PRIME(pinnedFromListN,fromListN)
 -- The array is allocated to size N, if the list terminates before N elements
 -- then the array may hold less than N elements.
 --
+-- /WARNING/: if the list has more than N elements the trailing elements are
+-- silently dropped.
+--
 -- /Pre-release/
 {-# INLINABLE fromListRevN #-}
 fromListRevN :: Unbox a => Int -> [a] -> Array a
@@ -563,6 +578,10 @@ fromListRev xs = unsafePerformIO $ unsafeFreeze <$> MA.fromListRev xs
 -- allocated to size N, if the stream terminates before N elements then the
 -- array may hold less than N elements.
 --
+-- /WARNING/: this truncates. If the stream yields more than N elements the
+-- trailing elements are silently dropped. Use 'fromStream' (which grows
+-- dynamically) when the exact length is unknown.
+--
 -- >>> fromStreamN n = Stream.fold (Array.createOf n)
 --
 -- /Pre-release/
@@ -1191,6 +1210,11 @@ toList s = build (\c n -> toListFB c n s)
 -- | @createOf n@ folds a maximum of @n@ elements from the input stream to an
 -- 'Array'.
 --
+-- /WARNING/: this is a truncating fold. If the input stream has more than
+-- @n@ elements, the trailing elements are silently dropped. Pass an @n@
+-- that is at least the actual stream length, or use 'createWith' / 'create'
+-- (which grow on overflow) when the exact length is unknown.
+--
 {-# INLINE_NORMAL createOf #-}
 createOf :: forall m a. (MonadIO m, Unbox a) => Int -> Fold m a (Array a)
 createOf = fmap unsafeFreeze . MA.createOf
@@ -1326,11 +1350,26 @@ unsafeMakePure (Fold step initial extract final) =
          (\s -> return $! unsafeInlineIO $ extract s)
          (\s -> return $! unsafeInlineIO $ final s)
 
+-- | Convert a pure Identity stream to an array, allocating exactly @n@
+-- elements.
+--
+-- /WARNING/: this truncates. If the stream has more than @n@ elements the
+-- trailing elements are silently dropped. Use 'fromPureStreamMinN' (which
+-- treats @n@ as a minimum and grows on overflow) or 'fromPureStream' when
+-- the exact length is not known up front.
+--
 {-# INLINE fromPureStreamN #-}
 fromPureStreamN :: Unbox a => Int -> Stream Identity a -> Array a
 fromPureStreamN n x =
     unsafePerformIO $ fmap unsafeFreeze (MA.fromPureStreamN n x)
 
+-- | Like 'fromPureStreamN' but @n@ is a minimum capacity hint, not a cap; the
+-- buffer doubles on overflow so the full stream is always consumed.
+{-# INLINE fromPureStreamMin #-}
+fromPureStreamMin :: Unbox a => Int -> Stream Identity a -> Array a
+fromPureStreamMin n x =
+    unsafePerformIO $ fmap unsafeFreeze (MA.fromPureStreamMin n x)
+
 -- | Convert a pure stream in Identity monad to an immutable array.
 --
 -- Same as the following but with better performance:
diff --git a/core/src/Streamly/Internal/Data/MutArray/Type.hs b/core/src/Streamly/Internal/Data/MutArray/Type.hs
index 6b83e22156..fe2e8b18a9 100644
--- a/core/src/Streamly/Internal/Data/MutArray/Type.hs
+++ b/core/src/Streamly/Internal/Data/MutArray/Type.hs
@@ -146,6 +146,7 @@ module Streamly.Internal.Data.MutArray.Type
     , fromStreamN
     , fromStream
     , fromPureStreamN
+    , fromPureStreamMin
     , fromPureStream
     , fromCString#
     , fromW16CString#
@@ -2727,6 +2728,11 @@ writeNAs ps = createWithOf (newAs ps)
 --
 -- The array capacity is guranteed to be at least @n@.
 --
+-- /WARNING/: this is a truncating fold. If the input stream has more than @n@
+-- elements, the trailing elements are silently dropped. Pass an @n@ that is
+-- at least the actual stream length, or use 'createMinOf' or 'create' (which
+-- grow on overflow) if the exact length is unknown.
+--
 -- >>> createOf = MutArray.createWithOf MutArray.emptyOf
 -- >>> createOf n = Fold.take n (MutArray.unsafeCreateOf n)
 -- >>> createOf n = MutArray.appendMax n MutArray.empty
@@ -2788,6 +2794,9 @@ writeRevNWith alloc n = FL.take n (writeRevNWithUnsafe alloc n)
 
 -- | Like 'createOf' but writes the array in reverse order.
 --
+-- /WARNING/: same truncation behaviour as 'createOf'; passing an @n@ smaller
+-- than the stream length silently drops trailing input.
+--
 -- /Pre-release/
 {-# INLINE_NORMAL revCreateOf #-}
 revCreateOf :: forall m a. (MonadIO m, Unbox a) => Int -> Fold m a (MutArray a)
@@ -2953,6 +2962,10 @@ fromStreamDNAs ps limit str = do
 
 -- | Create a MutArray of given size from a stream.
 --
+-- /WARNING/: this truncates. If the stream yields more than @n@ elements the
+-- trailing elements are silently dropped. Use a value of @n@ that is at
+-- least the actual stream length, or use a non-truncating builder.
+--
 -- >>> fromStreamN n = Stream.fold (MutArray.createOf n)
 --
 {-# INLINE_NORMAL fromStreamN #-}
@@ -2971,6 +2984,9 @@ fromStreamDN = fromStreamN
 -- allocated to size N, if the list terminates before N elements then the
 -- array may hold less than N elements.
 --
+-- /WARNING/: if the list has more than N elements the trailing elements are
+-- silently dropped.
+--
 {-# INLINABLE fromListN #-}
 fromListN :: (MonadIO m, Unbox a) => Int -> [a] -> m (MutArray a)
 fromListN n xs = fromStreamN n $ D.fromList xs
@@ -2989,11 +3005,24 @@ fromListRevN :: (MonadIO m, Unbox a) => Int -> [a] -> m (MutArray a)
 fromListRevN n xs = D.fold (revCreateOf n) $ D.fromList xs
 
 -- | Convert a pure stream in Identity monad to a mutable array.
+--
+-- /WARNING/: this truncates. If the stream has more than @n@ elements the
+-- trailing elements are silently dropped. Use 'fromPureStreamMinN' (which
+-- treats @n@ as a minimum and grows on overflow) or 'fromPureStream' when
+-- the exact length is not known up front.
+--
 {-# INLINABLE fromPureStreamN #-}
 fromPureStreamN :: (MonadIO m, Unbox a) =>
     Int -> Stream Identity a -> m (MutArray a)
 fromPureStreamN n = D.fold (createOf n) . D.generalizeInner
 
+-- | Like 'fromPureStreamN' but @n@ is a minimum capacity hint, not a cap; the
+-- buffer doubles on overflow so the full stream is always consumed.
+{-# INLINABLE fromPureStreamMin #-}
+fromPureStreamMin :: (MonadIO m, Unbox a) =>
+    Int -> Stream Identity a -> m (MutArray a)
+fromPureStreamMin n = D.fold (createMinOf n) . D.generalizeInner
+
 -- | Convert a pure stream in Identity monad to a mutable array.
 {-# INLINABLE fromPureStream #-}
 fromPureStream :: (MonadIO m, Unbox a) => Stream Identity a -> m (MutArray a)
diff --git a/src/Streamly/Internal/Data/SmallArray.hs b/src/Streamly/Internal/Data/SmallArray.hs
index 8452f9bde7..549c984578 100644
--- a/src/Streamly/Internal/Data/SmallArray.hs
+++ b/src/Streamly/Internal/Data/SmallArray.hs
@@ -102,6 +102,9 @@ foldr f z arr = runIdentity $ D.foldr f z $ toStreamD arr
 -- | @createOf n@ folds a maximum of @n@ elements from the input stream to an
 -- 'SmallArray'.
 --
+-- /WARNING/: this truncates. If the input stream has more than @n@ elements
+-- the trailing elements are silently dropped.
+--
 -- Since we are folding to a 'SmallArray' @n@ should be <= 128, for larger number
 -- of elements use an 'Array' from either "Streamly.Data.Array.Generic" or "Streamly.Data.Array.Foreign".
 {-# INLINE_NORMAL createOf #-}
@@ -144,6 +147,9 @@ fromStreamDN limit str = do
 -- array may hold less than @n@ elements if the length of the list <=
 -- @n@.
 --
+-- /WARNING/: if the list has more than @n@ elements the trailing elements
+-- are silently dropped.
+--
 -- It is recommended to use a value of @n@ <= 128. For larger sized
 -- arrays, use an 'Array' from "Streamly.Data.Array" or
 -- "Streamly.Data.Array.Foreign"
@@ -159,6 +165,9 @@ instance NFData a => NFData (SmallArray a) where
 -- array is allocated to size @n@, if the stream terminates before @n@
 -- elements then the array may hold less than @n@ elements.
 --
+-- /WARNING/: this truncates. If the stream yields more than @n@ elements
+-- the trailing elements are silently dropped.
+--
 -- For optimal performance use this with @n@ <= 128.
 {-# INLINE fromStreamN #-}
 fromStreamN :: MonadIO m => Int -> Stream m a -> m (SmallArray a)
diff --git a/src/Streamly/Internal/Unicode/Utf8.hs b/src/Streamly/Internal/Unicode/Utf8.hs
index 1f9877a123..718ebb9171 100644
--- a/src/Streamly/Internal/Unicode/Utf8.hs
+++ b/src/Streamly/Internal/Unicode/Utf8.hs
@@ -34,8 +34,9 @@ import System.IO.Unsafe (unsafePerformIO)
 import qualified Streamly.Data.Fold as Fold
 import qualified Streamly.Data.Stream as Stream
 import qualified Streamly.Internal.Data.Array as Array
-    ( fromStreamN
+    ( fromPureStreamN
     , read
+    , rightSize
     )
 import qualified Streamly.Internal.Unicode.Stream as Unicode
 
@@ -58,9 +59,13 @@ toArray (Utf8 arr) = arr
 {-# INLINEABLE pack #-}
 pack :: String -> Utf8
 pack s =
+    -- UTF-8 emits up to 4 bytes per char; allocate the worst case so the
+    -- encoded stream cannot overflow, then rightSize trims the slack.
     Utf8
-        $ unsafePerformIO
-        $ Array.fromStreamN len $ Unicode.encodeUtf8' $ Stream.fromList s
+        $ Array.rightSize
+        $ Array.fromPureStreamN (4 * len)
+        $ Unicode.encodeUtf8'
+        $ Stream.fromList s
 
     where