diff --git a/generator/src/main/java/org/capnproto/Text.java b/generator/src/main/java/org/capnproto/Text.java
index 16be7d1..d347fed 100644
--- a/generator/src/main/java/org/capnproto/Text.java
+++ b/generator/src/main/java/org/capnproto/Text.java
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ public class Text {
     public static final class Reader {
         public final ByteBuffer buffer;
         public final int offset; // in bytes
-        public final int size; // in bytes
+        public final int size; // in bytes, not including NUL terminator
 
         public Reader(ByteBuffer buffer, int offset, int size) {
             this.buffer = buffer;
@@ -44,9 +44,15 @@ public class Text {
 
     public static final class Builder {
         public final ByteBuffer buffer;
+        public final int offset;
 
-        public Builder(ByteBuffer buffer) {
+        // size not including the NUL terminator
+        public final int size;
+
+        public Builder(ByteBuffer buffer, int offset, int size) {
             this.buffer = buffer;
+            this.offset = offset;
+            this.size = size;
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/generator/src/main/java/org/capnproto/WireHelpers.java b/generator/src/main/java/org/capnproto/WireHelpers.java
index a44c98c..1d0d8cc 100644
--- a/generator/src/main/java/org/capnproto/WireHelpers.java
+++ b/generator/src/main/java/org/capnproto/WireHelpers.java
@@ -61,9 +61,9 @@ final class WireHelpers {
     }
 
     // size is in bytes
-    public static void initTextPointer(int refOffset,
-                                       SegmentBuilder segment,
-                                       int size) {
+    public static Text.Builder initTextPointer(int refOffset,
+                                               SegmentBuilder segment,
+                                               int size) {
         //# The byte list must include a NUL terminator.
         int byteSize = size + 1;
 
@@ -73,13 +73,19 @@ final class WireHelpers {
         //# Initialize the pointer.
         ListPointer.set(segment.buffer, refOffset, FieldSize.BYTE, byteSize);
 
-        throw new Error("unimplemented");
+        return new Text.Builder(segment.buffer, ptrOffset, size);
     }
 
-    public static void setTextPointer(int refOffset,
-                                      SegmentBuilder segment,
-                                      Text.Reader value) {
-        throw new Error("unimplemented");
+    public static Text.Builder setTextPointer(int refOffset,
+                                              SegmentBuilder segment,
+                                              Text.Reader value) {
+        Text.Builder builder = initTextPointer(refOffset, segment, value.size);
+
+        // TODO is there a way to do this with bulk methods?
+        for (int i = 0; i < builder.size; ++i) {
+            builder.buffer.put(builder.offset + i, value.buffer.get(value.offset + i));
+        }
+        return builder;
     }
 
     public static StructReader readStructPointer(SegmentReader segment,