diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index ffd592e94..d109601fd 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 * expose `cur_block` and `genesis_config` from `RuntimeStandalone` to configure simulation tests. [PR 390](https://github.com/near/near-sdk-rs/pull/390).
 * fix(simulator): failing with long chains. [PR 385](https://github.com/near/near-sdk-rs/pull/385).
 * Make block time configurable to sim contract tests. [PR 378](https://github.com/near/near-sdk-rs/pull/378).
+* Deprecate `env::log` in favour of `env::log_str`. The logs assume that the bytes are utf8, so this will be a cleaner interface to use. [PR 366](https://github.com/near/near-sdk-rs/pull/366).
 * Update syscall interface to no longer go through `BLOCKCHAIN_INTERFACE`. Instead uses `near_sdk::sys` which is under the `unstable` feature flag if needed. [PR 417](https://github.com/near/near-sdk-rs/pull/417).
 * Set up global allocator by default for WASM architectures. [PR 429](https://github.com/near/near-sdk-rs/pull/429).
   * This removes the re-export of `wee_alloc` because if this feature is enabled, the allocator will already be set.
diff --git a/HELP.md b/HELP.md
index b3480f70e..ed9113022 100644
--- a/HELP.md
+++ b/HELP.md
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ There is an macro decorator `#[private]` that checks that the current account ID
 impl Contract {
     #[private]
     pub fn resolve_transfer(&mut self) {
-        env::log(b"This is a callback");
+        env::log_str("This is a callback");
     }
 }
 ```
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ impl Contract {
         if env::current_account_id() != env::predecessor_account_id() {
             near_sdk::env::panic(b"Method resolve_transfer is private");
         }
-        env::log(b"This is a callback");
+        env::log_str("This is a callback");
     }
 }
 ```
@@ -348,11 +348,11 @@ to receive attached deposits. Otherwise, if a deposit is attached to a non-payab
 impl Contract {
     #[payable]
     pub fn take_my_money(&mut self) {
-        env::log(b"Thanks!");
+        env::log_str("Thanks!");
     }
 
     pub fn do_not_take_my_money(&mut self) {
-        env::log(b"Thanks!");
+        env::log_str("Thanks!");
     }
 }
 ```
@@ -363,14 +363,14 @@ This is equivalent to:
 #[near_bindgen]
 impl Contract {
     pub fn take_my_money(&mut self) {
-        env::log(b"Thanks!");
+        env::log_str("Thanks!");
     }
 
     pub fn do_not_take_my_money(&mut self) {
         if near_sdk::env::attached_deposit() != 0 {
             near_sdk::env::panic(b"Method do_not_take_my_money doesn't accept deposit");
         }
-        env::log(b"Thanks!");
+        env::log_str("Thanks!");
     }
 }
 ```
@@ -412,7 +412,7 @@ log!("Transferred {} tokens from {} to {}", amount, sender_id, receiver_id);
 It's equivalent to the following message:
 
 ```rust
-env::log(format!("Transferred {} tokens from {} to {}", amount, sender_id, receiver_id).as_bytes());
+env::log_str(format!("Transferred {} tokens from {} to {}", amount, sender_id, receiver_id).as_ref());
 ```
 
 ## Return `Promise`
diff --git a/examples/cross-contract-low-level/src/lib.rs b/examples/cross-contract-low-level/src/lib.rs
index c66c7292d..8dd6227cd 100644
--- a/examples/cross-contract-low-level/src/lib.rs
+++ b/examples/cross-contract-low-level/src/lib.rs
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ impl CrossContract {
     pub fn check_promise(&mut self) {
         match env::promise_result(0) {
             PromiseResult::Successful(_) => {
-                env::log(b"Check_promise successful");
+                env::log_str("Check_promise successful");
                 self.checked_promise = true;
             }
             _ => panic!("Promise with index 0 failed"),
diff --git a/near-sdk/src/environment/env.rs b/near-sdk/src/environment/env.rs
index 73a7405d5..cfbed2998 100644
--- a/near-sdk/src/environment/env.rs
+++ b/near-sdk/src/environment/env.rs
@@ -510,10 +510,20 @@ pub fn panic(message: &[u8]) -> ! {
     unsafe { sys::panic_utf8(message.len() as _, message.as_ptr() as _) }
     unreachable!()
 }
+/// Logs the string message message. This message is stored on chain.
+pub fn log_str(message: &str) {
+    #[cfg(all(debug_assertions, not(target_arch = "wasm32")))]
+    eprintln!("{}", message);
+
+    unsafe { sys::log_utf8(message.len() as _, message.as_ptr() as _) }
+}
+
 /// Log the UTF-8 encodable message.
+#[deprecated(since = "4.0.0", note = "Use env::log_str for logging messages.")]
 pub fn log(message: &[u8]) {
     #[cfg(all(debug_assertions, not(target_arch = "wasm32")))]
     eprintln!("{}", String::from_utf8_lossy(message));
+
     unsafe { sys::log_utf8(message.len() as _, message.as_ptr() as _) }
 }
 
diff --git a/near-sdk/src/utils/mod.rs b/near-sdk/src/utils/mod.rs
index 357789798..a7c0cb0d2 100644
--- a/near-sdk/src/utils/mod.rs
+++ b/near-sdk/src/utils/mod.rs
@@ -33,11 +33,11 @@ use crate::{env, AccountId, PromiseResult};
 /// [`BlockchainInterface`]: crate::BlockchainInterface
 #[macro_export]
 macro_rules! log {
-    ($arg:tt) => {
-        $crate::env::log($arg.as_bytes())
+    ($arg:expr) => {
+        $crate::env::log_str($arg.as_ref())
     };
     ($($arg:tt)*) => {
-        $crate::env::log(format!($($arg)*).as_bytes())
+        $crate::env::log_str(format!($($arg)*).as_str())
     };
 }