diff --git a/python/src/deltachat/account.py b/python/src/deltachat/account.py
index e1c5b7d2..2aefb8c9 100644
--- a/python/src/deltachat/account.py
+++ b/python/src/deltachat/account.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ from attr import validators as v
 
 import deltachat
 from .capi import ffi, lib
-from .cutil import convert_to_bytes_utf8, ffi_unicode, iter_array_and_unref
+from .cutil import as_dc_charpointer, from_dc_charpointer, iter_array_and_unref
 from .types import DC_Context
 from .chatting import Contact, Chat, Message
 
@@ -62,10 +62,11 @@ class Account(object):
 
         :param name: configuration key to lookup (eg "addr" or "mail_pw")
         :returns: unicode value
+        :raises: KeyError if no config value was found.
         """
         name = name.encode("utf8")
         res = lib.dc_get_config(self._dc_context.p, name, b'')
-        return ffi_unicode(res)
+        return from_dc_charpointer(res)
 
     def is_configured(self):
         """ determine if the account is configured already.
@@ -96,8 +97,8 @@ class Account(object):
         :param name: display name for this contact (optional)
         :returns: :class:`Contact` instance.
         """
-        name = convert_to_bytes_utf8(name)
-        email = convert_to_bytes_utf8(email)
+        name = as_dc_charpointer(name)
+        email = as_dc_charpointer(email)
         contact_id = lib.dc_create_contact(self._dc_context.p, name, email)
         return Contact(self._dc_context, contact_id)
 
@@ -111,7 +112,7 @@ class Account(object):
         :returns: list of :class:`Message` objects.
         """
         flags = 0
-        query = convert_to_bytes_utf8(query)
+        query = as_dc_charpointer(query)
         if only_verified:
             flags |= lib.DC_GCL_VERIFIED_ONLY
         if with_self:
diff --git a/python/src/deltachat/chatting.py b/python/src/deltachat/chatting.py
index 28751f95..77138d15 100644
--- a/python/src/deltachat/chatting.py
+++ b/python/src/deltachat/chatting.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 """ chatting related objects: Contact, Chat, Message. """
 
-from .cutil import convert_to_bytes_utf8, ffi_unicode, iter_array_and_unref
+from .cutil import as_dc_charpointer, from_dc_charpointer, iter_array_and_unref
 from .capi import lib
 from .types import cached_property, property_with_doc
 from .types import DC_Context, DC_Contact, DC_Chat, DC_Msg
@@ -24,12 +24,12 @@ class Contact(object):
     @property_with_doc
     def addr(self):
         """ normalized e-mail address for this account. """
-        return ffi_unicode(lib.dc_contact_get_addr(self._dc_contact.p))
+        return from_dc_charpointer(lib.dc_contact_get_addr(self._dc_contact.p))
 
     @property_with_doc
     def display_name(self):
         """ display name for this contact. """
-        return ffi_unicode(lib.dc_contact_get_display_name(self._dc_contact.p))
+        return from_dc_charpointer(lib.dc_contact_get_display_name(self._dc_contact.p))
 
     def is_blocked(self):
         """ Return True if the contact is blocked. """
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ class Chat(object):
         :param msg: unicode text
         :returns: the resulting :class:`Message` instance
         """
-        msg = convert_to_bytes_utf8(msg)
+        msg = as_dc_charpointer(msg)
         msg_id = lib.dc_send_text_msg(self._dc_context.p, self.id, msg)
         return Message(self._dc_context, msg_id)
 
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ class Message(object):
     @property_with_doc
     def text(self):
         """unicode representation. """
-        return ffi_unicode(lib.dc_msg_get_text(self._dc_msg.p))
+        return from_dc_charpointer(lib.dc_msg_get_text(self._dc_msg.p))
 
     @property
     def chat(self):
diff --git a/python/src/deltachat/cutil.py b/python/src/deltachat/cutil.py
index bf2cf1c6..5249b7a4 100644
--- a/python/src/deltachat/cutil.py
+++ b/python/src/deltachat/cutil.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ from .capi import lib
 from .capi import ffi
 
 
-def convert_to_bytes_utf8(obj):
+def as_dc_charpointer(obj):
     if obj == ffi.NULL or obj is None:
         return ffi.NULL
     if not isinstance(obj, bytes):
@@ -18,5 +18,5 @@ def iter_array_and_unref(dc_array_t, constructor):
         lib.dc_array_unref(dc_array_t)
 
 
-def ffi_unicode(obj):
+def from_dc_charpointer(obj):
     return ffi.string(obj).decode("utf8")
diff --git a/python/tests/test_account.py b/python/tests/test_account.py
index 87f4ac71..51aa3933 100644
--- a/python/tests/test_account.py
+++ b/python/tests/test_account.py
@@ -15,6 +15,11 @@ class TestOfflineAccount:
         with pytest.raises(ValueError):
             ac1.get_self_contact()
 
+    # def test_get_config_fails(self, acfactory):
+    #    ac1 = acfactory.get_offline_account()
+    #    with pytest.raises(KeyError):
+    #        ac1.get_config("123123")
+
     def test_contact_attr(self, acfactory):
         ac1 = acfactory.get_offline_account()
         contact1 = ac1.create_contact(email="some1@hello.com", name="some1")