diff --git a/lindi/LindiH5pyFile/LindiH5pyDataset.py b/lindi/LindiH5pyFile/LindiH5pyDataset.py
index 83c540a..4c915b7 100644
--- a/lindi/LindiH5pyFile/LindiH5pyDataset.py
+++ b/lindi/LindiH5pyFile/LindiH5pyDataset.py
@@ -152,6 +152,15 @@ def fletcher32(self):
         else:
             raise Exception(f'Unexpected dataset object type: {type(self._dataset_object)}')
 
+    @property
+    def chunks(self):
+        if isinstance(self._dataset_object, h5py.Dataset):
+            return self._dataset_object.chunks
+        elif isinstance(self._dataset_object, zarr.Array):
+            return self._dataset_object.chunks
+        else:
+            raise Exception(f'Unexpected dataset object type: {type(self._dataset_object)}')
+
     def __repr__(self):  # type: ignore
         return f"<{self.__class__.__name__}: {self.name}>"
 
diff --git a/lindi/LindiH5pyFile/LindiH5pyFile.py b/lindi/LindiH5pyFile/LindiH5pyFile.py
index cc3901b..3b8a8b1 100644
--- a/lindi/LindiH5pyFile/LindiH5pyFile.py
+++ b/lindi/LindiH5pyFile/LindiH5pyFile.py
@@ -384,7 +384,7 @@ def _recursive_copy(src_item: Union[h5py.Group, h5py.Dataset], dest: h5py.File,
                             dst_rfs['refs'][dst_ref_key] = _deep_copy(src_rfs['refs'][src_ref_key])
                     return
 
-        dst_item = dest.create_dataset(name, data=src_item[()])
+        dst_item = dest.create_dataset(name, data=src_item[()], chunks=src_item.chunks)
         for k, v in src_item.attrs.items():
             dst_item.attrs[k] = v
     else:
diff --git a/lindi/conversion/create_zarr_dataset_from_h5_data.py b/lindi/conversion/create_zarr_dataset_from_h5_data.py
index 0e36127..007df86 100644
--- a/lindi/conversion/create_zarr_dataset_from_h5_data.py
+++ b/lindi/conversion/create_zarr_dataset_from_h5_data.py
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ def create_zarr_dataset_from_h5_data(
                 return ds
             else:
                 raise Exception(f'Unsupported scalar value type: {type(scalar_value)}')
-        elif h5_dtype.kind == 'S':
+        elif h5_dtype.kind == 'S' or h5_dtype.kind == 'U':
             # byte string
             if h5_data is None:
                 raise Exception(f'Data must be provided for scalar dataset {label}')