diff --git a/src/sinqAxis.cpp b/src/sinqAxis.cpp
index 9c68aa2..7a0e361 100644
--- a/src/sinqAxis.cpp
+++ b/src/sinqAxis.cpp
@@ -8,6 +8,17 @@
 #include <math.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
 
+// Generic fallback - if the compiler tries to compile this function, it fails.
+template <typename T>
+asynStatus setAxisParam(sinqAxis *axis, const char *indexName,
+                        int (sinqController::*func)(), T writeValue,
+                        const char *callerFunctionName, int lineNumber) {
+    static_assert(
+        sizeof(T) == 0,
+        "no specialization of setAxisParam exists for the given type");
+    return asynError;
+}
+
 template <>
 asynStatus setAxisParam<int>(sinqAxis *axis, const char *indexName,
                              int (sinqController::*func)(), int writeValue,
@@ -43,6 +54,20 @@ setAxisParam<double>(sinqAxis *axis, const char *indexName,
     return asynSuccess;
 }
 
+template <>
+asynStatus setAxisParam<char *>(sinqAxis *axis, const char *indexName,
+                                int (sinqController::*func)(), char *writeValue,
+                                const char *callerFunctionName,
+                                int lineNumber) {
+    int indexValue = (axis->pController()->*func)();
+    asynStatus status = axis->setStringParam(indexValue, writeValue);
+    if (status != asynSuccess) {
+        return axis->pController()->paramLibAccessFailed(
+            status, indexName, axis->axisNo(), callerFunctionName, lineNumber);
+    }
+    return asynSuccess;
+}
+
 template <>
 asynStatus setAxisParam<const char *>(sinqAxis *axis, const char *indexName,
                                       int (sinqController::*func)(),
@@ -58,6 +83,17 @@ asynStatus setAxisParam<const char *>(sinqAxis *axis, const char *indexName,
     return asynSuccess;
 }
 
+// Generic fallback - if the compiler tries to compile this function, it fails.
+template <typename T>
+asynStatus getAxisParam(sinqAxis *axis, const char *indexName,
+                        int (sinqController::*func)(), T *readValue,
+                        const char *callerFunctionName, int lineNumber) {
+    static_assert(
+        sizeof(T) == 0,
+        "no specialization of getAxisParam exists for the given type");
+    return asynError;
+}
+
 template <>
 asynStatus getAxisParam<int>(sinqAxis *axis, const char *indexName,
                              int (sinqController::*func)(), int *readValue,
@@ -112,6 +148,16 @@ asynStatus getAxisParam<char>(sinqAxis *axis, const char *indexName,
     return asynSuccess;
 }
 
+template <size_t N>
+asynStatus getAxisParam(sinqAxis *axis, const char *indexName,
+                        int (sinqController::*func)(), char (&readValue)[N],
+                        const char *callerFunctionName, int lineNumber) {
+    // Decay the array to char*
+    return getAxisParam<char>(axis, indexName, func,
+                              static_cast<char *>(readValue),
+                              callerFunctionName, lineNumber);
+}
+
 template <>
 asynStatus
 getAxisParam<std::string>(sinqAxis *axis, const char *indexName,
@@ -309,7 +355,8 @@ asynStatus sinqAxis::poll(bool *moving) {
     "waitingMessage" is briefly put into the paramLib again, then the PVs are
     updated and then the message text is cleared again.
     */
-    getAxisParamChecked(this, motorMessageText, &waitingMessage);
+    getAxisParamChecked(this, motorMessageText,
+                        static_cast<char *>(waitingMessage));
 
     // Clear the communication
     setAxisParamChecked(this, motorStatusCommsError, false);
@@ -331,9 +378,11 @@ asynStatus sinqAxis::poll(bool *moving) {
         If doPoll cleared the error message paramLib entry, but an old message
         is still waiting, set the old message.
         */
-        getAxisParamChecked(this, motorMessageText, &newMessage);
+        getAxisParamChecked(this, motorMessageText,
+                            static_cast<char *>(newMessage));
         if (newMessage[0] == '\0') {
-            setAxisParamChecked(this, motorMessageText, waitingMessage);
+            setAxisParamChecked(this, motorMessageText,
+                                static_cast<char *>(waitingMessage));
         }
         setAxisParamChecked(this, motorStatusProblem, true);
     } else {