diff --git a/numpy/f2py/crackfortran.py b/numpy/f2py/crackfortran.py
index 002a2edb1275..1b8672410e4d 100755
--- a/numpy/f2py/crackfortran.py
+++ b/numpy/f2py/crackfortran.py
@@ -1742,6 +1742,23 @@ def updatevars(typespec, selector, attrspec, entitydecl):
                     else:
                         del d1[k]
 
+                if 'len' in d1 and 'array' in d1:
+                    if d1['len'] == '':
+                        d1['len'] = d1['array']
+                        del d1['array']
+                    elif typespec == 'character':
+                        if ('charselector' not in edecl) or (not edecl['charselector']):
+                            edecl['charselector'] = {}
+                        if 'len' in edecl['charselector']:
+                            del edecl['charselector']['len']
+                        edecl['charselector']['*'] = d1['len']
+                        del d1['len']
+                    else:
+                        d1['array'] = d1['array'] + ',' + d1['len']
+                        del d1['len']
+                        errmess('updatevars: "%s %s" is mapped to "%s %s(%s)"\n' % (
+                            typespec, e, typespec, ename, d1['array']))
+
                 if 'len' in d1:
                     if typespec in ['complex', 'integer', 'logical', 'real']:
                         if ('kindselector' not in edecl) or (not edecl['kindselector']):
@@ -1763,16 +1780,6 @@ def updatevars(typespec, selector, attrspec, entitydecl):
                     else:
                         edecl['='] = d1['init']
 
-                if 'len' in d1 and 'array' in d1:
-                    if d1['len'] == '':
-                        d1['len'] = d1['array']
-                        del d1['array']
-                    else:
-                        d1['array'] = d1['array'] + ',' + d1['len']
-                        del d1['len']
-                        errmess('updatevars: "%s %s" is mapped to "%s %s(%s)"\n' % (
-                            typespec, e, typespec, ename, d1['array']))
-
                 if 'array' in d1:
                     dm = 'dimension(%s)' % d1['array']
                     if 'attrspec' not in edecl or (not edecl['attrspec']):
diff --git a/numpy/f2py/tests/src/string/gh24008.f b/numpy/f2py/tests/src/string/gh24008.f
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..ab64cf771f68
--- /dev/null
+++ b/numpy/f2py/tests/src/string/gh24008.f
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+      SUBROUTINE GREET(NAME, GREETING)
+      CHARACTER NAME*(*), GREETING*(*)
+      CHARACTER*(50) MESSAGE
+
+      MESSAGE = 'Hello, ' // NAME // ', ' // GREETING
+c$$$      PRINT *, MESSAGE
+
+      END SUBROUTINE GREET
diff --git a/numpy/f2py/tests/test_character.py b/numpy/f2py/tests/test_character.py
index 0bb0f4290272..373262bf96a6 100644
--- a/numpy/f2py/tests/test_character.py
+++ b/numpy/f2py/tests/test_character.py
@@ -574,7 +574,6 @@ def test_character_bc(self, state):
 class TestStringScalarArr(util.F2PyTest):
     sources = [util.getpath("tests", "src", "string", "scalar_string.f90")]
 
-    @pytest.mark.slow
     def test_char(self):
         for out in (self.module.string_test.string,
                     self.module.string_test.string77):
@@ -583,7 +582,6 @@ def test_char(self):
             expected = '|S8'
             assert out.dtype == expected
 
-    @pytest.mark.slow
     def test_char_arr(self):
         for out in (self.module.string_test.strarr,
                     self.module.string_test.strarr77):
@@ -591,3 +589,9 @@ def test_char_arr(self):
             assert out.shape == expected
             expected = '|S12'
             assert out.dtype == expected
+
+class TestStringAssumedLength(util.F2PyTest):
+    sources = [util.getpath("tests", "src", "string", "gh24008.f")]
+
+    def test_gh24008(self):
+        self.module.greet("joe", "bob")