diff --git a/docs/api.rst b/docs/api.rst
index 6694af4a5..eeff59e4f 100644
--- a/docs/api.rst
+++ b/docs/api.rst
@@ -106,6 +106,7 @@ Key expression
 .. autocstruct:: zenoh_commons.h::z_owned_keyexpr_t
 
 .. autocfunction:: zenoh_commons.h::z_keyexpr
+.. autocfunction:: zenoh_commons.h::z_keyexpr_autocanonize
 .. autocfunction:: zenoh_commons.h::z_keyexpr_unchecked
 .. autocfunction:: zenoh_commons.h::z_keyexpr_to_string
 .. autocfunction:: zenoh_commons.h::z_keyexpr_as_bytes
@@ -120,6 +121,7 @@ Key expression
 .. autocfunction:: zenoh_commons.h::z_keyexpr_intersects
 
 .. autocfunction:: zenoh_commons.h::z_keyexpr_new
+.. autocfunction:: zenoh_commons.h::z_keyexpr_new_autocanonize
 .. autocfunction:: zenoh_commons.h::z_keyexpr_loan
 .. autocfunction:: zenoh_commons.h::z_keyexpr_check
 .. autocfunction:: zenoh_commons.h::z_keyexpr_drop
diff --git a/include/zenoh_commons.h b/include/zenoh_commons.h
index cafca6456..f19e2ba8f 100644
--- a/include/zenoh_commons.h
+++ b/include/zenoh_commons.h
@@ -1551,6 +1551,14 @@ ZENOHC_API struct z_keyexpr_t z_keyexpr(const char *name);
  * Currently exclusive to zenoh-c
  */
 ZENOHC_API struct z_bytes_t z_keyexpr_as_bytes(struct z_keyexpr_t keyexpr);
+/**
+ * Constructs a :c:type:`z_keyexpr_t` departing from a string.
+ * It is a loaned key expression that aliases `name`.
+ * The string is canonized in-place before being passed to keyexpr.
+ * May SEGFAULT if `start` is NULL or lies in read-only memory (as values initialized with string litterals do).
+ */
+ZENOHC_API
+struct z_keyexpr_t z_keyexpr_autocanonize(char *name);
 /**
  * Canonizes the passed string in place, possibly shortening it by modifying `len`.
  *
@@ -1639,6 +1647,11 @@ ZENOHC_API struct z_keyexpr_t z_keyexpr_loan(const struct z_owned_keyexpr_t *key
  * Constructs a :c:type:`z_keyexpr_t` departing from a string, copying the passed string.
  */
 ZENOHC_API struct z_owned_keyexpr_t z_keyexpr_new(const char *name);
+/**
+ * Constructs a :c:type:`z_keyexpr_t` departing from a string, copying the passed string. The copied string is canonized.
+ */
+ZENOHC_API
+struct z_owned_keyexpr_t z_keyexpr_new_autocanonize(const char *name);
 /**
  * Constructs a null safe-to-drop value of 'z_owned_keyexpr_t' type
  */
@@ -2174,6 +2187,15 @@ ZENOHC_API void zc_init_logger(void);
  * It is a loaned key expression that aliases `name`.
  */
 ZENOHC_API struct z_keyexpr_t zc_keyexpr_from_slice(const char *name, size_t len);
+/**
+ * Constructs a :c:type:`z_keyexpr_t` departing from a string.
+ * It is a loaned key expression that aliases `name`.
+ * The string is canonized in-place before being passed to keyexpr.
+ * May SEGFAULT if `start` is NULL or lies in read-only memory (as values initialized with string litterals do).
+ */
+ZENOHC_API
+struct z_keyexpr_t zc_keyexpr_from_slice_autocanonize(char *name,
+                                                      size_t *len);
 /**
  * Constructs a :c:type:`z_keyexpr_t` departing from a string without checking any of `z_keyexpr_t`'s assertions:
  * - `name` MUST be valid UTF8.
diff --git a/src/keyexpr.rs b/src/keyexpr.rs
index 04efe0c99..88fc7e4af 100644
--- a/src/keyexpr.rs
+++ b/src/keyexpr.rs
@@ -119,6 +119,32 @@ pub unsafe extern "C" fn z_keyexpr_new(name: *const c_char) -> z_owned_keyexpr_t
     }
 }
 
+/// Constructs a :c:type:`z_keyexpr_t` departing from a string, copying the passed string. The copied string is canonized.
+#[allow(clippy::missing_safety_doc)]
+#[no_mangle]
+pub unsafe extern "C" fn z_keyexpr_new_autocanonize(name: *const c_char) -> z_owned_keyexpr_t {
+    if name.is_null() {
+        return z_owned_keyexpr_t::null();
+    }
+    let name = std::slice::from_raw_parts(name as _, libc::strlen(name));
+    match std::str::from_utf8(name) {
+        Ok(name) => {
+            let name_owned = name.to_owned();
+            match KeyExpr::autocanonize(name_owned) {
+                Ok(v) => v.into_owned().into(),
+                Err(e) => {
+                    log::error!("Couldn't construct a keyexpr from {:02x?}: {}", name, e);
+                    z_owned_keyexpr_t::null()
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        Err(e) => {
+            log::error!("{}", e);
+            z_owned_keyexpr_t::null()
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 /// Returns a :c:type:`z_keyexpr_t` loaned from :c:type:`z_owned_keyexpr_t`.
 #[no_mangle]
 pub extern "C" fn z_keyexpr_loan(keyexpr: &z_owned_keyexpr_t) -> z_keyexpr_t {
@@ -309,6 +335,22 @@ pub unsafe extern "C" fn zc_keyexpr_from_slice(name: *const c_char, len: usize)
     }
 }
 
+/// Constructs a :c:type:`z_keyexpr_t` departing from a string.
+/// It is a loaned key expression that aliases `name`.
+/// The string is canonized in-place before being passed to keyexpr.
+/// May SEGFAULT if `start` is NULL or lies in read-only memory (as values initialized with string litterals do).
+#[allow(clippy::missing_safety_doc)]
+#[no_mangle]
+pub unsafe extern "C" fn zc_keyexpr_from_slice_autocanonize(
+    name: *mut c_char,
+    len: &mut usize,
+) -> z_keyexpr_t {
+    if z_keyexpr_canonize(name, len) < 0 {
+        return z_keyexpr_t::null();
+    }
+    zc_keyexpr_from_slice(name, *len)
+}
+
 /// Constructs a :c:type:`z_keyexpr_t` departing from a string.
 /// It is a loaned key expression that aliases `name`.
 #[allow(clippy::missing_safety_doc)]
@@ -321,6 +363,20 @@ pub unsafe extern "C" fn z_keyexpr(name: *const c_char) -> z_keyexpr_t {
     }
 }
 
+/// Constructs a :c:type:`z_keyexpr_t` departing from a string.
+/// It is a loaned key expression that aliases `name`.
+/// The string is canonized in-place before being passed to keyexpr.
+/// May SEGFAULT if `start` is NULL or lies in read-only memory (as values initialized with string litterals do).
+#[allow(clippy::missing_safety_doc)]
+#[no_mangle]
+pub unsafe extern "C" fn z_keyexpr_autocanonize(name: *mut c_char) -> z_keyexpr_t {
+    if name.is_null() || z_keyexpr_canonize_null_terminated(name) < 0 {
+        z_keyexpr_t::null()
+    } else {
+        z_keyexpr(name)
+    }
+}
+
 /// Constructs a :c:type:`z_keyexpr_t` departing from a string without checking any of `z_keyexpr_t`'s assertions:
 /// - `name` MUST be valid UTF8.
 /// - `name` MUST follow the Key Expression specification, ie:
diff --git a/tests/z_api_keyexpr_test.c b/tests/z_api_keyexpr_test.c
index b5cdeaad1..007c43b4b 100644
--- a/tests/z_api_keyexpr_test.c
+++ b/tests/z_api_keyexpr_test.c
@@ -41,6 +41,22 @@ void canonize() {
     printf("'%s', err = %d\n", keyexpr, err);
     assert(err == 0);
     assert(strcmp(keyexpr, "a/**/c") == 0);
+
+    strcpy(keyexpr, "a/**/**/c");
+    z_keyexpr_t key_expr_canonized = z_keyexpr_autocanonize(keyexpr);
+    assert(z_keyexpr_check(keyexpr) == true);
+    assert(strcmp(keyexpr, "a/**/c") == 0);
+    assert(z_keyexpr_as_bytes(key_expr_canonized).len == len_new);
+    assert(strncmp(z_keyexpr_as_bytes(key_expr_canonized).start, "a/**/c", len_new) == 0);
+
+    strcpy(keyexpr, "a/**/**/c");
+    len_new = len_old;
+    key_expr_canonized = zc_keyexpr_from_slice_autocanonize(keyexpr, &len_new);
+    assert(z_keyexpr_check(keyexpr) == true);
+    assert(len_new == len_old - 3);
+    assert(strncmp(keyexpr, "a/**/c", len_new) == 0);
+    assert(z_keyexpr_as_bytes(key_expr_canonized).len == len_new);
+    assert(strncmp(z_keyexpr_as_bytes(key_expr_canonized).start, "a/**/c", len_new) == 0);
 }
 
 void includes() {