diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index e69bf79..527a4fd 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ build-backend = "hatchling.build"
 
 [project]
 name = "vitessce"
-version = "3.5.0"
+version = "3.5.1"
 authors = [
   { name="Mark Keller", email="mark_keller@hms.harvard.edu" },
 ]
diff --git a/src/vitessce/widget.py b/src/vitessce/widget.py
index 4b34473..ed3b777 100644
--- a/src/vitessce/widget.py
+++ b/src/vitessce/widget.py
@@ -244,6 +244,15 @@ def get_uid_str(uid):
                         signal: AbortSignal.timeout(invokeTimeout),
                     });
                     if (!data.success) return undefined;
+
+                    if (key.includes("spatialdata_attrs") && key.endsWith("0") && !ArrayBuffer.isView(buffers[0].buffer)) {
+                        // For some reason, the Zarrita.js UnicodeStringArray does not seem to work with
+                        // ArrayBuffers (throws a TypeError), so here we convert to Uint8Array if needed.
+                        // This error is occurring specifically for the arr.getChunk call within the AnnDataSource._loadString function.
+                        // TODO: figure out a more long-term solution.
+                        return new Uint8Array(buffers[0].buffer);
+                    }
+
                     return buffers[0].buffer;
                 },
             }
@@ -454,7 +463,7 @@ class VitessceWidget(anywidget.AnyWidget):
 
     next_port = DEFAULT_PORT
 
-    js_package_version = Unicode('3.4.14').tag(sync=True)
+    js_package_version = Unicode('3.5.4').tag(sync=True)
     js_dev_mode = Bool(False).tag(sync=True)
     custom_js_url = Unicode('').tag(sync=True)
     plugin_esm = List(trait=Unicode(''), default_value=[]).tag(sync=True)
@@ -463,7 +472,7 @@ class VitessceWidget(anywidget.AnyWidget):
 
     store_urls = List(trait=Unicode(''), default_value=[]).tag(sync=True)
 
-    def __init__(self, config, height=600, theme='auto', uid=None, port=None, proxy=False, js_package_version='3.4.14', js_dev_mode=False, custom_js_url='', plugins=None, remount_on_uid_change=True, invoke_timeout=30000):
+    def __init__(self, config, height=600, theme='auto', uid=None, port=None, proxy=False, js_package_version='3.5.4', js_dev_mode=False, custom_js_url='', plugins=None, remount_on_uid_change=True, invoke_timeout=30000):
         """
         Construct a new Vitessce widget.
 
@@ -576,7 +585,7 @@ def _plugin_command(self, params, buffers):
 # Launch Vitessce using plain HTML representation (no ipywidgets)
 
 
-def ipython_display(config, height=600, theme='auto', base_url=None, host_name=None, uid=None, port=None, proxy=False, js_package_version='3.4.14', js_dev_mode=False, custom_js_url='', plugin_esm=DEFAULT_PLUGIN_ESM, remount_on_uid_change=True):
+def ipython_display(config, height=600, theme='auto', base_url=None, host_name=None, uid=None, port=None, proxy=False, js_package_version='3.5.4', js_dev_mode=False, custom_js_url='', plugin_esm=DEFAULT_PLUGIN_ESM, remount_on_uid_change=True):
     from IPython.display import display, HTML
     uid_str = "vitessce" + get_uid_str(uid)