diff --git a/common/gal/stroke_font.cpp b/common/gal/stroke_font.cpp
index 2ec1b43a0d..bf4b7a09bc 100644
--- a/common/gal/stroke_font.cpp
+++ b/common/gal/stroke_font.cpp
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ BOX2D STROKE_FONT::computeBoundingBox( const GLYPH& aGLYPH, const VECTOR2D& aGLY
 }
 
 
-void STROKE_FONT::Draw( std::string aText, const VECTOR2D& aPosition, double aRotationAngle )
+void STROKE_FONT::Draw( std::wstring aText, const VECTOR2D& aPosition, double aRotationAngle )
 {
     // By default overbar is turned off
     m_overbar = false;
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ void STROKE_FONT::Draw( std::string aText, const VECTOR2D& aPosition, double aRo
     // Split multiline strings into separate ones and draw them line by line
     size_t newlinePos = aText.find( '\n' );
 
-    if( newlinePos != std::string::npos )
+    if( newlinePos != std::wstring::npos )
     {
         VECTOR2D nextlinePosition = VECTOR2D( 0.0, m_glyphSize.y * LINE_HEIGHT_RATIO );
 
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ void STROKE_FONT::Draw( std::string aText, const VECTOR2D& aPosition, double aRo
         m_gal->SetLineWidth( m_gal->GetLineWidth() * 1.3 );
     }
 
-    for( std::string::const_iterator chIt = aText.begin(); chIt != aText.end(); chIt++ )
+    for( std::wstring::const_iterator chIt = aText.begin(); chIt != aText.end(); chIt++ )
     {
         if( *chIt == '~' )
         {
@@ -244,7 +244,7 @@ void STROKE_FONT::Draw( std::string aText, const VECTOR2D& aPosition, double aRo
         GLYPH_LIST::iterator glyphIt = m_glyphs.begin();
         std::deque<BOX2D>::iterator bbIt = m_glyphBoundingBoxes.begin();
 
-        unsigned dd = (unsigned) ((unsigned char) *chIt ) - (unsigned) ' ';
+        unsigned dd = *chIt - ' ';
 
         if( dd >= m_glyphBoundingBoxes.size() )
             dd = '?' - ' ';
@@ -292,17 +292,17 @@ void STROKE_FONT::Draw( std::string aText, const VECTOR2D& aPosition, double aRo
 }
 
 
-VECTOR2D STROKE_FONT::computeTextSize( const std::string& aText ) const
+VECTOR2D STROKE_FONT::computeTextSize( const std::wstring& aText ) const
 {
     VECTOR2D result = VECTOR2D( 0.0, m_glyphSize.y );
 
-    for( std::string::const_iterator chIt = aText.begin(); chIt != aText.end(); chIt++ )
+    for( std::wstring::const_iterator chIt = aText.begin(); chIt != aText.end(); chIt++ )
     {
         if( *chIt == '~' )
             continue;
 
         std::deque<BOX2D>::const_iterator bbIt = m_glyphBoundingBoxes.begin();
-        unsigned dd =  (unsigned) ((unsigned char)*chIt) - (unsigned) ' ';
+        unsigned dd = *chIt - ' ';
 
         if( dd >= m_glyphBoundingBoxes.size() )
             dd = '?' - ' ';
diff --git a/common/worksheet_viewitem.cpp b/common/worksheet_viewitem.cpp
index 5ad38bc46a..7ecf6de8d7 100644
--- a/common/worksheet_viewitem.cpp
+++ b/common/worksheet_viewitem.cpp
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ void WORKSHEET_VIEWITEM::draw( const WS_DRAW_ITEM_TEXT* aItem, GAL* aGal ) const
     aGal->SetStrokeColor( COLOR4D( aItem->GetColor() ) );
     aGal->SetLineWidth( aItem->GetThickness() );
     aGal->SetTextAttributes( aItem );
-    aGal->StrokeText( std::string( aItem->GetText().mb_str() ), position, 0.0 );
+    aGal->StrokeText( std::wstring( aItem->GetText().wc_str() ), position, 0.0 );
 }
 
 
diff --git a/include/gal/graphics_abstraction_layer.h b/include/gal/graphics_abstraction_layer.h
index f374979531..e5f35eb191 100644
--- a/include/gal/graphics_abstraction_layer.h
+++ b/include/gal/graphics_abstraction_layer.h
@@ -277,7 +277,7 @@ public:
      * @param aPosition is the text position in world coordinates.
      * @param aRotationAngle is the text rotation angle.
      */
-    inline virtual void StrokeText( const std::string& aText, const VECTOR2D& aPosition,
+    inline virtual void StrokeText( const std::wstring& aText, const VECTOR2D& aPosition,
                                     double aRotationAngle )
     {
         strokeFont.Draw( aText, aPosition, aRotationAngle );
diff --git a/include/gal/stroke_font.h b/include/gal/stroke_font.h
index 50882ee142..5ea5dc4fea 100644
--- a/include/gal/stroke_font.h
+++ b/include/gal/stroke_font.h
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ public:
      * @param aPosition is the text position in world coordinates.
      * @param aRotationAngle is the text rotation angle.
      */
-    void Draw( std::string aText, const VECTOR2D& aPosition, double aRotationAngle );
+    void Draw( std::wstring aText, const VECTOR2D& aPosition, double aRotationAngle );
 
     /**
      * @brief Set the scale factor of the font for the glyph size.
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ private:
      * @param aText is the text string.
      * @return is the text size.
      */
-    VECTOR2D computeTextSize( const std::string& aText ) const;
+    VECTOR2D computeTextSize( const std::wstring& aText ) const;
 
     static const double LINE_HEIGHT_RATIO;
 };
diff --git a/pcbnew/pcb_painter.cpp b/pcbnew/pcb_painter.cpp
index 692f73f5e7..5c06adbb85 100644
--- a/pcbnew/pcb_painter.cpp
+++ b/pcbnew/pcb_painter.cpp
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@ void PCB_PAINTER::draw( const TRACK* aTrack, int aLayer )
             if( !net )
                 return;
 
-            std::string netName = std::string( net->GetShortNetname().mb_str() );
+            std::wstring netName = std::wstring( net->GetShortNetname().wc_str() );
             VECTOR2D textPosition = start + line / 2.0;     // center of the track
             double textOrientation = -atan( line.y / line.x );
             double textSize = std::min( static_cast<double>( width ), length / netName.length() );
@@ -456,7 +456,7 @@ void PCB_PAINTER::draw( const D_PAD* aPad, int aLayer )
                 VECTOR2D namesize( tsize, tsize );
                 m_gal->SetGlyphSize( namesize );
                 m_gal->SetLineWidth( namesize.x / 12.0 );
-                m_gal->StrokeText( std::string( aPad->GetShortNetname().mb_str() ),
+                m_gal->StrokeText( std::wstring( aPad->GetShortNetname().wc_str() ),
                                    textpos, 0.0 );
             }
 
@@ -474,8 +474,7 @@ void PCB_PAINTER::draw( const D_PAD* aPad, int aLayer )
 
                 m_gal->SetGlyphSize( numsize );
                 m_gal->SetLineWidth( numsize.x / 12.0 );
-                m_gal->StrokeText( std::string( aPad->GetPadName().mb_str() ),
-                                   textpos, 0.0 );
+                m_gal->StrokeText( std::wstring( aPad->GetPadName().wc_str() ), textpos, 0.0 );
             }
 
             m_gal->Restore();
@@ -720,7 +719,7 @@ void PCB_PAINTER::draw( const TEXTE_PCB* aText, int aLayer )
     m_gal->SetStrokeColor( strokeColor );
     m_gal->SetLineWidth( aText->GetThickness() );
     m_gal->SetTextAttributes( aText );
-    m_gal->StrokeText( std::string( aText->GetText().mb_str() ), position, orientation );
+    m_gal->StrokeText( std::wstring( aText->GetText().wc_str() ), position, orientation );
 }
 
 
@@ -736,7 +735,7 @@ void PCB_PAINTER::draw( const TEXTE_MODULE* aText, int aLayer )
     m_gal->SetStrokeColor( strokeColor );
     m_gal->SetLineWidth( aText->GetThickness() );
     m_gal->SetTextAttributes( aText );
-    m_gal->StrokeText( std::string( aText->GetText().mb_str() ), position, orientation );
+    m_gal->StrokeText( std::wstring( aText->GetText().wc_str() ), position, orientation );
 }
 
 
@@ -836,7 +835,7 @@ void PCB_PAINTER::draw( const DIMENSION* aDimension, int aLayer )
 
     m_gal->SetLineWidth( text.GetThickness() );
     m_gal->SetTextAttributes( &text );
-    m_gal->StrokeText( std::string( text.GetText().mb_str() ), position, orientation );
+    m_gal->StrokeText( std::wstring( text.GetText().wc_str() ), position, orientation );
 }