diff --git a/app/main.c b/app/main.c
index c5a5416414..6a99f52bb9 100644
--- a/app/main.c
+++ b/app/main.c
@@ -625,29 +625,18 @@ main (int    argc,
     const gchar *install_dir;
     gchar       *bin_dir;
     LPWSTR       w_bin_dir;
-    int          n;
 
     w_bin_dir = NULL;
     install_dir = gimp_installation_directory ();
     bin_dir = g_build_filename (install_dir, "bin", NULL);
 
-    n = MultiByteToWideChar (CP_UTF8, MB_ERR_INVALID_CHARS,
-                             bin_dir, -1, NULL, 0);
-    if (n == 0)
-      goto out;
-
-    w_bin_dir = g_malloc_n (n + 1, sizeof (wchar_t));
-    n = MultiByteToWideChar (CP_UTF8, MB_ERR_INVALID_CHARS,
-                             bin_dir, -1,
-                             w_bin_dir, (n + 1) * sizeof (wchar_t));
-    if (n == 0)
-      goto out;
-
-    SetDllDirectoryW (w_bin_dir);
-
-  out:
+    w_bin_dir = g_utf8_to_utf16 (bin_dir, -1, NULL, NULL, NULL);
     if (w_bin_dir)
-      g_free (w_bin_dir);
+      {
+        SetDllDirectoryW (w_bin_dir);
+        g_free (w_bin_dir);
+      }
+
     g_free (bin_dir);
   }
 
diff --git a/libgimp/gimp.c b/libgimp/gimp.c
index 63f9c3cd8b..dc3dc77875 100644
--- a/libgimp/gimp.c
+++ b/libgimp/gimp.c
@@ -213,29 +213,18 @@ gimp_main (GType  plug_in_type,
     const gchar *install_dir;
     gchar       *bin_dir;
     LPWSTR       w_bin_dir;
-    int          n;
 
     w_bin_dir = NULL;
     install_dir = gimp_installation_directory ();
     bin_dir = g_build_filename (install_dir, "bin", NULL);
 
-    n = MultiByteToWideChar (CP_UTF8, MB_ERR_INVALID_CHARS,
-                             bin_dir, -1, NULL, 0);
-    if (n == 0)
-      goto out;
-
-    w_bin_dir = g_malloc_n (n + 1, sizeof (wchar_t));
-    n = MultiByteToWideChar (CP_UTF8, MB_ERR_INVALID_CHARS,
-                             bin_dir, -1,
-                             w_bin_dir, (n + 1) * sizeof (wchar_t));
-    if (n == 0)
-      goto out;
-
-    SetDllDirectoryW (w_bin_dir);
-
-  out:
+    w_bin_dir = g_utf8_to_utf16 (bin_dir, -1, NULL, NULL, NULL);
     if (w_bin_dir)
-      g_free (w_bin_dir);
+      {
+        SetDllDirectoryW (w_bin_dir);
+        g_free (w_bin_dir);
+      }
+
     g_free (bin_dir);
   }
 
diff --git a/libgimpbase/gimputils.c b/libgimpbase/gimputils.c
index 227efd5b95..85f26c2e3d 100644
--- a/libgimpbase/gimputils.c
+++ b/libgimpbase/gimputils.c
@@ -377,7 +377,6 @@ gimp_file_show_in_file_manager (GFile   *file,
   {
     gboolean ret;
     char *filename;
-    int n;
     LPWSTR w_filename = NULL;
     ITEMIDLIST *pidl = NULL;
 
@@ -385,7 +384,8 @@ gimp_file_show_in_file_manager (GFile   *file,
 
     /* Calling this function multiple times should do no harm, but it is
        easier to put this here as it needs linking against ole32. */
-    CoInitialize (NULL);
+    if (FAILED (CoInitialize (NULL)))
+      return ret;
 
     filename = g_file_get_path (file);
     if (!filename)
@@ -395,20 +395,8 @@ gimp_file_show_in_file_manager (GFile   *file,
         goto out;
       }
 
-    n = MultiByteToWideChar (CP_UTF8, MB_ERR_INVALID_CHARS,
-                             filename, -1, NULL, 0);
-    if (n == 0)
-      {
-        g_set_error_literal (error, G_FILE_ERROR, 0,
-                             _("Error converting UTF-8 filename to wide char"));
-        goto out;
-      }
-
-    w_filename = g_malloc_n (n + 1, sizeof (wchar_t));
-    n = MultiByteToWideChar (CP_UTF8, MB_ERR_INVALID_CHARS,
-                             filename, -1,
-                             w_filename, (n + 1) * sizeof (wchar_t));
-    if (n == 0)
+    w_filename = g_utf8_to_utf16 (filename, -1, NULL, NULL, NULL);
+    if (!w_filename)
       {
         g_set_error_literal (error, G_FILE_ERROR, 0,
                              _("Error converting UTF-8 filename to wide char"));
@@ -432,6 +420,8 @@ gimp_file_show_in_file_manager (GFile   *file,
     g_free (w_filename);
     g_free (filename);
 
+    CoUninitialize ();
+
     return ret;
   }