diff --git a/tools/wrc/genres.c b/tools/wrc/genres.c
index 4e8552fa37d..0950b3e9c3c 100644
--- a/tools/wrc/genres.c
+++ b/tools/wrc/genres.c
@@ -363,33 +363,21 @@ static int parse_accel_string( const string_t *key, int flags )
 static void put_string(res_t *res, const string_t *str, int isterm, const language_t *lang)
 {
     int cnt, codepage;
-    string_t *newstr;
-
-    assert(res != NULL);
-    assert(str != NULL);
-
-    if (lang) codepage = get_language_codepage( lang->id, lang->sub );
-    else codepage = get_language_codepage( 0, 0 );
-
-    assert( codepage != -1 );
 
     if (win32)
     {
-        newstr = convert_string(str, str_unicode, codepage);
-        if (str->type == str_char)
+        string_t *newstr;
+
+        if (lang) codepage = get_language_codepage( lang->id, lang->sub );
+        else codepage = get_language_codepage( 0, 0 );
+        assert( codepage != -1 );
+
+        newstr = convert_string_unicode( str, codepage );
+        if (str->type == str_char && check_valid_utf8( str, codepage ))
         {
-            if (!check_unicode_conversion( str, newstr, codepage ))
-            {
-                print_location( &str->loc );
-                error( "String %s does not convert identically to Unicode and back in codepage %d. "
-                       "Try using a Unicode string instead\n", str->str.cstr, codepage );
-            }
-            if (check_valid_utf8( str, codepage ))
-            {
-                print_location( &str->loc );
-                warning( "string \"%s\" seems to be UTF-8 but codepage %u is in use.\n",
-                         str->str.cstr, codepage );
-            }
+            print_location( &str->loc );
+            warning( "string \"%s\" seems to be UTF-8 but codepage %u is in use, maybe use --utf8?\n",
+                     str->str.cstr, codepage );
         }
         if (!isterm) put_word(res, newstr->size);
         for(cnt = 0; cnt < newstr->size; cnt++)
@@ -399,20 +387,22 @@ static void put_string(res_t *res, const string_t *str, int isterm, const langua
             put_word(res, c);
         }
         if (isterm) put_word(res, 0);
+        free_string(newstr);
     }
     else
     {
-        newstr = convert_string(str, str_char, codepage);
-        if (!isterm) put_byte(res, newstr->size);
-        for(cnt = 0; cnt < newstr->size; cnt++)
+        if (str->type == str_unicode)
+            internal_error(__FILE__, __LINE__, "Unicode string %s in 16-bit\n",
+                           convert_string_utf8( str, 0 ));
+        if (!isterm) put_byte(res, str->size);
+        for(cnt = 0; cnt < str->size; cnt++)
         {
-            char c = newstr->str.cstr[cnt];
+            char c = str->str.cstr[cnt];
             if (isterm && !c) break;
             put_byte(res, c);
         }
         if (isterm) put_byte(res, 0);
     }
-    free_string(newstr);
 }
 
 /*
@@ -1458,21 +1448,15 @@ static void versionblock2res(res_t *res, ver_block_t *blk, int level, const lang
 */
 static res_t *versioninfo2res(name_id_t *name, versioninfo_t *ver)
 {
-	int restag;
-	int rootblocksizetag;
-	int valsizetag;
-	int tag;
+	static const char info[] = "VS_VERSION_INFO";
+	unsigned int i;
+	int restag, rootblocksizetag, valsizetag, tag;
 	res_t *res;
-	string_t vsvi;
 	ver_block_t *blk;
 
 	assert(name != NULL);
 	assert(ver != NULL);
 
-	vsvi.type = str_char;
-	vsvi.str.cstr = xstrdup("VS_VERSION_INFO");
-	vsvi.size = 15; /* Excl. termination */
-
 	res = new_res();
 	restag = put_res_header(res, WRC_RT_VERSION, NULL, name, ver->memopt, &(ver->lvc));
 	rootblocksizetag = res->size;
@@ -1480,10 +1464,15 @@ static res_t *versioninfo2res(name_id_t *name, versioninfo_t *ver)
 	valsizetag = res->size;
 	put_word(res, 0);	/* ValueSize filled in later*/
 	if(win32)
+	{
 		put_word(res, 0);	/* Tree-level ? */
-	put_string(res, &vsvi, TRUE, NULL);
-	if(win32)
+		for (i = 0; i < sizeof(info); i++) put_word(res, info[i]);
 		put_pad(res);
+	}
+	else
+	{
+		for (i = 0; i < sizeof(info); i++) put_byte(res, info[i]);
+	}
 	tag = res->size;
 	put_dword(res, VS_FFI_SIGNATURE);
 	put_dword(res, VS_FFI_STRUCVERSION);
@@ -1505,8 +1494,6 @@ static res_t *versioninfo2res(name_id_t *name, versioninfo_t *ver)
 		versionblock2res(res, blk, 0, win32 ? ver->lvc.language : NULL);
 	/* Set root block's size */
 	set_word(res, rootblocksizetag, (WORD)(res->size - rootblocksizetag));
-
-	free(vsvi.str.cstr);
 	return end_res(res, restag);
 }
 
diff --git a/tools/wrc/parser.l b/tools/wrc/parser.l
index d1e768f72c7..3ee7eb4a96a 100644
--- a/tools/wrc/parser.l
+++ b/tools/wrc/parser.l
@@ -429,7 +429,7 @@ L\"			{
 				yy_push_state(tklstr);
 				wbufidx = 0;
 				if(!win32)
-					parser_warning("16bit resource contains unicode strings\n");
+					parser_error("16bit resource contains unicode strings\n");
 			}
 <tklstr>\"{ws}+	|
 <tklstr>\"		{
@@ -635,12 +635,9 @@ static string_t *get_buffered_cstring(void)
     }
     else  /* convert to Unicode before storing */
     {
-        string_t *str_w = convert_string( str, str_unicode, current_codepage );
-        if (!check_unicode_conversion( str, str_w, current_codepage ))
-            parser_error("String %s does not convert identically to Unicode and back in codepage %d. "
-                    "Try using a Unicode string instead", str->str.cstr, current_codepage );
+        string_t *str_w = convert_string_unicode( str, current_codepage );
         if (check_valid_utf8( str, current_codepage ))
-            parser_warning( "string \"%s\" seems to be UTF-8 but codepage %u is in use.\n",
+            parser_warning( "string \"%s\" seems to be UTF-8 but codepage %u is in use, maybe use --utf8?\n",
                             str->str.cstr, current_codepage );
         free_string( str );
         return str_w;
@@ -660,10 +657,13 @@ static string_t *get_buffered_wstring(void)
 
 static string_t *make_string(char *s)
 {
-	string_t *str = new_string();
+	string_t *ret, *str = new_string();
 	str->size = strlen(s);
 	str->type = str_char;
 	str->str.cstr = xmalloc(str->size+1);
 	memcpy(str->str.cstr, s, str->size+1);
-	return str;
+        if (current_codepage <= 0 || !win32) return str;
+	ret = convert_string_unicode( str, current_codepage );
+	free_string( str );
+	return ret;
 }
diff --git a/tools/wrc/po.c b/tools/wrc/po.c
index 726bed393f5..622d2f7a3ad 100644
--- a/tools/wrc/po.c
+++ b/tools/wrc/po.c
@@ -97,32 +97,30 @@ static name_id_t *dup_name_id( name_id_t *id )
     if (!id || id->type != name_str) return id;
     new = new_name_id();
     *new = *id;
-    new->name.s_name = convert_string( id->name.s_name, str_unicode, 1252 );
+    new->name.s_name = convert_string_unicode( id->name.s_name, 1252 );
     return new;
 }
 
 static char *convert_msgid_ascii( const string_t *str, int error_on_invalid_char )
 {
     int i;
-    string_t *newstr = convert_string( str, str_unicode, 1252 );
-    char *buffer = xmalloc( newstr->size + 1 );
+    char *buffer = xmalloc( str->size + 1 );
 
-    for (i = 0; i < newstr->size; i++)
+    for (i = 0; i < str->size; i++)
     {
-        buffer[i] =  newstr->str.wstr[i];
-        if (newstr->str.wstr[i] >= 32 && newstr->str.wstr[i] <= 127) continue;
-        if (newstr->str.wstr[i] == '\t' || newstr->str.wstr[i] == '\n') continue;
+        WCHAR ch = (str->type == str_unicode ? str->str.wstr[i] : (unsigned char)str->str.cstr[i]);
+        buffer[i] = ch;
+        if (ch >= 32 && ch <= 127) continue;
+        if (ch == '\t' || ch == '\n') continue;
         if (error_on_invalid_char)
         {
-            print_location( &newstr->loc );
-            error( "Invalid character %04x in source string\n", newstr->str.wstr[i] );
+            print_location( &str->loc );
+            error( "Invalid character %04x in source string\n", ch );
         }
         free( buffer);
-        free_string( newstr );
         return NULL;
     }
     buffer[i] = 0;
-    free_string( newstr );
     return buffer;
 }
 
@@ -1205,7 +1203,7 @@ static string_t *translate_string( string_t *str, int *found )
     char *buffer, *msgid, *context;
 
     if (!str->size || !(buffer = convert_msgid_ascii( str, 0 )))
-        return convert_string( str, str_unicode, 1252 );
+        return convert_string_unicode( str, 1252 );
 
     msgid = buffer;
     context = get_message_context( &msgid );
@@ -1216,7 +1214,7 @@ static string_t *translate_string( string_t *str, int *found )
     ustr.str.cstr = (char *)transl;
     ustr.loc = str->loc;
 
-    new = convert_string( &ustr, str_unicode, CP_UTF8 );
+    new = convert_string_unicode( &ustr, CP_UTF8 );
     free( buffer );
     return new;
 }
@@ -1310,7 +1308,7 @@ static void translate_dialog( dialog_t *dlg, dialog_t *new, int *found )
         new->font = xmalloc( sizeof(*dlg->font) );
         *new->font = *dlg->font;
         if (uses_larger_font( new->lvc.language )) new->font->size++;
-        new->font->name = convert_string( dlg->font->name, str_unicode, 1252 );
+        new->font->name = convert_string_unicode( dlg->font->name, 1252 );
     }
     new->controls = translate_controls( dlg->controls, found );
 }
@@ -1383,12 +1381,12 @@ static ver_value_t *translate_stringfileinfo( ver_value_t *val, language_t *lang
                 {
                     if (!strcasecmp( name, english_block_name[i] ))
                     {
-                        string_t *str;
-                        str = new_string();
-                        str->type     = str_char;
-                        str->size     = strlen( block_name[i] ) + 1;
-                        str->str.cstr = xstrdup( block_name[i] );
-                        new_blk->name   = str;
+                        string_t str;
+                        str.type     = str_char;
+                        str.size     = strlen( block_name[i] ) + 1;
+                        str.str.cstr = block_name[i];
+                        str.loc      = blk->name->loc;
+                        new_blk->name   = convert_string_unicode( &str, CP_UTF8 );
                         new_blk->values = translate_langcharset_values( blk->values, lang, found );
                     }
                 }
diff --git a/tools/wrc/utils.c b/tools/wrc/utils.c
index 6ec1fe7b66e..9780beb613f 100644
--- a/tools/wrc/utils.c
+++ b/tools/wrc/utils.c
@@ -301,11 +301,6 @@ static int wrc_mbstowcs( int codepage, int flags, const char *src, int srclen, W
     return MultiByteToWideChar( codepage, flags, src, srclen, dst, dstlen );
 }
 
-static int wrc_wcstombs( int codepage, int flags, const WCHAR *src, int srclen, char *dst, int dstlen )
-{
-    return WideCharToMultiByte( codepage, flags, src, srclen, dst, dstlen, NULL, NULL );
-}
-
 #else  /* _WIN32 */
 
 #include "wine/unicode.h"
@@ -320,11 +315,6 @@ static int wrc_mbstowcs( int codepage, int flags, const char *src, int srclen, W
     return wine_cp_mbstowcs( wine_cp_get_table( codepage ), flags, src, srclen, dst, dstlen );
 }
 
-static int wrc_wcstombs( int codepage, int flags, const WCHAR *src, int srclen, char *dst, int dstlen )
-{
-    return wine_cp_wcstombs( wine_cp_get_table( codepage ), flags, src, srclen, dst, dstlen, NULL, NULL );
-}
-
 #endif  /* _WIN32 */
 
 static WCHAR *utf8_to_unicode( const char *src, int srclen, int *dstlen )
@@ -448,19 +438,18 @@ static char *unicode_to_utf8( const WCHAR *src, int srclen, int *dstlen )
     return ret;
 }
 
-string_t *convert_string(const string_t *str, enum str_e type, int codepage)
+string_t *convert_string_unicode( const string_t *str, int codepage )
 {
     string_t *ret = xmalloc(sizeof(*ret));
     int res;
 
-    ret->type = type;
+    ret->type = str_unicode;
     ret->loc = str->loc;
 
-    if (!codepage && str->type != type)
-        parser_error( "Current language is Unicode only, cannot convert string" );
-
-    if((str->type == str_char) && (type == str_unicode))
+    if (str->type == str_char)
     {
+        if (!codepage) parser_error( "Current language is Unicode only, cannot convert string" );
+
         if (codepage == CP_UTF8)
             ret->str.wstr = utf8_to_unicode( str->str.cstr, str->size, &ret->size );
         else
@@ -475,38 +464,20 @@ string_t *convert_string(const string_t *str, enum str_e type, int codepage)
             ret->str.wstr[ret->size] = 0;
         }
     }
-    else if((str->type == str_unicode) && (type == str_char))
-    {
-        if (codepage == CP_UTF8)
-            ret->str.cstr = unicode_to_utf8( str->str.wstr, str->size, &ret->size );
-        else
-        {
-            ret->str.cstr = xmalloc( str->size * 2 + 1 );
-            ret->size = wrc_wcstombs( codepage, 0, str->str.wstr, str->size, ret->str.cstr, str->size * 2 );
-            ret->str.cstr[ret->size] = 0;
-        }
-    }
-    else if(str->type == str_unicode)
+    else
     {
         ret->size     = str->size;
         ret->str.wstr = xmalloc(sizeof(WCHAR)*(ret->size+1));
         memcpy( ret->str.wstr, str->str.wstr, ret->size * sizeof(WCHAR) );
         ret->str.wstr[ret->size] = 0;
     }
-    else /* str->type == str_char */
-    {
-        ret->size     = str->size;
-        ret->str.cstr = xmalloc( ret->size + 1 );
-        memcpy( ret->str.cstr, str->str.cstr, ret->size );
-        ret->str.cstr[ret->size] = 0;
-    }
     return ret;
 }
 
 char *convert_string_utf8( const string_t *str, int codepage )
 {
     int len;
-    string_t *wstr = convert_string( str, str_unicode, codepage );
+    string_t *wstr = convert_string_unicode( str, codepage );
     char *ret = unicode_to_utf8( wstr->str.wstr, wstr->size, &len );
     free_string( wstr );
     return ret;
@@ -548,32 +519,6 @@ done:
     return 0;
 }
 
-int check_unicode_conversion( const string_t *str_a, const string_t *str_w, int codepage )
-{
-    int ok;
-    string_t *teststr = convert_string( str_w, str_char, codepage );
-
-    ok = (teststr->size == str_a->size && !memcmp( teststr->str.cstr, str_a->str.cstr, str_a->size ));
-
-    if (!ok)
-    {
-        int i;
-
-        fprintf( stderr, "Source: %s", str_a->str.cstr );
-        for (i = 0; i < str_a->size; i++)
-            fprintf( stderr, " %02x", (unsigned char)str_a->str.cstr[i] );
-        fprintf( stderr, "\nUnicode: " );
-        for (i = 0; i < str_w->size; i++)
-            fprintf( stderr, " %04x", str_w->str.wstr[i] );
-        fprintf( stderr, "\nBack: %s", teststr->str.cstr );
-        for (i = 0; i < teststr->size; i++)
-            fprintf( stderr, " %02x", (unsigned char)teststr->str.cstr[i] );
-        fprintf( stderr, "\n" );
-    }
-    free_string( teststr );
-    return ok;
-}
-
 
 struct lang2cp
 {
diff --git a/tools/wrc/utils.h b/tools/wrc/utils.h
index f5d3385c558..aed10b5dea0 100644
--- a/tools/wrc/utils.h
+++ b/tools/wrc/utils.h
@@ -46,11 +46,10 @@ void chat(const char *s, ...) __attribute__((format (printf, 1, 2)));
 
 char *dup_basename(const char *name, const char *ext);
 int compare_name_id(const name_id_t *n1, const name_id_t *n2);
-string_t *convert_string(const string_t *str, enum str_e type, int codepage);
+string_t *convert_string_unicode( const string_t *str, int codepage );
 char *convert_string_utf8( const string_t *str, int codepage );
 void free_string( string_t *str );
 int check_valid_utf8( const string_t *str, int codepage );
-int check_unicode_conversion( const string_t *str_a, const string_t *str_w, int codepage );
 int get_language_codepage( unsigned short lang, unsigned short sublang );
 int is_valid_codepage(int cp);