diff --git a/common/gal/stroke_font.cpp b/common/gal/stroke_font.cpp
index bf4b7a09bc..15dddf4d86 100644
--- a/common/gal/stroke_font.cpp
+++ b/common/gal/stroke_font.cpp
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 
 #include <gal/stroke_font.h>
 #include <gal/graphics_abstraction_layer.h>
+#include <wx/string.h>
 
 using namespace KIGFX;
 
@@ -142,7 +143,7 @@ BOX2D STROKE_FONT::computeBoundingBox( const GLYPH& aGLYPH, const VECTOR2D& aGLY
 }
 
 
-void STROKE_FONT::Draw( std::wstring aText, const VECTOR2D& aPosition, double aRotationAngle )
+void STROKE_FONT::Draw( wxString aText, const VECTOR2D& aPosition, double aRotationAngle )
 {
     // By default overbar is turned off
     m_overbar = false;
@@ -154,14 +155,14 @@ void STROKE_FONT::Draw( std::wstring aText, const VECTOR2D& aPosition, double aR
     m_gal->Rotate( -aRotationAngle );
 
     // Split multiline strings into separate ones and draw them line by line
-    size_t newlinePos = aText.find( '\n' );
+    int newlinePos = aText.Find( '\n' );
 
-    if( newlinePos != std::wstring::npos )
+    if( newlinePos != wxNOT_FOUND )
     {
         VECTOR2D nextlinePosition = VECTOR2D( 0.0, m_glyphSize.y * LINE_HEIGHT_RATIO );
 
-        Draw( aText.substr( newlinePos + 1 ), nextlinePosition, 0.0 );
-        aText = aText.substr( 0, newlinePos );
+        Draw( aText.Mid( newlinePos + 1 ), nextlinePosition, 0.0 );
+        aText = aText.Mid( 0, newlinePos );
     }
 
     // Compute the text size
@@ -233,7 +234,7 @@ void STROKE_FONT::Draw( std::wstring aText, const VECTOR2D& aPosition, double aR
         m_gal->SetLineWidth( m_gal->GetLineWidth() * 1.3 );
     }
 
-    for( std::wstring::const_iterator chIt = aText.begin(); chIt != aText.end(); chIt++ )
+    for( wxString::const_iterator chIt = aText.begin(); chIt != aText.end(); chIt++ )
     {
         if( *chIt == '~' )
         {
@@ -292,11 +293,11 @@ void STROKE_FONT::Draw( std::wstring aText, const VECTOR2D& aPosition, double aR
 }
 
 
-VECTOR2D STROKE_FONT::computeTextSize( const std::wstring& aText ) const
+VECTOR2D STROKE_FONT::computeTextSize( const wxString& aText ) const
 {
     VECTOR2D result = VECTOR2D( 0.0, m_glyphSize.y );
 
-    for( std::wstring::const_iterator chIt = aText.begin(); chIt != aText.end(); chIt++ )
+    for( wxString::const_iterator chIt = aText.begin(); chIt != aText.end(); chIt++ )
     {
         if( *chIt == '~' )
             continue;
diff --git a/include/gal/graphics_abstraction_layer.h b/include/gal/graphics_abstraction_layer.h
index e5f35eb191..7745dfa172 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::wstring& aText, const VECTOR2D& aPosition,
+    inline virtual void StrokeText( const wxString& 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 5ea5dc4fea..5caa4502f9 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::wstring aText, const VECTOR2D& aPosition, double aRotationAngle );
+    void Draw( wxString 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::wstring& aText ) const;
+    VECTOR2D computeTextSize( const wxString& aText ) const;
 
     static const double LINE_HEIGHT_RATIO;
 };
diff --git a/pcbnew/pcb_painter.cpp b/pcbnew/pcb_painter.cpp
index 5c06adbb85..902c21f991 100644
--- a/pcbnew/pcb_painter.cpp
+++ b/pcbnew/pcb_painter.cpp
@@ -719,7 +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::wstring( aText->GetText().wc_str() ), position, orientation );
+    m_gal->StrokeText( aText->GetText(), position, orientation );
 }
 
 
@@ -735,7 +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::wstring( aText->GetText().wc_str() ), position, orientation );
+    m_gal->StrokeText( aText->GetText(), position, orientation );
 }