diff --git a/pcbnew/pcb_io/kicad_sexpr/pcb_io_kicad_sexpr.cpp b/pcbnew/pcb_io/kicad_sexpr/pcb_io_kicad_sexpr.cpp
index 0856b33b55..ef155a1f99 100644
--- a/pcbnew/pcb_io/kicad_sexpr/pcb_io_kicad_sexpr.cpp
+++ b/pcbnew/pcb_io/kicad_sexpr/pcb_io_kicad_sexpr.cpp
@@ -869,7 +869,7 @@ void PCB_IO_KICAD_SEXPR::format( const PCB_DIMENSION_BASE* aDimension, int aNest
 
     formatLayer( aDimension->GetLayer() );
 
-    if(!m_no_generate_uuid) {
+    if(!this->m_no_generate_uuid) {
         KICAD_FORMAT::FormatUuid( m_out, aDimension->m_Uuid );
     }
 
@@ -1031,7 +1031,7 @@ void PCB_IO_KICAD_SEXPR::format( const PCB_SHAPE* aShape, int aNestLevel ) const
     if( aShape->GetNetCode() > 0 )
         m_out->Print( 0, " (net %d)", m_mapping->Translate( aShape->GetNetCode() ) );
 
-    if(!m_no_generate_uuid) {
+    if(!this->m_no_generate_uuid) {
         KICAD_FORMAT::FormatUuid( m_out, aShape->m_Uuid, 0 );
     }
 
@@ -1079,7 +1079,7 @@ void PCB_IO_KICAD_SEXPR::format( const PCB_REFERENCE_IMAGE* aBitmap, int aNestLe
     m_out->Print( 0, "\n" );
     m_out->Print( aNestLevel + 1, ")\n" );  // Closes data token.
 
-    if(!m_no_generate_uuid) {
+    if(!this->m_no_generate_uuid) {
         KICAD_FORMAT::FormatUuid( m_out, aBitmap->m_Uuid, 0 );
     }
 
@@ -1099,7 +1099,7 @@ void PCB_IO_KICAD_SEXPR::format( const PCB_TARGET* aTarget, int aNestLevel ) con
 
     formatLayer( aTarget->GetLayer() );
 
-    if(!m_no_generate_uuid) {
+    if(!this->m_no_generate_uuid) {
         KICAD_FORMAT::FormatUuid( m_out, aTarget->m_Uuid, 0 );
     }
 
@@ -1151,7 +1151,7 @@ void PCB_IO_KICAD_SEXPR::format( const FOOTPRINT* aFootprint, int aNestLevel ) c
 
     m_out->Print( 0, "\n" );
 
-    if( !( m_ctl & CTL_OMIT_UUIDS ) && !m_no_generate_uuid )
+    if( !( m_ctl & CTL_OMIT_UUIDS ) && !this->m_no_generate_uuid )
         KICAD_FORMAT::FormatUuid( m_out, aFootprint->m_Uuid );
 
     if( !( m_ctl & CTL_OMIT_AT ) )
@@ -1830,7 +1830,7 @@ void PCB_IO_KICAD_SEXPR::format( const PAD* aPad, int aNestLevel ) const
     }
 
     m_out->Print( 0, "\n" );
-    if(!m_no_generate_uuid) {
+    if(!this->m_no_generate_uuid) {
         KICAD_FORMAT::FormatUuid( m_out, aPad->m_Uuid );
     }
     m_out->Print( aNestLevel, ")\n" );
@@ -1887,7 +1887,7 @@ void PCB_IO_KICAD_SEXPR::format( const PCB_TEXT* aText, int aNestLevel ) const
     if( parentFP && !aText->IsVisible() )
         KICAD_FORMAT::FormatBool( m_out, 0, "hide", !aText->IsVisible() );
 
-    if(!m_no_generate_uuid) {
+    if(!this->m_no_generate_uuid) {
         KICAD_FORMAT::FormatUuid( m_out, aText->m_Uuid );
     }
 
@@ -1955,7 +1955,7 @@ void PCB_IO_KICAD_SEXPR::format( const PCB_TEXTBOX* aTextBox, int aNestLevel ) c
     formatLayer( aTextBox->GetLayer() );
     m_out->Print( 0, "\n" );
 
-    if(!m_no_generate_uuid) {
+    if(!this->m_no_generate_uuid) {
         KICAD_FORMAT::FormatUuid( m_out, aTextBox->m_Uuid );
     }
 
@@ -2044,7 +2044,7 @@ void PCB_IO_KICAD_SEXPR::format( const PCB_GROUP* aGroup, int aNestLevel ) const
 
     m_out->Print( aNestLevel, "(group %s\n", m_out->Quotew( aGroup->GetName() ).c_str() );
 
-    if(!m_no_generate_uuid) {
+    if(!this->m_no_generate_uuid) {
         KICAD_FORMAT::FormatUuid( m_out, aGroup->m_Uuid );
     }
 
@@ -2072,7 +2072,7 @@ void PCB_IO_KICAD_SEXPR::format( const PCB_GENERATOR* aGenerator, int aNestLevel
 {
     m_out->Print( aNestLevel, "(generated\n" );
 
-    if(!m_no_generate_uuid) {
+    if(!this->m_no_generate_uuid) {
         KICAD_FORMAT::FormatUuid( m_out, aGenerator->m_Uuid );
     }
 
@@ -2288,7 +2288,7 @@ void PCB_IO_KICAD_SEXPR::format( const PCB_TRACK* aTrack, int aNestLevel ) const
 
     m_out->Print( 0, " (net %d)", m_mapping->Translate( aTrack->GetNetCode() ) );
 
-    if(!m_no_generate_uuid) {
+    if(!this->m_no_generate_uuid) {
         KICAD_FORMAT::FormatUuid( m_out, aTrack->m_Uuid );
     }
 
@@ -2326,7 +2326,7 @@ void PCB_IO_KICAD_SEXPR::format( const ZONE* aZone, int aNestLevel ) const
         formatLayer( aZone->GetFirstLayer() );
     }
 
-    if(!m_no_generate_uuid) {
+    if(!this->m_no_generate_uuid) {
         KICAD_FORMAT::FormatUuid( m_out, aZone->m_Uuid );
     }
 
diff --git a/pcbnew/pcb_io/kicad_sexpr/pcb_io_kicad_sexpr.h b/pcbnew/pcb_io/kicad_sexpr/pcb_io_kicad_sexpr.h
index 635f16d339..d0823f4d6a 100644
--- a/pcbnew/pcb_io/kicad_sexpr/pcb_io_kicad_sexpr.h
+++ b/pcbnew/pcb_io/kicad_sexpr/pcb_io_kicad_sexpr.h
@@ -220,8 +220,6 @@ class FP_CACHE
                                  // m_cache_timestamp against all the files.
     long long m_cache_timestamp; // A hash of the timestamps for all the footprint
                                  // files.
-    
-    bool m_no_generate_uuid;     ///< Flag: Do not generate UUIDs for footprints
 
 public:
     FP_CACHE( PCB_IO_KICAD_SEXPR* aOwner, const wxString& aLibraryPath );
@@ -378,6 +376,8 @@ public:
         return ret;
     }
 
+    inline void SetUUIDDisabled( bool aDisabled ) { m_no_generate_uuid = aDisabled; }
+
     void SetOutputFormatter( OUTPUTFORMATTER* aFormatter ) { m_out = aFormatter; }
 
     BOARD_ITEM* Parse( const wxString& aClipboardSourceInput );
@@ -463,6 +463,8 @@ protected:
     NETINFO_MAPPING*       m_mapping;    ///< mapping for net codes, so only not empty net codes
                                          ///< are stored with consecutive integers as net codes
 
+    bool m_no_generate_uuid;     ///< Flag: Do not generate UUIDs for footprints
+
     std::function<bool( wxString aTitle, int aIcon, wxString aMsg, wxString aAction )> m_queryUserCallback;
 };
 
diff --git a/pcbnew/pcb_io/pcb_io_mgr.cpp b/pcbnew/pcb_io/pcb_io_mgr.cpp
index 7a59d88117..e2b991ebce 100644
--- a/pcbnew/pcb_io/pcb_io_mgr.cpp
+++ b/pcbnew/pcb_io/pcb_io_mgr.cpp
@@ -29,6 +29,8 @@
 #include <kiway_player.h>
 #include <wildcards_and_files_ext.h>
 
+#include <string_utf8_map.h>
+
 #include <pcb_io/pcb_io_mgr.h>
 
 #include <pcb_io/eagle/pcb_io_eagle.h>
@@ -219,13 +221,13 @@ bool PCB_IO_MGR::ConvertLibrary( STRING_UTF8_MAP* aOldFileProps, const wxString&
             std::unique_ptr<const FOOTPRINT> fp( oldFilePI->GetEnumeratedFootprint( aOldFilePath, fpName, aOldFileProps ) );
             // Set options
             PCB_IO_KICAD_SEXPR* kicad_sexpr_parser = dynamic_cast<PCB_IO_KICAD_SEXPR*>( kicadPI.get() );
-            if(kicad_sexpr_parser !== nullptr) {
-                kicad_sexpr_parser->m_no_generate_uuid =
-                    aOldFileProps->Exists( "no_uuid_gen" ) &&
-                    aOldFileProps->at( "no_uuid_gen" ) == "true";
+            if(kicad_sexpr_parser != nullptr) {
+                UTF8 value;
+                bool exists = aOldFileProps->Value( "no_uuid_gen", &value );
+                kicad_sexpr_parser->SetUUIDDisabled(
+                    exists && value == "true"
+                );
             }
-
-
             kicadPI->FootprintSave( aNewFilePath, fp.get() );
         }
 
diff --git a/pcbnew/pcbnew_jobs_handler.cpp b/pcbnew/pcbnew_jobs_handler.cpp
index b8cd5b8328..4ae08db672 100644
--- a/pcbnew/pcbnew_jobs_handler.cpp
+++ b/pcbnew/pcbnew_jobs_handler.cpp
@@ -1131,7 +1131,7 @@ int PCBNEW_JOBS_HANDLER::JobExportFpUpgrade( JOB* aJob )
     else
     {
         STRING_UTF8_MAP properties;
-        properties.insert("no_uuid_gen", upgradeJob->m_no_uuid_gen ? "true" : "false");
+        properties.emplace("no_uuid_gen", upgradeJob->m_no_uuid_gen ? UTF8("true") : UTF8("false"));
         if( !PCB_IO_MGR::ConvertLibrary( &properties, upgradeJob->m_libraryPath, upgradeJob->m_outputLibraryPath ) )
         {
             m_reporter->Report( ( "Unable to convert library\n" ), RPT_SEVERITY_ERROR );