diff --git a/rbutil/rbutilqt/encoders.cpp b/rbutil/rbutilqt/encoders.cpp
index acc7e4ef9c..f9ce05479a 100644
--- a/rbutil/rbutilqt/encoders.cpp
+++ b/rbutil/rbutilqt/encoders.cpp
@@ -186,11 +186,11 @@ bool EncRbSpeex::encode(QString input,QString output)
     char errstr[512];
     
     FILE *fin,*fout;
-    if ((fin = fopen(input.toUtf8(), "rb")) == NULL) {
+    if ((fin = fopen(input.toLocal8Bit(), "rb")) == NULL) {
         qDebug() << "Error: could not open input file\n";
         return false;
     }
-    if ((fout = fopen(output.toUtf8(), "wb")) == NULL) {
+    if ((fout = fopen(output.toLocal8Bit(), "wb")) == NULL) {
         qDebug() << "Error: could not open output file\n";
         return false;
     }
diff --git a/rbutil/rbutilqt/tts.cpp b/rbutil/rbutilqt/tts.cpp
index f9afd1e1a7..538ac257f9 100644
--- a/rbutil/rbutilqt/tts.cpp
+++ b/rbutil/rbutilqt/tts.cpp
@@ -266,7 +266,7 @@ bool TTSSapi::voice(QString text,QString wavfile)
 {
     QString query = "SPEAK\t"+wavfile+"\t"+text+"\r\n";
     qDebug() << "voicing" << query;
-    voicescript->write(query.toUtf8());
+    voicescript->write(query.toLocal8Bit());
     voicescript->write("SYNC\tbla\r\n");
     voicescript->waitForReadyRead();
     return true;
@@ -275,7 +275,7 @@ bool TTSSapi::voice(QString text,QString wavfile)
 bool TTSSapi::stop()
 {   
     QString query = "QUIT\r\n";
-    voicescript->write(query.toUtf8());
+    voicescript->write(query.toLocal8Bit());
     voicescript->waitForFinished();
     delete voicescript;
     QFile::setPermissions(QDir::tempPath() +"/sapi_voice.vbs",QFile::ReadOwner |QFile::WriteOwner|QFile::ExeOwner