diff --git a/src/achievements/achievement.cpp b/src/achievements/achievement.cpp
index d6dbb3589..7aa60397b 100644
--- a/src/achievements/achievement.cpp
+++ b/src/achievements/achievement.cpp
@@ -68,8 +68,8 @@ void Achievement::load(const XMLNode *node)
  */
 void Achievement::save(UTFWriter &out)
 {
-    out << L"        <achievement id=\"" << m_id << L"\" "
-        << L"achieved=\"" << m_achieved << "\"";
+    out << "        <achievement id=\"" << m_id << "\" "
+        << "achieved=\"" << m_achieved << "\"";
     if (isAchieved())
     {
         out << "/>\n";
diff --git a/src/achievements/achievements_status.cpp b/src/achievements/achievements_status.cpp
index bccf443d2..2b51abe7e 100644
--- a/src/achievements/achievements_status.cpp
+++ b/src/achievements/achievements_status.cpp
@@ -94,14 +94,14 @@ void AchievementsStatus::add(Achievement *achievement)
  */
 void AchievementsStatus::save(UTFWriter &out)
 {
-    out << L"      <achievements online=\"" << m_online << L"\"> \n";
+    out << "      <achievements online=\"" << m_online << "\"> \n";
     std::map<uint32_t, Achievement*>::const_iterator i;
     for(i = m_achievements.begin(); i != m_achievements.end();  i++)
     {
         if (i->second != NULL)
             i->second->save(out);
     }
-    out << L"      </achievements>\n";
+    out << "      </achievements>\n";
 }   // save
 
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/src/challenges/challenge_status.cpp b/src/challenges/challenge_status.cpp
index 1c0c36863..1397422ea 100644
--- a/src/challenges/challenge_status.cpp
+++ b/src/challenges/challenge_status.cpp
@@ -104,15 +104,15 @@ bool ChallengeStatus::isGrandPrix()
 
 void ChallengeStatus::save(UTFWriter& writer)
 {
-    writer << L"        <" << m_data->getChallengeId();
+    writer << "        <" << m_data->getChallengeId();
     if (isSolved(RaceManager::DIFFICULTY_BEST))
-        writer << L" solved=\"best\"/>\n";
+        writer << " solved=\"best\"/>\n";
     else if (isSolved(RaceManager::DIFFICULTY_HARD))
-        writer << L" solved=\"hard\"/>\n";
+        writer << " solved=\"hard\"/>\n";
     else if (isSolved(RaceManager::DIFFICULTY_MEDIUM))
-        writer << L" solved=\"medium\"/>\n";
+        writer << " solved=\"medium\"/>\n";
     else if (isSolved(RaceManager::DIFFICULTY_EASY))
-        writer << L" solved=\"easy\"/>\n";
+        writer << " solved=\"easy\"/>\n";
     else
-        writer << L" solved=\"none\"/>\n";
+        writer << " solved=\"none\"/>\n";
 }   // save
diff --git a/src/challenges/story_mode_status.cpp b/src/challenges/story_mode_status.cpp
index 8fb8d820a..266f6548d 100644
--- a/src/challenges/story_mode_status.cpp
+++ b/src/challenges/story_mode_status.cpp
@@ -355,7 +355,7 @@ void StoryModeStatus::grandPrixFinished()
  */
 void StoryModeStatus::save(UTFWriter &out)
 {
-    out << L"      <story-mode first-time=\"" << m_first_time  << L"\">\n";
+    out << "      <story-mode first-time=\"" << m_first_time  << L"\">\n";
     std::map<std::string, ChallengeStatus*>::const_iterator i;
     for(i = m_challenges_state.begin();
         i != m_challenges_state.end();  i++)
@@ -363,5 +363,5 @@ void StoryModeStatus::save(UTFWriter &out)
         if (i->second != NULL)
             i->second->save(out);
     }
-    out << L"      </story-mode>\n";
+    out << "      </story-mode>\n";
 }  // save
diff --git a/src/config/player_manager.cpp b/src/config/player_manager.cpp
index 416600b46..f52e470e4 100644
--- a/src/config/player_manager.cpp
+++ b/src/config/player_manager.cpp
@@ -261,14 +261,14 @@ void PlayerManager::save()
     std::string filename = file_manager->getUserConfigFile("players.xml");
     try
     {
-        UTFWriter players_file(filename.c_str());
+        UTFWriter players_file(filename.c_str(), false);
 
-        players_file << L"<?xml version=\"1.0\"?>\n";
-        players_file << L"<players version=\"1\" >\n";
+        players_file << "<?xml version=\"1.0\"?>\n";
+        players_file << "<players version=\"1\" >\n";
 
         if(m_current_player)
         {
-            players_file << L"    <current player=\""
+            players_file << "    <current player=\""
                          << StringUtils::xmlEncode(m_current_player->getName(true/*ignoreRTL*/)) << L"\"/>\n";
         }
 
@@ -278,7 +278,7 @@ void PlayerManager::save()
             if(!player->isGuestAccount())
                 player->save(players_file);
         }
-        players_file << L"</players>\n";
+        players_file << "</players>\n";
         players_file.close();
     }
     catch (std::runtime_error& e)
diff --git a/src/config/player_profile.cpp b/src/config/player_profile.cpp
index a7b10f42a..913c70aa5 100644
--- a/src/config/player_profile.cpp
+++ b/src/config/player_profile.cpp
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ PlayerProfile::PlayerProfile(const XMLNode* node)
     node->get("saved-session",      &m_saved_session    );
     node->get("saved-user",         &m_saved_user_id    );
     node->get("saved-token",        &m_saved_token      );
-    node->get("last-online-name",   &m_last_online_name );
+    node->getAndDecode("last-online-name",   &m_last_online_name );
     node->get("last-was-online",    &m_last_was_online  );
     node->get("remember-password",  &m_remember_password);
     node->get("icon-filename",      &m_icon_filename    );
@@ -200,21 +200,21 @@ const std::string PlayerProfile::getIconFilename() const
  */
 void PlayerProfile::save(UTFWriter &out)
 {
-    out << L"    <player name=\"" << StringUtils::xmlEncode(m_local_name)
-        << L"\" guest=\""         << m_is_guest_account
-        << L"\" use-frequency=\"" << m_use_frequency << L"\"\n";
+    out << "    <player name=\"" << StringUtils::xmlEncode(m_local_name)
+        << "\" guest=\""         << m_is_guest_account
+        << "\" use-frequency=\"" << m_use_frequency << "\"\n";
 
-    out << L"            icon-filename=\"" << m_icon_filename << L"\"\n";
+    out << "            icon-filename=\"" << m_icon_filename << "\"\n";
 
-    out << L"            unique-id=\""  << m_unique_id
-        << L"\" saved-session=\""       << m_saved_session << L"\"\n";
+    out << "            unique-id=\""  << m_unique_id
+        << "\" saved-session=\""       << m_saved_session << "\"\n";
 
-    out << L"            saved-user=\"" << m_saved_user_id
-        << L"\" saved-token=\""         << m_saved_token << L"\"\n";
-    out << L"            last-online-name=\"" << m_last_online_name
-        << L"\" last-was-online=\""           << m_last_was_online << L"\"\n";
-    out << L"            remember-password=\""         << m_remember_password << L"\"\n";
-    out << L"            default-kart-color=\""        << m_default_kart_color << L"\">\n";
+    out << "            saved-user=\"" << m_saved_user_id
+        << "\" saved-token=\""         << m_saved_token << "\"\n";
+    out << "            last-online-name=\"" << StringUtils::xmlEncode(m_last_online_name)
+        << "\" last-was-online=\""           << m_last_was_online << "\"\n";
+    out << "            remember-password=\""         << m_remember_password << "\"\n";
+    out << "            default-kart-color=\""        << m_default_kart_color << "\">\n";
     {
         if(m_story_mode_status)
             m_story_mode_status->save(out);
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ void PlayerProfile::save(UTFWriter &out)
         if(m_achievements_status)
             m_achievements_status->save(out);
     }
-    out << L"    </player>\n";
+    out << "    </player>\n";
 }   // save
 
 //------------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/src/io/utf_writer.cpp b/src/io/utf_writer.cpp
index 4232f20ab..9e12f3770 100644
--- a/src/io/utf_writer.cpp
+++ b/src/io/utf_writer.cpp
@@ -25,27 +25,40 @@ using namespace irr;
 
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-UTFWriter::UTFWriter(const char* dest)
+UTFWriter::UTFWriter(const char* dest, bool wide)
          : m_base(dest, std::ios::out | std::ios::binary)
 {
+    m_wide = wide;
+
     if (!m_base.is_open())
     {
         throw std::runtime_error("Failed to open file for writing : " +
                                   std::string(dest));
     }
 
-    // FIXME: make sure to properly handle endianness
-    // UTF-16 BOM is 0xFEFF; UTF-32 BOM is 0x0000FEFF. So this works in either case
-    wchar_t BOM = 0xFEFF;
+    if (wide)
+    {
+        // FIXME: make sure to properly handle endianness
+        // UTF-16 BOM is 0xFEFF; UTF-32 BOM is 0x0000FEFF. So this works in either case
+        wchar_t BOM = 0xFEFF;
 
-    m_base.write((char *) &BOM, sizeof(wchar_t));
+        m_base.write((char *) &BOM, sizeof(wchar_t));
+    }
 }   // UTFWriter
 
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 UTFWriter& UTFWriter::operator<< (const irr::core::stringw& txt)
 {
-    m_base.write((char *) txt.c_str(), txt.size() * sizeof(wchar_t));
+    if (m_wide)
+    {
+        m_base.write((char *) txt.c_str(), txt.size() * sizeof(wchar_t));
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        std::string utf8 = StringUtils::wideToUtf8(txt);
+        operator<<(utf8);
+    }
     return *this;
 }   // operator<< (stringw)
 
@@ -53,7 +66,15 @@ UTFWriter& UTFWriter::operator<< (const irr::core::stringw& txt)
 
 UTFWriter& UTFWriter::operator<< (const wchar_t*txt)
 {
-    m_base.write((char *) txt, wcslen(txt) * sizeof(wchar_t));
+    if (m_wide)
+    {
+        m_base.write((char *) txt, wcslen(txt) * sizeof(wchar_t));
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        std::string utf8 = StringUtils::wideToUtf8(txt);
+        operator<<(utf8);
+    }
     return *this;
 }   // operator<< (wchar_t)
 
diff --git a/src/io/utf_writer.hpp b/src/io/utf_writer.hpp
index 02f8ebcd7..9ac71f7a5 100644
--- a/src/io/utf_writer.hpp
+++ b/src/io/utf_writer.hpp
@@ -34,9 +34,12 @@
 class UTFWriter
 {
     std::ofstream m_base;
+
+    /** If true, use utf-16/32 (obsolete) */
+    bool m_wide;
 public:
 
-    UTFWriter(const char* dest);
+    UTFWriter(const char* dest, bool wide);
     void close();
 
     UTFWriter& operator<< (const irr::core::stringw& txt);
@@ -44,12 +47,24 @@ public:
     // ------------------------------------------------------------------------
     UTFWriter& operator<< (const char *txt)
     {
-        return operator<<(irr::core::stringw(txt));
+        if (m_wide)
+        {
+            return operator<<(irr::core::stringw(txt));
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            m_base.write((char *)txt, strlen(txt));
+            return *this;
+        }
+            
     }   // operator<<(char*)
     // ------------------------------------------------------------------------
     UTFWriter& operator<< (const std::string &txt)
     {
-        return operator<< (irr::core::stringw(txt.c_str()));
+        if (m_wide)
+            return operator<<(irr::core::stringw(txt.c_str()));
+        else
+            return operator<<(txt.c_str());
     }   // operator<<(std::string)
     // ------------------------------------------------------------------------
     UTFWriter& operator<< (const bool &b)
diff --git a/src/race/grand_prix_data.cpp b/src/race/grand_prix_data.cpp
index 1a662f091..90ca62cb3 100644
--- a/src/race/grand_prix_data.cpp
+++ b/src/race/grand_prix_data.cpp
@@ -270,7 +270,7 @@ void GrandPrixData::reload()
         throw std::runtime_error("Wrong root node name");
     }
 
-    if (!root->get("name", &m_name))
+    if (!root->getAndDecode("name", &m_name))
     {
          Log::error("GrandPrixData",
                     "Error while trying to read grandprix file '%s': "
@@ -361,20 +361,20 @@ bool GrandPrixData::writeToFile()
 {
     try
     {
-        UTFWriter file(m_filename.c_str());
+        UTFWriter file(m_filename.c_str(), false);
         if (file.is_open())
         {
-            file << L"\n<supertuxkart_grand_prix name=\"" << m_name
-                 << L"\">\n\n";
+            file << "\n<supertuxkart_grand_prix name=\"" << StringUtils::xmlEncode(m_name)
+                 << "\">\n\n";
             for (unsigned int i = 0; i < m_tracks.size(); i++)
             {
                 file <<
-                    L"\t<track id=\"" << m_tracks[i] <<
-                    L"\" laps=\""     << m_laps[i] <<
-                    L"\" reverse=\""  << (m_reversed[i] ? L"true" : L"false")
-                                      <<  L"\" />\n";
+                    "\t<track id=\"" << m_tracks[i] <<
+                    "\" laps=\""     << m_laps[i] <<
+                    "\" reverse=\""  << (m_reversed[i] ? L"true" : L"false")
+                                      <<  "\" />\n";
             }
-            file << L"\n</supertuxkart_grand_prix>\n";
+            file << "\n</supertuxkart_grand_prix>\n";
 
             file.close();
 
diff --git a/src/race/highscore_manager.cpp b/src/race/highscore_manager.cpp
index 92eff9094..e0fc094f4 100644
--- a/src/race/highscore_manager.cpp
+++ b/src/race/highscore_manager.cpp
@@ -150,15 +150,15 @@ void HighscoreManager::saveHighscores()
 
     try
     {
-        UTFWriter highscore_file(m_filename.c_str());
-        highscore_file << L"<?xml version=\"1.0\"?>\n";
-        highscore_file << L"<highscores version=\"" << CURRENT_HSCORE_FILE_VERSION << "\">\n";
+        UTFWriter highscore_file(m_filename.c_str(), false);
+        highscore_file << "<?xml version=\"1.0\"?>\n";
+        highscore_file << "<highscores version=\"" << CURRENT_HSCORE_FILE_VERSION << "\">\n";
 
         for(unsigned int i=0; i<m_all_scores.size(); i++)
         {
             m_all_scores[i]->writeEntry(highscore_file);
         }
-        highscore_file << L"</highscores>\n";
+        highscore_file << "</highscores>\n";
         highscore_file.close();
     }
     catch(std::exception &e)
diff --git a/src/race/highscores.cpp b/src/race/highscores.cpp
index bc5a4f2c5..54daf277e 100644
--- a/src/race/highscores.cpp
+++ b/src/race/highscores.cpp
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ void Highscores::readEntry(const XMLNode &node)
     {
         const XMLNode *entry = node.getNode(i);
         entry->get("time",     &m_time[i]            );
-        entry->get("name",     &m_name[i]            );
+        entry->getAndDecode("name",     &m_name[i]            );
         entry->get("kartname", &m_kart_name[i]       );
 
         // a non-empty entry needs a non-empty kart name.
@@ -113,25 +113,25 @@ void Highscores::writeEntry(UTFWriter &writer)
         one_is_set |= m_time[i]>=0;
     if(!one_is_set) return;
 
-    writer << L"  <highscore track-name    =\"" << m_track.c_str()           << "\"\n";
-    writer << L"             number-karts  =\"" << m_number_of_karts         << "\"\n";
-    writer << L"             difficulty    =\"" << m_difficulty              << "\"\n";
-    writer << L"             hscore-type   =\"" << m_highscore_type.c_str()  << "\"\n";
-    writer << L"             number-of-laps=\"" << m_number_of_laps          << "\"\n";
-    writer << L"             reverse       =\"" << m_reverse                 << "\">\n";
+    writer << "  <highscore track-name    =\"" << m_track.c_str()           << "\"\n";
+    writer << "             number-karts  =\"" << m_number_of_karts         << "\"\n";
+    writer << "             difficulty    =\"" << m_difficulty              << "\"\n";
+    writer << "             hscore-type   =\"" << m_highscore_type.c_str()  << "\"\n";
+    writer << "             number-of-laps=\"" << m_number_of_laps          << "\"\n";
+    writer << "             reverse       =\"" << m_reverse                 << "\">\n";
 
     for(int i=0; i<HIGHSCORE_LEN; i++)
     {
         if (m_time[i] > 0.0f)
         {
             assert(m_kart_name[i].size() > 0);
-            writer << L"             <entry time    =\"" << m_time[i] << L"\"\n";
-            writer << L"                    name    =\"" << m_name[i] << L"\"\n";
-            writer << L"                    kartname=\"" << m_kart_name[i].c_str()
-                   << L"\"/>\n";
+            writer << "             <entry time    =\"" << m_time[i] << L"\"\n";
+            writer << "                    name    =\"" << StringUtils::xmlEncode(m_name[i]) << L"\"\n";
+            writer << "                    kartname=\"" << m_kart_name[i]
+                   << "\"/>\n";
         }
     }   // for i
-    writer << L"  </highscore>\n";
+    writer << "  </highscore>\n";
 }   // writeEntry
 
 // -----------------------------------------------------------------------------