diff --git a/source/graphics/FontManager.cpp b/source/graphics/FontManager.cpp
index 4bffa209b8..846ac6850f 100644
--- a/source/graphics/FontManager.cpp
+++ b/source/graphics/FontManager.cpp
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 #include "ps/Filesystem.h"
 #include "renderer/Renderer.h"
 
-shared_ptr<CFont> CFontManager::LoadFont(const CStrW& fontName)
+shared_ptr<CFont> CFontManager::LoadFont(CStrIntern fontName)
 {
 	FontsMap::iterator it = m_Fonts.find(fontName);
 	if (it != m_Fonts.end())
@@ -37,24 +37,24 @@ shared_ptr<CFont> CFontManager::LoadFont(const CStrW& fontName)
 	if (!ReadFont(font.get(), fontName))
 	{
 		// Fall back to default font (unless this is the default font)
-		if (fontName == L"sans-10")
+		if (fontName == str_sans_10)
 			font.reset();
 		else
-			font = LoadFont(L"sans-10");
+			font = LoadFont(str_sans_10);
 	}
 
 	m_Fonts[fontName] = font;
 	return font;
 }
 
-bool CFontManager::ReadFont(CFont* font, const CStrW& fontName)
+bool CFontManager::ReadFont(CFont* font, CStrIntern fontName)
 {
 	const VfsPath path(L"fonts/");
 
 	// Read font definition file into a stringstream
 	shared_ptr<u8> buf;
 	size_t size;
-	const VfsPath fntName(fontName + L".fnt");
+	const VfsPath fntName(fontName.string() + ".fnt");
 	if (g_VFS->LoadFile(path / fntName, buf, size) < 0)
 	{
 		LOGERROR(L"Failed to open font file %ls", (path / fntName).string().c_str());
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ bool CFontManager::ReadFont(CFont* font, const CStrW& fontName)
 	FNTStream >> Version;
 	if (Version != 101) // Make sure this is from a recent version of the font builder
 	{
-		LOGERROR(L"Font %ls has invalid version", fontName.c_str());
+		LOGERROR(L"Font %hs has invalid version", fontName.c_str());
 		return 0;
 	}
 
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ bool CFontManager::ReadFont(CFont* font, const CStrW& fontName)
 
 		if (Codepoint < 0 || Codepoint > 0xFFFF)
 		{
-			LOGWARNING(L"Font %ls has invalid codepoint 0x%x", fontName.c_str(), Codepoint);
+			LOGWARNING(L"Font %hs has invalid codepoint 0x%x", fontName.c_str(), Codepoint);
 			continue;
 		}
 
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ bool CFontManager::ReadFont(CFont* font, const CStrW& fontName)
 	ENSURE(font->m_Height); // Ensure the height has been found (which should always happen if the font includes an 'I')
 
 	// Load glyph texture
-	const VfsPath imgName(fontName + L".png");
+	const VfsPath imgName(fontName.string() + ".png");
 	CTextureProperties textureProps(path / imgName);
 	textureProps.SetFilter(GL_NEAREST);
 	if (!font->m_HasRGB)
diff --git a/source/graphics/FontManager.h b/source/graphics/FontManager.h
index 9275c10755..c769bb379b 100644
--- a/source/graphics/FontManager.h
+++ b/source/graphics/FontManager.h
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 #include <boost/unordered_map.hpp>
 
 class CFont;
-class CStrW;
+class CStrIntern;
 
 /**
  * Font manager: loads and caches bitmap fonts.
@@ -29,12 +29,12 @@ class CStrW;
 class CFontManager
 {
 public:
-	shared_ptr<CFont> LoadFont(const CStrW& fontName);
+	shared_ptr<CFont> LoadFont(CStrIntern fontName);
 
 private:
-	bool ReadFont(CFont* font, const CStrW& fontName);
+	bool ReadFont(CFont* font, CStrIntern fontName);
 
-	typedef boost::unordered_map<CStrW, shared_ptr<CFont> > FontsMap;
+	typedef boost::unordered_map<CStrIntern, shared_ptr<CFont> > FontsMap;
 	FontsMap m_Fonts;
 };
 
diff --git a/source/graphics/FontMetrics.cpp b/source/graphics/FontMetrics.cpp
index 49f84dee0b..1026b90efb 100644
--- a/source/graphics/FontMetrics.cpp
+++ b/source/graphics/FontMetrics.cpp
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
 #include "ps/CLogger.h"
 #include "renderer/Renderer.h"
 
-CFontMetrics::CFontMetrics(const CStrW& font)
+CFontMetrics::CFontMetrics(CStrIntern font)
 {
 	m_Font = g_Renderer.GetFontManager().LoadFont(font);
 }
diff --git a/source/graphics/FontMetrics.h b/source/graphics/FontMetrics.h
index 1024a0cf01..d62d590604 100644
--- a/source/graphics/FontMetrics.h
+++ b/source/graphics/FontMetrics.h
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 #define INCLUDED_FONTMETRICS
 
 class CFont;
-class CStrW;
+class CStrIntern;
 
 /**
  * Helper class for measuring sizes of text.
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ class CStrW;
 class CFontMetrics
 {
 public:
-	CFontMetrics(const CStrW& font);
+	CFontMetrics(CStrIntern font);
 
 	int GetLineSpacing() const;
 	int GetHeight() const;
diff --git a/source/graphics/ShaderDefines.cpp b/source/graphics/ShaderDefines.cpp
index b07d9b9079..6449aef13f 100644
--- a/source/graphics/ShaderDefines.cpp
+++ b/source/graphics/ShaderDefines.cpp
@@ -24,11 +24,6 @@
 
 #include <sstream>
 
-size_t hash_value(const CStrIntern& v)
-{
-	return v.GetHash();
-}
-
 size_t hash_value(const CVector4D& v)
 {
 	size_t hash = 0;
diff --git a/source/graphics/TextRenderer.cpp b/source/graphics/TextRenderer.cpp
index c150cf81ae..a594def218 100644
--- a/source/graphics/TextRenderer.cpp
+++ b/source/graphics/TextRenderer.cpp
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ CTextRenderer::CTextRenderer(const CShaderProgramPtr& shader) :
 {
 	ResetTransform();
 	Color(CColor(1.0f, 1.0f, 1.0f, 1.0f));
-	Font(L"sans-10");
+	Font(str_sans_10);
 }
 
 void CTextRenderer::ResetTransform()
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ void CTextRenderer::Color(float r, float g, float b, float a)
 	Color(CColor(r, g, b, a));
 }
 
-void CTextRenderer::Font(const CStrW& font)
+void CTextRenderer::Font(CStrIntern font)
 {
 	if (font != m_FontName)
 	{
diff --git a/source/graphics/TextRenderer.h b/source/graphics/TextRenderer.h
index 199fe206a0..f2a80ac423 100644
--- a/source/graphics/TextRenderer.h
+++ b/source/graphics/TextRenderer.h
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
 
 #include "graphics/ShaderProgram.h"
 #include "maths/Matrix3D.h"
-#include "ps/CStr.h"
+#include "ps/CStrIntern.h"
 #include "ps/Overlay.h"
 
 class CFont;
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ public:
 	/**
 	 * Set the font for subsequent print calls.
 	 */
-	void Font(const CStrW& font);
+	void Font(CStrIntern font);
 
 	/**
 	 * Print formatted text at (0,0) under the current transform,
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ private:
 	CRect m_Clipping;
 
 	CColor m_Color;
-	CStrW m_FontName;
+	CStrIntern m_FontName;
 	shared_ptr<CFont> m_Font;
 
 	bool m_Dirty;
diff --git a/source/gui/CCheckBox.cpp b/source/gui/CCheckBox.cpp
index c5d7486333..9f3fc8e004 100644
--- a/source/gui/CCheckBox.cpp
+++ b/source/gui/CCheckBox.cpp
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ CCheckBox
 #include "CCheckBox.h"
 
 #include "ps/CLogger.h"
+#include "ps/CStrIntern.h"
 #include "graphics/FontMetrics.h"
 
 
@@ -130,7 +131,7 @@ void CCheckBox::Draw()
 	GUI<int>::GetSetting(this, "cell_id", cell_id);
 
 	// Get line height
-	CFontMetrics font (font_name);
+	CFontMetrics font (CStrIntern(font_name.ToUTF8()));
 	float line_height = (float)font.GetHeight();
 
 	float bz = GetBufferedZ();
diff --git a/source/gui/CGUI.cpp b/source/gui/CGUI.cpp
index 0781873735..6ad0c60f76 100644
--- a/source/gui/CGUI.cpp
+++ b/source/gui/CGUI.cpp
@@ -642,10 +642,12 @@ struct SGenerateTextImage
 };
 
 SGUIText CGUI::GenerateText(const CGUIString &string,
-							const CStrW& Font, const float &Width, const float &BufferZone,
+							const CStrW& FontW, const float &Width, const float &BufferZone,
 							const IGUIObject *pObject)
 {
 	SGUIText Text; // object we're generating
+
+	CStrIntern Font(FontW.ToUTF8());
 	
 	if (string.m_Words.size() == 0)
 		return Text;
diff --git a/source/gui/CInput.cpp b/source/gui/CInput.cpp
index e679f98fce..888e37e734 100644
--- a/source/gui/CInput.cpp
+++ b/source/gui/CInput.cpp
@@ -1030,12 +1030,13 @@ void CInput::Draw()
 
 	if (GetGUI())
 	{	
-		CStrW font_name;
+		CStrW font_name_w;
 		CColor color, color_selected;
 		//CStrW caption;
-		GUI<CStrW>::GetSetting(this, "font", font_name);
+		GUI<CStrW>::GetSetting(this, "font", font_name_w);
 		GUI<CColor>::GetSetting(this, "textcolor", color);
 		GUI<CColor>::GetSetting(this, "textcolor_selected", color_selected);
+		CStrIntern font_name(font_name_w.ToUTF8());
 		
 		// Get pointer of caption, it might be very large, and we don't
 		//  want to copy it continuously.
@@ -1378,13 +1379,14 @@ void CInput::Draw()
 void CInput::UpdateText(int from, int to_before, int to_after)
 {
 	CStrW caption;
-	CStrW font_name;
+	CStrW font_name_w;
 	float buffer_zone;
 	bool multiline;
-	GUI<CStrW>::GetSetting(this, "font", font_name);
+	GUI<CStrW>::GetSetting(this, "font", font_name_w);
 	GUI<CStrW>::GetSetting(this, "caption", caption);
 	GUI<float>::GetSetting(this, "buffer_zone", buffer_zone);
 	GUI<bool>::GetSetting(this, "multiline", multiline);
+	CStrIntern font_name(font_name_w.ToUTF8());
 
 	// Ensure positions are valid after caption changes
 	m_iBufferPos = std::min(m_iBufferPos, (int)caption.size());
@@ -1765,10 +1767,11 @@ int CInput::GetMouseHoveringTextPosition()
 
 	if (multiline)
 	{
-		CStrW font_name;
+		CStrW font_name_w;
 		bool scrollbar;
-		GUI<CStrW>::GetSetting(this, "font", font_name);
+		GUI<CStrW>::GetSetting(this, "font", font_name_w);
 		GUI<bool>::GetSetting(this, "scrollbar", scrollbar);
+		CStrIntern font_name(font_name_w.ToUTF8());
 		
 		float scroll=0.f;
 		if (scrollbar)
@@ -1917,10 +1920,11 @@ void CInput::UpdateAutoScroll()
 	// Autoscrolling up and down
 	if (multiline)
 	{
-		CStrW font_name;
+		CStrW font_name_w;
 		bool scrollbar;
-		GUI<CStrW>::GetSetting(this, "font", font_name);
+		GUI<CStrW>::GetSetting(this, "font", font_name_w);
 		GUI<bool>::GetSetting(this, "scrollbar", scrollbar);
+		CStrIntern font_name(font_name_w.ToUTF8());
 		
 		float scroll=0.f;
 		if (!scrollbar)
diff --git a/source/gui/GUItext.cpp b/source/gui/GUItext.cpp
index d1b7d958a5..770c8ea003 100644
--- a/source/gui/GUItext.cpp
+++ b/source/gui/GUItext.cpp
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ void CGUIString::SFeedback::Reset()
 }
 
 void CGUIString::GenerateTextCall(SFeedback &Feedback,
-								  const CStrW& DefaultFont,
+								  CStrIntern DefaultFont,
 								  const int &from, const int &to,
 								  const bool FirstLine,
 								  const IGUIObject *pObject) const
@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@ void CGUIString::GenerateTextCall(SFeedback &Feedback,
 				if (it2->m_TagType == CGUIString::TextChunk::Tag::TAG_FONT)
 				{
 					// TODO Gee: (2004-08-15) Check if Font exists?
-					TextCall.m_Font = CStr(it2->m_TagValue).FromUTF8();
+					TextCall.m_Font = CStrIntern(it2->m_TagValue);
 				}
 			}
 
diff --git a/source/gui/GUItext.h b/source/gui/GUItext.h
index fe1abf11b5..2e12df891d 100644
--- a/source/gui/GUItext.h
+++ b/source/gui/GUItext.h
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ GUI text, handles text stuff
 #include <list>
 
 #include "CGUISprite.h"
+#include "ps/CStrIntern.h"
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------
 //  Declarations
@@ -130,7 +131,7 @@ struct SGUIText
 		/**
 		 * Font name
 		 */
-		CStrW m_Font;
+		CStrIntern m_Font;
 
 		/**
 		 * Settings
@@ -318,7 +319,7 @@ public:
 	 *		  it avoids duplicates.
 	 */
 	void GenerateTextCall(SFeedback &Feedback,
-						  const CStrW& DefaultFont,
+						  CStrIntern DefaultFont,
 						  const int &from, const int &to,
 						  const bool FirstLine,
 						  const IGUIObject *pObject=NULL) const;
diff --git a/source/ps/CConsole.cpp b/source/ps/CConsole.cpp
index fae7961c40..ccdb61a750 100644
--- a/source/ps/CConsole.cpp
+++ b/source/ps/CConsole.cpp
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ void CConsole::Render()
 	CShaderTechniquePtr textTech = g_Renderer.GetShaderManager().LoadEffect(str_gui_text);
 	textTech->BeginPass();
 	CTextRenderer textRenderer(textTech->GetShader());
-	textRenderer.Font(CONSOLE_FONT);
+	textRenderer.Font(CStrIntern(CONSOLE_FONT));
 	textRenderer.SetTransform(transform);
 
 	DrawHistory(textRenderer);
diff --git a/source/ps/CConsole.h b/source/ps/CConsole.h
index 7e17dc2ef2..545a7411a0 100644
--- a/source/ps/CConsole.h
+++ b/source/ps/CConsole.h
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ class CTextRenderer;
 #define CONSOLE_BUFFER_SIZE 1024 // for text being typed into the console
 #define CONSOLE_MESSAGE_SIZE 1024 // for messages being printed into the console
 
-#define CONSOLE_FONT L"mono-10"
+#define CONSOLE_FONT "mono-10"
 
 /**
  * In-game console.
diff --git a/source/ps/CLogger.cpp b/source/ps/CLogger.cpp
index 8c85159dcf..1a68943e6d 100644
--- a/source/ps/CLogger.cpp
+++ b/source/ps/CLogger.cpp
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@ void CLogger::Render()
 
 	CleanupRenderQueue();
 
-	CStrW font_name(L"mono-stroke-10");
+	CStrIntern font_name("mono-stroke-10");
 	CFontMetrics font(font_name);
 	int lineSpacing = font.GetLineSpacing();
 
diff --git a/source/ps/CStrIntern.cpp b/source/ps/CStrIntern.cpp
index ea396de7de..1254c71014 100644
--- a/source/ps/CStrIntern.cpp
+++ b/source/ps/CStrIntern.cpp
@@ -147,6 +147,11 @@ size_t CStrIntern::length() const
 	return m->data.length();
 }
 
+bool CStrIntern::empty() const
+{
+	return m->data.empty();
+}
+
 const std::string& CStrIntern::string() const
 {
 	return m->data;
diff --git a/source/ps/CStrIntern.h b/source/ps/CStrIntern.h
index 6ee5342241..c31f0d4cbc 100644
--- a/source/ps/CStrIntern.h
+++ b/source/ps/CStrIntern.h
@@ -56,6 +56,8 @@ public:
 	 */
 	size_t length() const;
 
+	bool empty() const;
+
 	/**
 	 * Returns as std::string.
 	 */
@@ -69,6 +71,11 @@ public:
 		return m == b.m;
 	}
 
+	bool operator!=(const CStrIntern& b) const
+	{
+		return m != b.m;
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Compare with some arbitrary total order.
 	 * (In particular, this is not alphabetic order,
@@ -83,6 +90,11 @@ private:
 	CStrInternInternals* m;
 };
 
+static inline size_t hash_value(const CStrIntern& str)
+{
+	return str.GetHash();
+}
+
 #define X(id) extern CStrIntern str_##id;
 #define X2(id, str) extern CStrIntern str_##id;
 #include "CStrInternStatic.h"
diff --git a/source/ps/CStrInternStatic.h b/source/ps/CStrInternStatic.h
index 500b7c03ab..0e85771002 100644
--- a/source/ps/CStrInternStatic.h
+++ b/source/ps/CStrInternStatic.h
@@ -119,6 +119,7 @@ X(refractionMap)
 X(refractionMatrix)
 X(renderedTex)
 X(repeatScale)
+X2(sans_10, "sans-10");
 X(saturation)
 X(screenSize)
 X(shadingColor)
diff --git a/source/ps/GameSetup/GameSetup.cpp b/source/ps/GameSetup/GameSetup.cpp
index 05c66b578c..ba0fc8df3e 100644
--- a/source/ps/GameSetup/GameSetup.cpp
+++ b/source/ps/GameSetup/GameSetup.cpp
@@ -507,7 +507,7 @@ static void InitPs(bool setup_gui, const CStrW& gui_page, CScriptVal initData)
 		g_Console->UpdateScreenSize(g_xres, g_yres);
 
 		// Calculate and store the line spacing
-		CFontMetrics font(CONSOLE_FONT);
+		CFontMetrics font(CStrIntern(CONSOLE_FONT));
 		g_Console->m_iFontHeight = font.GetLineSpacing();
 		g_Console->m_iFontWidth = font.GetCharacterWidth(L'C');
 		g_Console->m_charsPerPage = (size_t)(g_xres / g_Console->m_iFontWidth);
diff --git a/source/ps/ProfileViewer.cpp b/source/ps/ProfileViewer.cpp
index 8641739c29..ec18b8736f 100644
--- a/source/ps/ProfileViewer.cpp
+++ b/source/ps/ProfileViewer.cpp
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ void CProfileViewer::RenderProfile()
 	const std::vector<ProfileColumn>& columns = table->GetColumns();
 	size_t numrows = table->GetNumberRows();
 
-	CStrW font_name = L"mono-stroke-10";
+	CStrIntern font_name("mono-stroke-10");
 	CFontMetrics font(font_name);
 	int lineSpacing = font.GetLineSpacing();
 
diff --git a/source/renderer/TerrainRenderer.cpp b/source/renderer/TerrainRenderer.cpp
index a1c599ff92..f5592ed404 100644
--- a/source/renderer/TerrainRenderer.cpp
+++ b/source/renderer/TerrainRenderer.cpp
@@ -999,7 +999,7 @@ void TerrainRenderer::RenderPriorities()
 	tech->BeginPass();
 	CTextRenderer textRenderer(tech->GetShader());
 
-	textRenderer.Font(L"mono-stroke-10");
+	textRenderer.Font(CStrIntern("mono-stroke-10"));
 	textRenderer.Color(1.0f, 1.0f, 0.0f);
 
 	for (size_t i = 0; i < m->visiblePatches.size(); ++i)