diff --git a/src/mathed/InsetMathSpecialChar.cpp b/src/mathed/InsetMathSpecialChar.cpp
index 6157c7977a..8282788110 100644
--- a/src/mathed/InsetMathSpecialChar.cpp
+++ b/src/mathed/InsetMathSpecialChar.cpp
@@ -32,12 +32,11 @@ InsetMathSpecialChar::InsetMathSpecialChar(docstring name)
 	: name_(name), kerning_(0)
 {
 	if (name.size() != 1) {
-		if (name == from_ascii("textasciicircum")
-		    || name == from_ascii("mathcircumflex"))
+		if (name == "textasciicircum" || name == "mathcircumflex")
 			char_ = '^';
-		else if (name == from_ascii("textasciitilde"))
+		else if (name == "textasciitilde")
 			char_ = '~';
-		else if (name == from_ascii("textbackslash"))
+		else if (name == "textbackslash")
 			char_ = '\\';
 		else
 			LASSERT(false, /**/);
diff --git a/src/mathed/MathFactory.cpp b/src/mathed/MathFactory.cpp
index 8791b719a5..50e3fb4cee 100644
--- a/src/mathed/MathFactory.cpp
+++ b/src/mathed/MathFactory.cpp
@@ -219,17 +219,15 @@ void initSymbols()
 }
 
 
-bool isSpecialChar(docstring name)
+bool isSpecialChar(docstring const & name)
 {
-	if (name.size() != 1) {
-		string const s = to_ascii(name);
-		return  s == "textasciicircum" || s == "mathcircumflex" ||
-			s == "textasciitilde"  || s == "textbackslash";
-	} else {
-		char_type const c = name.at(0);
-		return  c == '{' || c == '}' || c == '&' || c == '$' ||
-			c == '#' || c == '%' || c == '_';
-	}
+	if (name.size() != 1)
+		return  name == "textasciicircum" || name == "mathcircumflex" ||
+			name == "textasciitilde"  || name == "textbackslash";
+
+	char_type const c = name.at(0);
+	return  c == '{' || c == '}' || c == '&' || c == '$' ||
+		c == '#' || c == '%' || c == '_';
 }