diff --git a/src/buffer.C b/src/buffer.C
index ffd9fa74c0..cf93290a14 100644
--- a/src/buffer.C
+++ b/src/buffer.C
@@ -1639,7 +1639,6 @@ void Buffer::changeRefsIfUnique(docstring const & from, docstring const & to,
 	} else
 		getLabelList(labels);
 
-	// FIXME UNICODE
 	if (lyx::count(labels.begin(), labels.end(), from) > 1)
 		return;
 
diff --git a/src/frontends/controllers/ControlGraphics.C b/src/frontends/controllers/ControlGraphics.C
index 15255c96ba..c1ce0a7893 100644
--- a/src/frontends/controllers/ControlGraphics.C
+++ b/src/frontends/controllers/ControlGraphics.C
@@ -83,7 +83,6 @@ void ControlGraphics::dispatchParams()
 
 docstring const ControlGraphics::browse(docstring const & in_name) const
 {
-	// FIXME UNICODE
 	docstring const title = _("Select graphics file");
 
 	// Does user clipart directory exist?
diff --git a/src/insets/insetcaption.C b/src/insets/insetcaption.C
index 87f327c804..482642f94a 100644
--- a/src/insets/insetcaption.C
+++ b/src/insets/insetcaption.C
@@ -114,8 +114,7 @@ void InsetCaption::setLabel(LCursor & cur) const
 			num = convert<docstring>(counter_);
 
 		// Generate the label
-		label = to_utf8(
-			bformat(from_ascii("%1$s %2$s:"), _(s), num));
+		label = bformat(from_ascii("%1$s %2$s:"), _(s), num);
 	}
 }
 
@@ -125,8 +124,7 @@ void InsetCaption::metrics(MetricsInfo & mi, Dimension & dim) const
 	mi.base.textwidth -= 2 * TEXT_TO_INSET_OFFSET;
 	LCursor cur = mi.base.bv->cursor();
 	setLabel(cur);
-	docstring dlab(label.begin(), label.end());
-	labelwidth_ = theFontMetrics(mi.base.font).width(dlab);
+	labelwidth_ = theFontMetrics(mi.base.font).width(label);
 	dim.wid = labelwidth_;
 	Dimension textdim;
 	InsetText::metrics(mi, textdim);
@@ -153,11 +151,7 @@ void InsetCaption::draw(PainterInfo & pi, int x, int y) const
 	// belongs to.
 	LCursor cur = pi.base.bv->cursor();
 	setLabel(cur);
-	docstring dlab(label.begin(), label.end());
-	// FXIME: instead of using the fontLoader metrics, we should make
-	// painter::text() returns the drawn text witdh.
-	labelwidth_ = theFontMetrics(pi.base.font).width(dlab);
-	pi.pain.text(x, y, dlab, pi.base.font);
+	labelwidth_ = pi.pain.text(x, y, label, pi.base.font);
 	InsetText::draw(pi, x + labelwidth_, y);
 	setPosCache(pi, x, y);
 }
diff --git a/src/insets/insetcaption.h b/src/insets/insetcaption.h
index 723b9cf6b0..d60718c128 100644
--- a/src/insets/insetcaption.h
+++ b/src/insets/insetcaption.h
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ private:
 	///
 	virtual std::auto_ptr<InsetBase> doClone() const;
 	///
-	mutable std::string label;
+	mutable docstring label;
 	///
 	mutable int labelwidth_;
 	///
diff --git a/src/insets/insetcharstyle.C b/src/insets/insetcharstyle.C
index aa8d3ea292..6d953726c8 100644
--- a/src/insets/insetcharstyle.C
+++ b/src/insets/insetcharstyle.C
@@ -157,12 +157,11 @@ void InsetCharStyle::metrics(MetricsInfo & mi, Dimension & dim) const
 		int w = 0;
 		int a = 0;
 		int d = 0;
-		string s(params_.type);
+		// FIXME UNICODE
+		docstring s(from_utf8(params_.type));
 		if (undefined())
-			// FIXME UNICODE
-			s = to_utf8(_("Undef: ")) + s;
-		docstring ds(s.begin(), s.end());
-		theFontMetrics(font).rectText(ds, w, a, d);
+			s = _("Undef: ") + s;
+		theFontMetrics(font).rectText(s, w, a, d);
 		dim.wid = max(dim.wid, w);
 	}
 	dim.asc += TEXT_TO_INSET_OFFSET;
@@ -205,14 +204,13 @@ void InsetCharStyle::draw(PainterInfo & pi, int x, int y) const
 		int w = 0;
 		int a = 0;
 		int d = 0;
-		string s(params_.type);
+		// FIXME UNICODE
+		docstring s(from_utf8(params_.type));
 		if (undefined())
-			// FIXME UNICODE
-			s = to_utf8(_("Undef: ")) + s;
-		docstring ds(s.begin(), s.end());
-		theFontMetrics(font).rectText(ds, w, a, d);
+			s = _("Undef: ") + s;
+		theFontMetrics(font).rectText(s, w, a, d);
 		pi.pain.rectText(x + (dim_.wid - w) / 2, y + desc + a,
-			ds, font, LColor::none, LColor::none);
+			s, font, LColor::none, LColor::none);
 	}
 
 	// a visual clue when the cursor is inside the inset
diff --git a/src/insets/insetcollapsable.C b/src/insets/insetcollapsable.C
index 7d95df18c7..6c1f127dfc 100644
--- a/src/insets/insetcollapsable.C
+++ b/src/insets/insetcollapsable.C
@@ -126,9 +126,8 @@ void InsetCollapsable::read(Buffer const & buf, LyXLex & lex)
 Dimension InsetCollapsable::dimensionCollapsed() const
 {
 	Dimension dim;
-	docstring dlab(label.begin(), label.end());
 	theFontMetrics(labelfont_).buttonText(
-		dlab, dim.wid, dim.asc, dim.des);
+		label, dim.wid, dim.asc, dim.des);
 	return dim;
 }
 
@@ -180,8 +179,7 @@ void InsetCollapsable::draw(PainterInfo & pi, int x, int y) const
 		button_dim.y1 = top;
 		button_dim.y2 = top + dimc.height();
 
-                docstring dlab(label.begin(), label.end());
-		pi.pain.buttonText(xx, top + dimc.asc, dlab, labelfont_);
+		pi.pain.buttonText(xx, top + dimc.asc, label, labelfont_);
 
 		if (status() == Open) {
 			int textx, texty;
diff --git a/src/insets/insetinclude.C b/src/insets/insetinclude.C
index 3a4965eaa1..af81cea209 100644
--- a/src/insets/insetinclude.C
+++ b/src/insets/insetinclude.C
@@ -545,7 +545,6 @@ int InsetInclude::docbook(Buffer const & buffer, odocstream & os,
 	runparams.exportdata->addExternalFile("docbook-xml", writefile,
 					      exportfile);
 
-        // FIXME UNICODE
 	if (isVerbatim(params_)) {
 		os << "<inlinegraphic fileref=\""
 		   << '&' << include_label << ';'
diff --git a/src/insets/insetvspace.C b/src/insets/insetvspace.C
index 7dd69f8ea0..c03dd4d671 100644
--- a/src/insets/insetvspace.C
+++ b/src/insets/insetvspace.C
@@ -104,11 +104,11 @@ void InsetVSpace::write(Buffer const &, ostream & os) const
 }
 
 
-string const InsetVSpace::label() const
+docstring const InsetVSpace::label() const
 {
+	static docstring const label = _("Vertical Space");
 	// FIXME UNICODE
-	static string const label = to_utf8(_("Vertical Space"));
-	return label + " (" + space_.asGUIName() + ')';
+	return label + " (" + from_utf8(space_.asGUIName()) + ')';
 }
 
 
@@ -130,9 +130,7 @@ void InsetVSpace::metrics(MetricsInfo & mi, Dimension & dim) const
 	int w = 0;
 	int a = 0;
 	int d = 0;
-	string lab = label();
-	docstring dlab(lab.begin(), lab.end());
-	theFontMetrics(font).rectText(dlab, w, a, d);
+	theFontMetrics(font).rectText(label(), w, a, d);
 
 	height = max(height, a + d);
 
@@ -182,13 +180,12 @@ void InsetVSpace::draw(PainterInfo & pi, int x, int y) const
 	font.setColor(LColor::added_space);
 	font.decSize();
 	font.decSize();
-	string lab = label();
-	docstring dlab(lab.begin(), lab.end());
-	theFontMetrics(font).rectText(dlab, w, a, d);
+	docstring const lab = label();
+	theFontMetrics(font).rectText(lab, w, a, d);
 
 	pi.pain.rectText(x + 2 * arrow_size + 5,
 			 start + (end - start) / 2 + (a - d) / 2,
-			 dlab, font, LColor::none, LColor::none);
+			 lab, font, LColor::none, LColor::none);
 
 	// top arrow
 	pi.pain.line(x, ty1, midx, ty2, LColor::added_space);
diff --git a/src/insets/insetvspace.h b/src/insets/insetvspace.h
index 7afd285601..350748b3f0 100644
--- a/src/insets/insetvspace.h
+++ b/src/insets/insetvspace.h
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ protected:
 private:
 	virtual std::auto_ptr<InsetBase> doClone() const;
 	///
-	std::string const label() const;
+	docstring const label() const;
 
 	///
 	VSpace space_;
diff --git a/src/insets/render_graphic.C b/src/insets/render_graphic.C
index 46fc091f52..d940d782da 100644
--- a/src/insets/render_graphic.C
+++ b/src/insets/render_graphic.C
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ bool displayGraphic(graphics::Params const & params)
 }
 
 
-string const statusMessage(graphics::Params const & params,
+docstring const statusMessage(graphics::Params const & params,
 			   graphics::ImageStatus status)
 {
 	docstring ret;
@@ -128,8 +128,7 @@ string const statusMessage(graphics::Params const & params,
 		}
 	}
 
-	// FIXME UNICODE
-	return to_utf8(ret);
+	return ret;
 }
 
 
@@ -168,9 +167,7 @@ void RenderGraphic::metrics(MetricsInfo & mi, Dimension & dim) const
 				.width(justname);
 		}
 
-		// FIXME UNICODE
-		docstring const msg = 
-			from_utf8(statusMessage(params_, loader_.status()));
+		docstring const msg = statusMessage(params_, loader_.status());
 		if (!msg.empty()) {
 			msgFont.setSize(LyXFont::SIZE_TINY);
 			font_width = std::max(font_width,
@@ -216,20 +213,18 @@ void RenderGraphic::draw(PainterInfo & pi, int x, int y) const
 		string const justname = onlyFilename(params_.filename);
 
 		if (!justname.empty()) {
-			docstring djust(justname.begin(), justname.end());
 			msgFont.setSize(LyXFont::SIZE_FOOTNOTE);
 			pi.pain.text(x + InsetOld::TEXT_TO_INSET_OFFSET + 6,
 				   y - theFontMetrics(msgFont).maxAscent() - 4,
-				   djust, msgFont);
+				   from_utf8(justname), msgFont);
 		}
 
 		// Print the message.
-		string const msg = statusMessage(params_, loader_.status());
+		docstring const msg = statusMessage(params_, loader_.status());
 		if (!msg.empty()) {
-			docstring dmsg(msg.begin(), msg.end());
 			msgFont.setSize(LyXFont::SIZE_TINY);
 			pi.pain.text(x + InsetOld::TEXT_TO_INSET_OFFSET + 6,
-				     y - 4, dmsg, msgFont);
+				     y - 4, msg, msgFont);
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/src/insets/render_preview.C b/src/insets/render_preview.C
index e0745fc8cd..21ce5c58b6 100644
--- a/src/insets/render_preview.C
+++ b/src/insets/render_preview.C
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ graphics::PreviewLoader & getPreviewLoader(Buffer const & buffer)
 }
 
 
-string const statusMessage(BufferView const * bv, string const & snippet)
+docstring const statusMessage(BufferView const * bv, string const & snippet)
 {
 	BOOST_ASSERT(bv && bv->buffer());
 
@@ -96,8 +96,7 @@ string const statusMessage(BufferView const * bv, string const & snippet)
 		break;
 	}
 
-	// FIXME UNICODE
-	return to_utf8(message);
+	return message;
 }
 
 } // namespace anon
@@ -129,8 +128,7 @@ void RenderPreview::metrics(MetricsInfo & mi, Dimension & dim) const
 		LyXFont font(mi.base.font);
 		font.setFamily(LyXFont::SANS_FAMILY);
 		font.setSize(LyXFont::SIZE_FOOTNOTE);
-		// FIXME UNICODE
-		docstring const stat = from_utf8(statusMessage(mi.base.bv, snippet_));
+		docstring const stat = statusMessage(mi.base.bv, snippet_);
 		dim.wid = 15 + theFontMetrics(font).width(stat);
 	}
 
@@ -163,8 +161,7 @@ void RenderPreview::draw(PainterInfo & pi, int x, int y) const
 		font.setFamily(LyXFont::SANS_FAMILY);
 		font.setSize(LyXFont::SIZE_FOOTNOTE);
 
-		// FIXME UNICODE
-		docstring const stat = from_utf8(statusMessage(pi.base.bv, snippet_));
+		docstring const stat = statusMessage(pi.base.bv, snippet_);
 		pi.pain.text(x + offset + 6,
 			     y - theFontMetrics(font).maxAscent() - 4,
 			     stat, font);