diff --git a/src/common/config.cpp b/src/common/config.cpp
index 8ead58686..d1bb89897 100644
--- a/src/common/config.cpp
+++ b/src/common/config.cpp
@@ -850,7 +850,7 @@ void load(const std::filesystem::path& path) {
         m_window_size_H = toml::find_or<int>(gui, "mw_height", 0);
 
         const auto install_dir_array =
-            toml::find_or<std::vector<std::string>>(gui, "installDirs", {});
+            toml::find_or<std::vector<std::u8string>>(gui, "installDirs", {});
 
         try {
             install_dirs_enabled = toml::find<std::vector<bool>>(gui, "installDirsEnabled");
diff --git a/src/qt_gui/game_list_frame.cpp b/src/qt_gui/game_list_frame.cpp
index 4c0607571..170215f3d 100644
--- a/src/qt_gui/game_list_frame.cpp
+++ b/src/qt_gui/game_list_frame.cpp
@@ -185,7 +185,8 @@ void GameListFrame::SetListBackgroundImage(QTableWidgetItem* item) {
 
     // Recompute if opacity changed or we switched to a different game
     if (opacity != m_last_opacity || game.pic_path != m_current_game_path) {
-        QImage original_image(QString::fromStdString(game.pic_path.string()));
+        auto image_path = game.pic_path.u8string();
+        QImage original_image(QString::fromStdString({image_path.begin(), image_path.end()}));
         if (!original_image.isNull()) {
             backgroundImage = m_game_list_utils.ChangeImageOpacity(
                 original_image, original_image.rect(), opacity / 100.0f);
diff --git a/src/qt_gui/settings_dialog.cpp b/src/qt_gui/settings_dialog.cpp
index d789f6f48..383cad8fa 100644
--- a/src/qt_gui/settings_dialog.cpp
+++ b/src/qt_gui/settings_dialog.cpp
@@ -817,7 +817,7 @@ void SettingsDialog::ResetInstallFolders() {
     if (data.contains("GUI")) {
         const toml::value& gui = data.at("GUI");
         const auto install_dir_array =
-            toml::find_or<std::vector<std::string>>(gui, "installDirs", {});
+            toml::find_or<std::vector<std::u8string>>(gui, "installDirs", {});
 
         std::vector<bool> install_dirs_enabled;
         try {