diff --git a/gramps/cli/arghandler.py b/gramps/cli/arghandler.py
index fa81a0153..b82cc6204 100644
--- a/gramps/cli/arghandler.py
+++ b/gramps/cli/arghandler.py
@@ -51,7 +51,6 @@ from gramps.gen.plug.report import CATEGORY_BOOK, CATEGORY_CODE, BookList
 from .plug import cl_report, cl_book
 from gramps.gen.const import GRAMPS_LOCALE as glocale
 _ = glocale.translation.gettext
-from gramps.gen.constfunc import conv_to_unicode
 from gramps.gen.config import config
 
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -213,7 +212,6 @@ class ArgHandler(object):
         """
         if value is None:
             return None
-        value = conv_to_unicode(value, sys.stdin.encoding)
         db_path = self.__deduce_db_path(value)
 
         if db_path:
@@ -242,9 +240,7 @@ class ArgHandler(object):
         Handle the "-i" or "--import" option.
         Only Files supported by a plugin can be imported, so not Family Trees.
         """
-        # Need to convert path/filename to unicode before opening
-        # For non latin characters in Windows path/file/user names
-        fname = conv_to_unicode(value, sys.stdin.encoding)
+        fname = value
         fullpath = os.path.abspath(os.path.expanduser(fname))
         if fname != '-' and not os.path.exists(fullpath):
             self.__error(_('Error: Import file %s not found.') % fname)
@@ -279,9 +275,7 @@ class ArgHandler(object):
         """
         if self.gui:
             return
-        # Need to convert path/filename to unicode before opening
-        # For non latin characters in Windows path/file/user names
-        fname = conv_to_unicode(value, sys.stdin.encoding)
+        fname = value
         if fname == '-':
             fullpath = '-'
         else:
diff --git a/gramps/cli/argparser.py b/gramps/cli/argparser.py
index e503c70df..b06d22045 100644
--- a/gramps/cli/argparser.py
+++ b/gramps/cli/argparser.py
@@ -48,7 +48,6 @@ from gramps.gen.config import config
 from gramps.gen.utils.cast import get_type_converter
 from gramps.gen.const import GRAMPS_LOCALE as glocale
 _ = glocale.translation.gettext
-from gramps.gen.constfunc import conv_to_unicode
 
 _HELP = _("""
 Usage: gramps.py [OPTION...]
@@ -220,14 +219,6 @@ class ArgParser(object):
         Any errors are added to self.errors
         """
         try:
-            # Convert arguments to unicode, otherwise getopt will not work
-            # if a non latin character is used as an option (by mistake).
-            # getopt will try to treat the first char in an utf-8 sequence. Example:
-            # -Ärik is '-\xc3\x84rik' and getopt will respond :
-            # option -\xc3 not recognized
-            for arg in range(len(self.args) - 1):
-                self.args[arg+1] = conv_to_unicode(self.args[arg + 1],
-                                                   sys.stdin.encoding)
             options, leftargs = getopt.getopt(self.args[1:],
                                              SHORTOPTS, LONGOPTS)
         except getopt.GetoptError as msg:
@@ -377,8 +368,7 @@ class ArgParser(object):
             # but not for non-latin characters in list elements
             cliargs = "[ "
             for arg in range(len(self.args) - 1):
-                cliargs += conv_to_unicode(self.args[arg + 1],
-                                           sys.stdin.encoding) + ' '
+                cliargs += self.args[arg + 1] + ' '
             cliargs += "]"
             self.errors += [(_('Error parsing the arguments'),
                              _("Error parsing the arguments: %s \n"
diff --git a/gramps/cli/clidbman.py b/gramps/cli/clidbman.py
index 0803d7307..aee331a00 100644
--- a/gramps/cli/clidbman.py
+++ b/gramps/cli/clidbman.py
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ from gramps.gen.const import GRAMPS_LOCALE as glocale
 _ = glocale.translation.gettext
 from gramps.gen.plug import BasePluginManager
 from gramps.gen.config import config
-from gramps.gen.constfunc import win, conv_to_unicode
+from gramps.gen.constfunc import win
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 #
 # constants
@@ -369,8 +369,6 @@ class CLIDbManager(object):
         Returns old_name, new_name if success, None, None if no success
         """
         try:
-            filepath = conv_to_unicode(filepath, 'utf8')
-            new_text = conv_to_unicode(new_text, 'utf8')
             name_file = open(filepath, "r", encoding='utf8')
             old_text=name_file.read()
             name_file.close()
@@ -427,7 +425,7 @@ def find_next_db_name(name_list):
     while True:
         title = "%s %d" % (DEFAULT_TITLE, i)
         if title not in name_list:
-            return conv_to_unicode(title)
+            return title
         i += 1
 
 def find_next_db_dir():