diff --git a/sc2/src/msvc++/UrQuanMasters.dsp b/sc2/src/msvc++/UrQuanMasters.dsp
index 23ff633c7..b337080a4 100644
--- a/sc2/src/msvc++/UrQuanMasters.dsp
+++ b/sc2/src/msvc++/UrQuanMasters.dsp
@@ -743,6 +743,10 @@ SOURCE=..\sc2code\libs\strings\strings.c
 
 SOURCE=..\sc2code\libs\strings\strintrn.h
 # End Source File
+# Begin Source File
+
+SOURCE=..\sc2code\libs\strings\unicode.c
+# End Source File
 # End Group
 # Begin Group "video"
 
diff --git a/sc2/src/sc2code/comm.c b/sc2/src/sc2code/comm.c
index 3277ad039..bba8ace80 100644
--- a/sc2/src/sc2code/comm.c
+++ b/sc2/src/sc2code/comm.c
@@ -188,8 +188,8 @@ add_text (int status, PTEXT pTextIn)
 	TEXT locText;
 	PTEXT pText;
 	SIZE leading;
-	UNICODE ch;
-	const UNICODE *pStr;
+	wchar_t ch;
+	const unsigned char *pStr;
 	SIZE text_width;
 	int num_lines = 0;
 	static COORD last_baseline;
@@ -238,13 +238,16 @@ add_text (int status, PTEXT pTextIn)
 		switch (status)
 		{
 			case -3:
-				SetContextForeGroundColor (BUILD_COLOR (MAKE_RGB15 (0x00, 0x00, 0x14), 0x01));
+				SetContextForeGroundColor (
+						BUILD_COLOR (MAKE_RGB15 (0x00, 0x00, 0x14), 0x01));
 				break;
 			case -2:
-				SetContextForeGroundColor (BUILD_COLOR (MAKE_RGB15 (0x00, 0x14, 0x14), 0x03));
+				SetContextForeGroundColor (
+						BUILD_COLOR (MAKE_RGB15 (0x00, 0x14, 0x14), 0x03));
 				break;
 			case -1:
-				SetContextForeGroundColor (BUILD_COLOR (MAKE_RGB15 (0x1A, 0x1A, 0x1A), 0x12));
+				SetContextForeGroundColor (
+						BUILD_COLOR (MAKE_RGB15 (0x1A, 0x1A, 0x1A), 0x12));
 				break;
 		}
 
@@ -252,8 +255,7 @@ add_text (int status, PTEXT pTextIn)
 		locText = *pTextIn;
 		locText.baseline.x -= 8;
 		locText.CharCount = 1;
-		ch = '*';
-		locText.pStr = &ch;
+		locText.pStr = "*";
 		font_DrawText (&locText);
 
 		locText = *pTextIn;
@@ -264,7 +266,8 @@ add_text (int status, PTEXT pTextIn)
 	numchars = 0;
 	pStr = pText->pStr;
 
-	if (status > 0 && (CommData.AlienTextTemplate.valign & (VALIGN_MIDDLE|VALIGN_BOTTOM))) {
+	if (status > 0 && (CommData.AlienTextTemplate.valign & (
+				VALIGN_MIDDLE|VALIGN_BOTTOM))) {
 		num_lines = _count_lines(pText);
 		if (CommData.AlienTextTemplate.valign == VALIGN_BOTTOM)
 			pText->baseline.y -= (leading * num_lines);
@@ -276,38 +279,55 @@ add_text (int status, PTEXT pTextIn)
 	do
 	{
 		pText->pStr = pStr;
-		pText->CharCount = 1;
 		pText->baseline.y += leading;
 
 		{
 			BOOLEAN eot;
 			RECT r, old_r;
-			COUNT OldCount;
+			COUNT oldCount;
+			const unsigned char *oldPStr;
+			wchar_t oldCh;
+			COUNT charCount;
 
 			GetContextClipRect (&r);
-			eot = FALSE;
-			do
+			oldCount = 1;
+			charCount = 0;
+			ch = '\0';
+			for (;;)
 			{
 				old_r = r;
-				OldCount = pText->CharCount;
-				while (!(eot = (BOOLEAN)(
-						(ch = *++pStr) == '\0'
-						|| ch == '\n'
-						|| ch == '\r'
-						|| (COUNT)(pStr - pText->pStr) >= maxchars
-						)) && ch != ' ')
-					;
-				pText->CharCount = pStr - pText->pStr;
+				oldPStr = pStr;
+				oldCh = ch;
+			
+				for (;;)
+				{
+					ch = getCharFromString (&pStr);
+					eot = ch == '\0' || ch == '\n' || ch == '\r'
+							|| charCount >= maxchars;
+					if (eot || ch == ' ')
+						break;
+					charCount++;
+				}
+
+				oldCount = pText->CharCount;
+				pText->CharCount = charCount;
 				TextRect (pText, &r, NULL_PTR);
-			} while (!eot && r.extent.width < text_width);
+				if (eot || r.extent.width >= text_width)
+					break;
+				charCount++;
+						// For the space in between words.
+			}
 
 			if (r.extent.width >= text_width)
 			{
-				pText->CharCount = OldCount;
+				pText->CharCount = oldCount;
+				pStr = oldPStr;
 				r = old_r;
+				ch = oldCh;
 			}
 
-			if (maxchars -= pText->CharCount)
+			maxchars -= pText->CharCount;
+			if (maxchars != 0)
 				--maxchars;
 			numchars += pText->CharCount;
 			
@@ -316,8 +336,7 @@ add_text (int status, PTEXT pTextIn)
 				if (pText->baseline.y < SIS_SCREEN_HEIGHT)
 					font_DrawText (pText);
 
-				pStr = pText->pStr + pText->CharCount;
-				if(status < -4 && pText->baseline.y >= -status - 10)
+				if (status < -4 && pText->baseline.y >= -status - 10)
 				{
 					++pStr;
 					break;
@@ -346,11 +365,9 @@ add_text (int status, PTEXT pTextIn)
 
 				--pText->baseline.y;
 				font_DrawText (pText);
-
-				pStr = pText->pStr + pText->CharCount;
 			}
 		}
-	} while ((ch = *pStr++) != '\0' && ch != '\n' && ch != '\r' && maxchars);
+	} while (ch != '\0' && ch != '\n' && ch != '\r' && maxchars);
 	pText->pStr = pStr;
 
 	if (status == 1)
@@ -363,7 +380,8 @@ add_text (int status, PTEXT pTextIn)
 		// restores background
 		TFB_DrawScreen_Copy (&r, TFB_SCREEN_EXTRA, TFB_SCREEN_MAIN);
 		// draws cached subtitle
-		TFB_DrawScreen_Image (subtitle_cache, r.corner.x, r.corner.y, 0, 0, TFB_SCREEN_MAIN);
+		TFB_DrawScreen_Image (subtitle_cache, r.corner.x, r.corner.y, 0, 0,
+				TFB_SCREEN_MAIN);
 		
 		last_baseline = pText->baseline.y;
 	}
diff --git a/sc2/src/sc2code/libs/graphics/font.c b/sc2/src/sc2code/libs/graphics/font.c
index 9defcad18..c0187a7f5 100644
--- a/sc2/src/sc2code/libs/graphics/font.c
+++ b/sc2/src/sc2code/libs/graphics/font.c
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@
 
 extern FRAME Build_Font_Effect (FRAME FramePtr, DWORD from, DWORD to,
 		BYTE type);
-static wchar_t getNextChar(const unsigned char **ptr);
 static inline FRAME_DESC *getCharFrame (FONT_DESC *fontPtr, wchar_t ch);
 
 static BYTE char_delta_array[MAX_DELTAS];
@@ -134,28 +133,37 @@ GetContextFontLeading (PSIZE pheight)
 BOOLEAN
 TextRect (PTEXT lpText, PRECT pRect, PBYTE pdelta)
 {
-	COUNT num_chars;
 	FONTPTR FontPtr;
 
-	if ((FontPtr = _CurFontPtr) != 0 && (num_chars = lpText->CharCount))
+	FontPtr = _CurFontPtr;
+	if (FontPtr != 0 && lpText->CharCount != 0)
 	{
 		COORD top_y, bot_y;
 		SIZE width;
 		wchar_t next_ch;
 		const unsigned char *pStr;
-
+		COUNT num_chars;
+	
+		num_chars = lpText->CharCount;
+		/* At this point lpText->CharCount contains the *maximum* number of
+		 * characters that lpText->pStr may contain.
+		 * After the while loop below, it will contain the actual number.
+		 */
 		if (pdelta == 0)
 		{
 			pdelta = char_delta_array;
 			if (num_chars > MAX_DELTAS)
+			{
 				num_chars = MAX_DELTAS;
+				lpText->CharCount = MAX_DELTAS;
+			}
 		}
 
 		top_y = 0;
 		bot_y = 0;
 		width = 0;
 		pStr = lpText->pStr;
-		next_ch = getNextChar (&pStr);
+		next_ch = getCharFromString (&pStr);
 		if (next_ch == '\0')
 			num_chars = 0;
 		while (num_chars--)
@@ -167,9 +175,12 @@ TextRect (PTEXT lpText, PRECT pRect, PBYTE pdelta)
 			last_width = width;
 
 			ch = next_ch;
-			next_ch = getNextChar (&pStr);
+			next_ch = getCharFromString (&pStr);
 			if (next_ch == '\0')
+			{
+				lpText->CharCount -= num_chars;
 				num_chars = 0;
+			}
 
 			charFrame = getCharFrame (FontPtr, ch);
 			if (charFrame != NULL && GetFrameWidth (charFrame))
@@ -195,8 +206,6 @@ TextRect (PTEXT lpText, PRECT pRect, PBYTE pdelta)
 			*pdelta++ = (BYTE)(width - last_width);
 		}
 
-		lpText->CharCount = pStr - lpText->pStr - 1;
-
 		if (width > 0 && (bot_y -= top_y) > 0)
 		{
 			/* subtract off default character spacing */
@@ -258,7 +267,7 @@ _text_blt (PRECT pClipRect, PRIMITIVEPTR PrimPtr)
 		num_chars = TextPtr->CharCount;
 
 		pStr = TextPtr->pStr;
-		next_ch = getNextChar (&pStr);
+		next_ch = getCharFromString (&pStr);
 		if (next_ch == '\0')
 			num_chars = 0;
 		while (num_chars--)
@@ -266,7 +275,7 @@ _text_blt (PRECT pClipRect, PRIMITIVEPTR PrimPtr)
 			wchar_t ch;
 
 			ch = next_ch;
-			next_ch = getNextChar (&pStr);
+			next_ch = getCharFromString (&pStr);
 			if (next_ch == '\0')
 				num_chars = 0;
 
@@ -320,99 +329,3 @@ getCharFrame (FONT_DESC *fontPtr, wchar_t ch) {
 	return &fontPtr->CharDesc[ch - FIRST_CHAR];
 }
 
-// Get one character from a UTF-8 encoded string.
-// *ptr will point to the start of the next character.
-// Returns 0 if the encoding is bad. This can be distinguished from the
-// '\0' character by checking whether **ptr == '\0'.
-static wchar_t
-getNextChar(const unsigned char **ptr) {
-	wchar_t result;
-
-	if (**ptr < 0x80) {
-		// 0xxxxxxx, regular ASCII
-		result = **ptr;
-		(*ptr)++;
-
-		return result;
-	}
-
-	if ((**ptr & 0xe0) == 0xc0) {
-		// 110xxxxx; 10xxxxxx must follow
-		// Value between 0x00000080 and 0x0000007f (inclusive)
-		result = **ptr & 0x1f;
-		(*ptr)++;
-		
-		if ((**ptr & 0xc0) != 0x80)
-			goto err;
-		result = (result << 6) | ((**ptr) & 0x3f);
-		(*ptr)++;
-		
-		if (result < 0x00000080) {
-			// invalid encoding - must reject
-			goto err;
-		}
-		return result;
-	}
-
-	if ((**ptr & 0xf0) == 0xe0) {
-		// 1110xxxx; 10xxxxxx 10xxxxxx must follow
-		// Value between 0x00000800 and 0x000007ff (inclusive)
-		result = **ptr & 0x0f;
-		(*ptr)++;
-		
-		if ((**ptr & 0xc0) != 0x80)
-			goto err;
-		result = (result << 6) | ((**ptr) & 0x3f);
-		(*ptr)++;
-		
-		if ((**ptr & 0xc0) != 0x80)
-			goto err;
-		result = (result << 6) | ((**ptr) & 0x3f);
-		(*ptr)++;
-		
-		if (result < 0x00000800) {
-			// invalid encoding - must reject
-			goto err;
-		}
-		return result;
-	}
-
-	if ((**ptr & 0xf8) == 0xf0) {
-		// 11110xxx; 10xxxxxx 10xxxxxx 10xxxxxx must follow
-		// Value between 0x00010000 and 0x0010ffff (inclusive)
-		result = **ptr & 0x07;
-		(*ptr)++;
-		
-		if ((**ptr & 0xc0) != 0x80)
-			goto err;
-		result = (result << 6) | ((**ptr) & 0x3f);
-		(*ptr)++;
-		
-		if ((**ptr & 0xc0) != 0x80)
-			goto err;
-		result = (result << 6) | ((**ptr) & 0x3f);
-		(*ptr)++;
-		
-		if ((**ptr & 0xc0) != 0x80)
-			goto err;
-		result = (result << 6) | ((**ptr) & 0x3f);
-		(*ptr)++;
-		
-		if (result < 0x00010000) {
-			// invalid encoding - must reject
-			goto err;
-		}
-		return result;
-	}
-	
-err:
-	fprintf(stderr, "Warning: Invalid UTF8 sequence.\n");
-	
-	// Resynchronise (skip everything starting with 0x10xxxxxx):
-	while ((**ptr & 0xc0) == 0x80)
-		*ptr++;
-	
-	return 0;
-}
-
-
diff --git a/sc2/src/sc2code/libs/strings/Makeinfo b/sc2/src/sc2code/libs/strings/Makeinfo
index 72ed7fca8..4daaa3ed6 100644
--- a/sc2/src/sc2code/libs/strings/Makeinfo
+++ b/sc2/src/sc2code/libs/strings/Makeinfo
@@ -1 +1 @@
-uqm_CFILES="getstr.c sfileins.c sresins.c strings.c"
+uqm_CFILES="getstr.c sfileins.c sresins.c strings.c unicode.c"
diff --git a/sc2/src/sc2code/libs/strings/unicode.c b/sc2/src/sc2code/libs/strings/unicode.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0cb3bfa67
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sc2/src/sc2code/libs/strings/unicode.c
@@ -0,0 +1,116 @@
+/*
+ *  This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ *  it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+ *  the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
+ *  (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ *  This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ *  but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ *  MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ *  GNU General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ *  You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ *  along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
+ *  Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307  USA
+ */
+
+#include <stddef.h>
+#include <stdio.h>
+
+// Get one character from a UTF-8 encoded string.
+// *ptr will point to the start of the next character.
+// Returns 0 if the encoding is bad. This can be distinguished from the
+// '\0' character by checking whether **ptr == '\0'.
+wchar_t
+getCharFromString(const unsigned char **ptr) {
+	wchar_t result;
+
+	if (**ptr < 0x80) {
+		// 0xxxxxxx, regular ASCII
+		result = **ptr;
+		(*ptr)++;
+
+		return result;
+	}
+
+	if ((**ptr & 0xe0) == 0xc0) {
+		// 110xxxxx; 10xxxxxx must follow
+		// Value between 0x00000080 and 0x0000007f (inclusive)
+		result = **ptr & 0x1f;
+		(*ptr)++;
+		
+		if ((**ptr & 0xc0) != 0x80)
+			goto err;
+		result = (result << 6) | ((**ptr) & 0x3f);
+		(*ptr)++;
+		
+		if (result < 0x00000080) {
+			// invalid encoding - must reject
+			goto err;
+		}
+		return result;
+	}
+
+	if ((**ptr & 0xf0) == 0xe0) {
+		// 1110xxxx; 10xxxxxx 10xxxxxx must follow
+		// Value between 0x00000800 and 0x000007ff (inclusive)
+		result = **ptr & 0x0f;
+		(*ptr)++;
+		
+		if ((**ptr & 0xc0) != 0x80)
+			goto err;
+		result = (result << 6) | ((**ptr) & 0x3f);
+		(*ptr)++;
+		
+		if ((**ptr & 0xc0) != 0x80)
+			goto err;
+		result = (result << 6) | ((**ptr) & 0x3f);
+		(*ptr)++;
+		
+		if (result < 0x00000800) {
+			// invalid encoding - must reject
+			goto err;
+		}
+		return result;
+	}
+
+	if ((**ptr & 0xf8) == 0xf0) {
+		// 11110xxx; 10xxxxxx 10xxxxxx 10xxxxxx must follow
+		// Value between 0x00010000 and 0x0010ffff (inclusive)
+		result = **ptr & 0x07;
+		(*ptr)++;
+		
+		if ((**ptr & 0xc0) != 0x80)
+			goto err;
+		result = (result << 6) | ((**ptr) & 0x3f);
+		(*ptr)++;
+		
+		if ((**ptr & 0xc0) != 0x80)
+			goto err;
+		result = (result << 6) | ((**ptr) & 0x3f);
+		(*ptr)++;
+		
+		if ((**ptr & 0xc0) != 0x80)
+			goto err;
+		result = (result << 6) | ((**ptr) & 0x3f);
+		(*ptr)++;
+		
+		if (result < 0x00010000) {
+			// invalid encoding - must reject
+			goto err;
+		}
+		return result;
+	}
+	
+err:
+	fprintf(stderr, "Warning: Invalid UTF8 sequence.\n");
+	
+	// Resynchronise (skip everything starting with 0x10xxxxxx):
+	while ((**ptr & 0xc0) == 0x80)
+		*ptr++;
+	
+	return 0;
+}
+
+
+
diff --git a/sc2/src/sc2code/libs/strlib.h b/sc2/src/sc2code/libs/strlib.h
index 8a297df05..1086d02e6 100644
--- a/sc2/src/sc2code/libs/strlib.h
+++ b/sc2/src/sc2code/libs/strlib.h
@@ -48,5 +48,8 @@ extern STRINGPTR GetStringTimeStamp (STRING String);
 extern BOOLEAN GetStringContents (STRING String, STRINGPTR StringBuf,
 		BOOLEAN AppendSpace);
 
+wchar_t getCharFromString(const unsigned char **ptr);
+
 #endif /* _STRLIB_H */
 
+