diff --git a/binding/binding-mri.cpp b/binding/binding-mri.cpp
index 3b9d3cf..f2d9fe8 100644
--- a/binding/binding-mri.cpp
+++ b/binding/binding-mri.cpp
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ static void mriBindingInit() {
         _rb_define_module_function(rb_mKernel, "msgbox", mriPrint);
         _rb_define_module_function(rb_mKernel, "msgbox_p", mriP);
         
-        rb_define_global_const("RGSS_VERSION", rb_str_new_cstr("3.0.1"));
+        rb_define_global_const("RGSS_VERSION", rb_utf8_str_new_cstr("3.0.1"));
     } else {
         _rb_define_module_function(rb_mKernel, "print", mriPrint);
         _rb_define_module_function(rb_mKernel, "p", mriP);
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ static void mriBindingInit() {
     
     /* Load global constants */
     rb_gv_set("MKXP", Qtrue);
-    rb_const_set(mod, rb_intern("VERSION"), rb_str_new_cstr(MACRO_STRINGIFY(MKXPZ_VERSION)));
+    rb_const_set(mod, rb_intern("VERSION"), rb_utf8_str_new_cstr(MACRO_STRINGIFY(MKXPZ_VERSION)));
     
     VALUE debug = rb_bool_new(shState->config().editor.debug);
     if (rgssVer == 1)
@@ -276,7 +276,7 @@ RB_METHOD(mkxpDataDirectory) {
     const char *s = path.empty() ? "." : path.c_str();
     
     std::string s_nml = shState->fileSystem().normalize(s, 1, 1);
-    VALUE ret = rb_str_new_cstr(s_nml.c_str());
+    VALUE ret = rb_utf8_str_new_cstr(s_nml.c_str());
     
     return ret;
 }
@@ -299,7 +299,7 @@ RB_METHOD(mkxpDesensitize) {
     rb_scan_args(argc, argv, "1", &filename);
     SafeStringValue(filename);
     
-    return rb_str_new_cstr(
+    return rb_utf8_str_new_cstr(
                            shState->fileSystem().desensitize(RSTRING_PTR(filename)));
 }
 
@@ -333,25 +333,25 @@ RB_METHOD(mkxpMouseInWindow) {
 RB_METHOD(mkxpPlatform) {
     RB_UNUSED_PARAM;
     
-    return rb_str_new_cstr(SDL_GetPlatform());
+    return rb_utf8_str_new_cstr(SDL_GetPlatform());
 }
 
 RB_METHOD(mkxpUserLanguage) {
     RB_UNUSED_PARAM;
     
-    return rb_str_new_cstr(mkxp_sys::getSystemLanguage().c_str());
+    return rb_utf8_str_new_cstr(mkxp_sys::getSystemLanguage().c_str());
 }
 
 RB_METHOD(mkxpUserName) {
     RB_UNUSED_PARAM;
     
-    return rb_str_new_cstr(mkxp_sys::getUserName().c_str());
+    return rb_utf8_str_new_cstr(mkxp_sys::getUserName().c_str());
 }
 
 RB_METHOD(mkxpGameTitle) {
     RB_UNUSED_PARAM;
     
-    return rb_str_new_cstr(shState->config().game.title.c_str());
+    return rb_utf8_str_new_cstr(shState->config().game.title.c_str());
 }
 
 RB_METHOD(mkxpPowerState) {
@@ -516,7 +516,7 @@ RB_METHOD(_kernelCaller) {
         return trace;
     
     /* RMXP does this, not sure if specific or 1.8 related */
-    VALUE args[] = {rb_str_new_cstr(":in `<main>'"), rb_str_new_cstr("")};
+    VALUE args[] = {rb_utf8_str_new_cstr(":in `<main>'"), rb_utf8_str_new_cstr("")};
     rb_funcall2(rb_ary_entry(trace, len - 1), rb_intern("gsub!"), 2, args);
     
     return trace;
@@ -567,7 +567,7 @@ struct BacktraceData {
 bool evalScript(VALUE string, const char *filename)
 {
     int state;
-    evalString(string, rb_str_new_cstr(filename), &state);
+    evalString(string, rb_utf8_str_new_cstr(filename), &state);
     if (state) return false;
     return true;
 }
@@ -654,7 +654,7 @@ static void runRMXPScripts(BacktraceData &btData) {
             break;
         }
         
-        rb_ary_store(script, 3, rb_str_new_cstr(decodeBuffer.c_str()));
+        rb_ary_store(script, 3, rb_utf8_str_new_cstr(decodeBuffer.c_str()));
     }
     
     // Can be force-disabled similarly to framerate options
@@ -882,7 +882,7 @@ static void mriBindingExecute() {
     }
 #ifndef WORKDIR_CURRENT
     else {
-        rb_ary_push(lpaths, rb_str_new_cstr(mkxp_fs::getCurrentDirectory().c_str()));
+        rb_ary_push(lpaths, rb_utf8_str_new_cstr(mkxp_fs::getCurrentDirectory().c_str()));
     }
 #endif
     
diff --git a/binding/binding-util.h b/binding/binding-util.h
index 62653eb..c7dc421 100644
--- a/binding/binding-util.h
+++ b/binding/binding-util.h
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ return Data_Wrap_Struct(klass, 0, free, 0);                                \
 #define DEF_ALLOCFUNC(type) DEF_ALLOCFUNC_CUSTOMFREE(type, freeInstance<type>)
 
 #if RAPI_MINOR < 9
-#define rb_str_new_cstr rb_str_new2
+#define rb_utf8_str_new_cstr rb_str_new2
 #endif
 
 #define PRIsVALUE "s"
diff --git a/binding/font-binding.cpp b/binding/font-binding.cpp
index 0aaefc4..416f5ef 100644
--- a/binding/font-binding.cpp
+++ b/binding/font-binding.cpp
@@ -252,12 +252,12 @@ void fontBindingInit() {
   VALUE defNamesObj;
 
   if (defNames.size() == 1) {
-    defNamesObj = rb_str_new_cstr(defNames[0].c_str());
+    defNamesObj = rb_utf8_str_new_cstr(defNames[0].c_str());
   } else {
     defNamesObj = rb_ary_new2(defNames.size());
 
     for (size_t i = 0; i < defNames.size(); ++i)
-      rb_ary_push(defNamesObj, rb_str_new_cstr(defNames[i].c_str()));
+      rb_ary_push(defNamesObj, rb_utf8_str_new_cstr(defNames[i].c_str()));
   }
 
   rb_iv_set(klass, "default_name", defNamesObj);
diff --git a/binding/http-binding.cpp b/binding/http-binding.cpp
index 0f793fb..7bdef7f 100644
--- a/binding/http-binding.cpp
+++ b/binding/http-binding.cpp
@@ -15,8 +15,8 @@
 VALUE stringMap2hash(mkxp_net::StringMap &map) {
     VALUE ret = rb_hash_new();
     for (auto const &item : map) {
-        VALUE key = rb_str_new_cstr(item.first.c_str());
-        VALUE val = rb_str_new_cstr(item.second.c_str());
+        VALUE key = rb_utf8_str_new_cstr(item.first.c_str());
+        VALUE val = rb_utf8_str_new_cstr(item.second.c_str());
         rb_hash_aset(ret, key, val);
     }
     return ret;
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ RB_METHOD(httpGet) {
         auto res = req.get();
         ret = rb_hash_new();
         rb_hash_aset(ret, ID2SYM(rb_intern("status")), INT2NUM(res.status()));
-        rb_hash_aset(ret, ID2SYM(rb_intern("body")), rb_str_new_cstr(res.body().c_str()));
+        rb_hash_aset(ret, ID2SYM(rb_intern("body")), rb_utf8_str_new_cstr(res.body().c_str()));
         rb_hash_aset(ret, ID2SYM(rb_intern("headers")), stringMap2hash(res.headers()));
     } catch (Exception &e) {
         raiseRbExc(e);
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ RB_METHOD(httpPost) {
         auto res = req.post(postData);
         ret = rb_hash_new();
         rb_hash_aset(ret, ID2SYM(rb_intern("status")), INT2NUM(res.status()));
-        rb_hash_aset(ret, ID2SYM(rb_intern("body")), rb_str_new_cstr(res.body().c_str()));
+        rb_hash_aset(ret, ID2SYM(rb_intern("body")), rb_utf8_str_new_cstr(res.body().c_str()));
         rb_hash_aset(ret, ID2SYM(rb_intern("headers")), stringMap2hash(res.headers()));
     } catch (Exception &e) {
         raiseRbExc(e);
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ RB_METHOD(httpPostBody) {
         auto res = req.post(RSTRING_PTR(body), RSTRING_PTR(ctype));
         ret = rb_hash_new();
         rb_hash_aset(ret, ID2SYM(rb_intern("status")), INT2NUM(res.status()));
-        rb_hash_aset(ret, ID2SYM(rb_intern("body")), rb_str_new_cstr(res.body().c_str()));
+        rb_hash_aset(ret, ID2SYM(rb_intern("body")), rb_utf8_str_new_cstr(res.body().c_str()));
         rb_hash_aset(ret, ID2SYM(rb_intern("headers")), stringMap2hash(res.headers()));
     } catch (Exception &e) {
         raiseRbExc(e);
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ VALUE json2rb(json5pp::value const &v) {
         return rb_float_new(v.as_number());
     
     if (v.is_string())
-        return rb_str_new_cstr(v.as_string().c_str());
+        return rb_utf8_str_new_cstr(v.as_string().c_str());
     
     if (v.is_boolean())
         return rb_bool_new(v.as_boolean());
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ VALUE json2rb(json5pp::value const &v) {
         auto &o = v.as_object();
         VALUE ret = rb_hash_new();
         for (auto const &pair : o) {
-            rb_hash_aset(ret, rb_str_new_cstr(pair.first.c_str()), json2rb(pair.second));
+            rb_hash_aset(ret, rb_utf8_str_new_cstr(pair.first.c_str()), json2rb(pair.second));
         }
         return ret;
     }
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ RB_METHOD(httpJsonStringify) {
     rb_scan_args(argc, argv, "1", &obj);
     
     json5pp::value v = rb2json(obj);
-    return rb_str_new_cstr(v.stringify().c_str());
+    return rb_utf8_str_new_cstr(v.stringify().c_str());
 }
 
 void httpBindingInit() {
diff --git a/binding/input-binding.cpp b/binding/input-binding.cpp
index 0b18297..892c187 100644
--- a/binding/input-binding.cpp
+++ b/binding/input-binding.cpp
@@ -281,7 +281,7 @@ RB_METHOD(inputJoystickInfo) {
     VALUE ret = rb_hash_new();
     
     rb_hash_aset(ret, M_SYMBOL("name"),
-                 rb_str_new_cstr(shState->input().getJoystickName()));
+                 rb_utf8_str_new_cstr(shState->input().getJoystickName()));
     
     VALUE power;
     
@@ -324,7 +324,7 @@ RB_METHOD(inputSetMode) {
 RB_METHOD(inputGets) {
     RB_UNUSED_PARAM;
     
-    VALUE ret = rb_str_new_cstr(shState->input().getText());
+    VALUE ret = rb_utf8_str_new_cstr(shState->input().getText());
     shState->input().clearText();
     
     return ret;
@@ -334,7 +334,7 @@ RB_METHOD(inputGetClipboard) {
     RB_UNUSED_PARAM;
     VALUE ret;
     try {
-        ret = rb_str_new_cstr(shState->input().getClipboardText());
+        ret = rb_utf8_str_new_cstr(shState->input().getClipboardText());
     } catch (const Exception &e) {
         raiseRbExc(e);
     }
diff --git a/binding/miniffi-binding.cpp b/binding/miniffi-binding.cpp
index 5e8f67e..e5fe58b 100644
--- a/binding/miniffi-binding.cpp
+++ b/binding/miniffi-binding.cpp
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ RB_METHOD(MiniFFI_call) {
     return MVAL2RB(ret);
 
   case _T_POINTER:
-    return rb_str_new_cstr((char *)ret);
+    return rb_utf8_str_new_cstr((char *)ret);
 
   case _T_BOOL:
     return rb_bool_new(ret);