diff --git a/gajim/application.py b/gajim/application.py
index 22d4a5aae..c46a39c05 100644
--- a/gajim/application.py
+++ b/gajim/application.py
@@ -182,8 +182,8 @@ class GajimApplication(Gtk.Application):
 
         # Set Application Menu
         app.app = self
-        from gajim import gtkgui_helpers
-        builder = gtkgui_helpers.get_gtk_builder('application_menu.ui')
+        from gajim.gtk.util import get_builder
+        builder = get_builder('application_menu.ui')
         menubar = builder.get_object("menubar")
         appmenu = builder.get_object("appmenu")
         if app.prefers_app_menu():
diff --git a/gajim/gtk/util.py b/gajim/gtk/util.py
index 4c918f6b4..eafc626ce 100644
--- a/gajim/gtk/util.py
+++ b/gajim/gtk/util.py
@@ -68,7 +68,10 @@ def get_builder(file_name, widget=None):
         if widget is not None:
             builder.add_objects_from_string(xml_text, [widget])
         else:
-            builder.add_from_string(xml_text)
+            # Workaround
+            # https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/pygobject/issues/255
+            Gtk.Builder.__mro__[1].add_from_string(
+                builder, xml_text, len(xml_text.encode("utf-8")))
     else:
         if widget is not None:
             builder.add_objects_from_file(file_path, [widget])
diff --git a/gajim/gtkgui_helpers.py b/gajim/gtkgui_helpers.py
index 8afeaf27a..c9d36d82d 100644
--- a/gajim/gtkgui_helpers.py
+++ b/gajim/gtkgui_helpers.py
@@ -140,7 +140,10 @@ def get_gtk_builder(file_name, widget=None):
         if widget is not None:
             builder.add_objects_from_string(xml_text, [widget])
         else:
-            builder.add_from_string(xml_text)
+            # Workaround
+            # https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/pygobject/issues/255
+            Gtk.Builder.__mro__[1].add_from_string(
+                builder, xml_text, len(xml_text.encode("utf-8")))
     else:
         if widget is not None:
             builder.add_objects_from_file(file_path, [widget])