diff --git a/src/dialogs.py b/src/dialogs.py
index 6bdb34232..f0fadd625 100644
--- a/src/dialogs.py
+++ b/src/dialogs.py
@@ -1537,11 +1537,8 @@ class SoundChooserDialog(FileChooserDialog):
 		def on_ok(widget, callback):
 			'''check if file exists and call callback'''
 			path_to_snd_file = self.get_filename()
-			try:
-				path_to_snd_file = path_to_snd_file.decode(
-					sys.getfilesystemencoding())
-			except:
-				pass
+			path_to_snd_file = gtkgui_helpers.decode_filechooser_file_paths(
+				(path_to_snd_file,))[0]
 			if os.path.exists(path_to_snd_file):
 				callback(widget, path_to_snd_file)
 
@@ -1576,11 +1573,8 @@ class ImageChooserDialog(FileChooserDialog):
 		def on_ok(widget, callback):
 			'''check if file exists and call callback'''
 			path_to_file = self.get_filename()
-			try:
-				path_to_file = path_to_file.decode(
-					sys.getfilesystemencoding())
-			except:
-				pass
+			path_to_file = gtkgui_helpers.decode_filechooser_file_paths(
+				(path_to_file,))[0]
 			if os.path.exists(path_to_file):
 				callback(widget, path_to_file)
 
diff --git a/src/gtkgui_helpers.py b/src/gtkgui_helpers.py
index 3f1ecf2e7..8d4a1c681 100644
--- a/src/gtkgui_helpers.py
+++ b/src/gtkgui_helpers.py
@@ -506,7 +506,13 @@ def decode_filechooser_file_paths(file_paths):
 			file_paths_list.append(file_path)
 	else:
 		for file_path in file_paths:
-			file_path = file_path.decode(sys.getfilesystemencoding())
+			try:
+				file_path = file_path.decode(sys.getfilesystemencoding())
+			except:
+				try:
+					file_path = file_path.decode('utf-8')
+				except:
+					pass
 			file_paths_list.append(file_path)
 	
 	return file_paths_list