diff --git a/gramps/gui/pluginmanager.py b/gramps/gui/pluginmanager.py
index 5ed6d199a..ff094bd92 100644
--- a/gramps/gui/pluginmanager.py
+++ b/gramps/gui/pluginmanager.py
@@ -84,21 +84,13 @@ def base_reg_stock_icons(iconpaths, extraiconsize, items):
             icon_file = os.path.expanduser(os.path.join(dirname, data[0]+ext))
             if os.path.isfile(icon_file):
                 try:
-                    if (GdkPixbuf.PIXBUF_MAJOR, GdkPixbuf.PIXBUF_MINOR) > \
-                            (2, 26) or not win(): 
-                        pixbuf = GdkPixbuf.Pixbuf.new_from_file (icon_file)
-                    else:
-                        pixbuf = GdkPixbuf.Pixbuf.new_from_file_utf8 (icon_file)
+                    pixbuf = GdkPixbuf.Pixbuf.new_from_file (icon_file)
                     break
                 except:
                     pass
                   
         if not pixbuf :
-            if (GdkPixbuf.PIXBUF_MAJOR, GdkPixbuf.PIXBUF_MINOR) > (2, 26) or \
-                    not win():
-                pixbuf = GdkPixbuf.Pixbuf.new_from_file (ICON)
-            else:
-                pixbuf = GdkPixbuf.Pixbuf.new_from_file_utf8 (ICON)
+            pixbuf = GdkPixbuf.Pixbuf.new_from_file (ICON)
 
         pixbuf = pixbuf.add_alpha(True, 255, 255, 255)
         icon_set = Gtk.IconSet.new_from_pixbuf (pixbuf)
@@ -109,11 +101,7 @@ def base_reg_stock_icons(iconpaths, extraiconsize, items):
                     os.path.join(size[0], data[0]+'.png'))
             if os.path.isfile(icon_file):
                 try:
-                    if (GdkPixbuf.PIXBUF_MAJOR, GdkPixbuf.PIXBUF_MINOR) > \
-                            (2, 26) or not win():
-                        pixbuf = GdkPixbuf.Pixbuf.new_from_file (icon_file)
-                    else:
-                        pixbuf = GdkPixbuf.Pixbuf.new_from_file_utf8 (icon_file)
+                    pixbuf = GdkPixbuf.Pixbuf.new_from_file (icon_file)
                 except:
                     pass
                     
diff --git a/gramps/gui/thumbnails.py b/gramps/gui/thumbnails.py
index 6a912c92e..261f565b1 100644
--- a/gramps/gui/thumbnails.py
+++ b/gramps/gui/thumbnails.py
@@ -187,11 +187,7 @@ def __create_thumbnail_image(src_file, mtype=None, rectangle=None,
         # build a thumbnail by scaling the image using GTK's built in 
         # routines.
         try:
-            if (GdkPixbuf.PIXBUF_MAJOR, GdkPixbuf.PIXBUF_MINOR) > (2, 26) or\
-                    not win(): 
-                pixbuf = GdkPixbuf.Pixbuf.new_from_file(src_file)
-            else:
-                pixbuf = GdkPixbuf.Pixbuf.new_from_file_utf8(src_file)
+            pixbuf = GdkPixbuf.Pixbuf.new_from_file(src_file)
             width = pixbuf.get_width()
             height = pixbuf.get_height()
 
@@ -220,11 +216,7 @@ def __create_thumbnail_image(src_file, mtype=None, rectangle=None,
             
             pixbuf = pixbuf.scale_simple(scaled_width, scaled_height, 
                                          GdkPixbuf.InterpType.BILINEAR)
-            if (GdkPixbuf.PIXBUF_MAJOR, GdkPixbuf.PIXBUF_MINOR) > (2, 26) or \
-                    not win():
-                pixbuf.savev(filename, "png", "", "")
-            else:
-                pixbuf.savev_utf8(filename, "png", "", "")
+            pixbuf.savev(filename, "png", "", "")
             return True
         except Exception as err:
             LOG.warn("Error scaling image down: %s", str(err))
@@ -249,17 +241,9 @@ def find_mime_type_pixbuf(mime_type):
                 newicon = "gnome-mime-%s" % icontmp
                 return _icon_theme.load_icon(newicon,48,0)
             except:
-                if (GdkPixbuf.PIXBUF_MAJOR, GdkPixbuf.PIXBUF_MINOR) > (2, 26) \
-                        or not win():
-                    return GdkPixbuf.Pixbuf.new_from_file(ICON)
-                else:
-                    return GdkPixbuf.Pixbuf.new_from_file_utf8(ICON)
+                return GdkPixbuf.Pixbuf.new_from_file(ICON)
     except:
-        if (GdkPixbuf.PIXBUF_MAJOR, GdkPixbuf.PIXBUF_MINOR) > (2, 26) \
-                or not win(): 
-            return GdkPixbuf.Pixbuf.new_from_file(ICON)
-        else:
-            return GdkPixbuf.Pixbuf.new_from_file_utf8(ICON)
+        return GdkPixbuf.Pixbuf.new_from_file(ICON)
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 #
 # run_thumbnailer
@@ -336,21 +320,13 @@ def get_thumbnail_image(src_file, mtype=None, rectangle=None, size=SIZE_NORMAL):
     """
     try:
         filename = get_thumbnail_path(src_file, mtype, rectangle, size)
-        if (GdkPixbuf.PIXBUF_MAJOR, GdkPixbuf.PIXBUF_MINOR) > (2, 26) or \
-                not win(): 
-            return GdkPixbuf.Pixbuf.new_from_file(filename)
-        else:
-            return GdkPixbuf.Pixbuf.new_from_file_utf8(filename)
+        return GdkPixbuf.Pixbuf.new_from_file(filename)
     except (GObject.GError, OSError):
         if mtype:
             return find_mime_type_pixbuf(mtype)
         else:
             default = os.path.join(IMAGE_DIR, "document.png")
-            if (GdkPixbuf.PIXBUF_MAJOR, GdkPixbuf.PIXBUF_MINOR) > (2, 26) or \
-                    not win(): 
-                return GdkPixbuf.Pixbuf.new_from_file(default)
-            else:
-                return GdkPixbuf.Pixbuf.new_from_file_utf8(default)
+            return GdkPixbuf.Pixbuf.new_from_file(default)
 
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 #