diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/video_tool_paths.cc b/gtk2_ardour/video_tool_paths.cc
index 6f3d56b48c..2ac4f4d401 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/video_tool_paths.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/video_tool_paths.cc
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ ArdourVideoToolPaths::harvid_exe (std::string &harvid_exe)
 
 #ifdef PLATFORM_WINDOWS
 	std::string reg;
-	const char *program_files = PBD::get_win_special_folder (CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILES);
+	std::string program_files = PBD::get_win_special_folder_path (CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILES);
 #endif
 
 	harvid_exe = "";
@@ -84,9 +84,9 @@ ArdourVideoToolPaths::harvid_exe (std::string &harvid_exe)
 	{
 		harvid_exe = g_build_filename(reg.c_str(), "harvid.exe", NULL);
 	}
-	else if (program_files && Glib::file_test(g_build_filename(program_files, "harvid", "harvid.exe", NULL), Glib::FILE_TEST_EXISTS))
+	else if (!program_files.empty() && Glib::file_test(g_build_filename(program_files.c_str(), "harvid", "harvid.exe", NULL), Glib::FILE_TEST_EXISTS))
 	{
-		harvid_exe = g_build_filename(program_files, "harvid", "harvid.exe", NULL);
+		harvid_exe = g_build_filename(program_files.c_str(), "harvid", "harvid.exe", NULL);
 	}
 	else if (Glib::file_test(X_("C:\\Program Files\\harvid\\harvid.exe"), Glib::FILE_TEST_EXISTS)) {
 		harvid_exe = X_("C:\\Program Files\\harvid\\harvid.exe");
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ ArdourVideoToolPaths::xjadeo_exe (std::string &xjadeo_exe)
 	std::string xjadeo_file_path;
 #ifdef PLATFORM_WINDOWS
 	std::string reg;
-	const char *program_files = PBD::get_win_special_folder (CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILES);
+	std::string program_files = PBD::get_win_special_folder_path (CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILES);
 #endif
 	if (getenv("XJREMOTE")) {
 		xjadeo_exe = getenv("XJREMOTE");
@@ -131,9 +131,9 @@ ArdourVideoToolPaths::xjadeo_exe (std::string &xjadeo_exe)
 	{
 		xjadeo_exe = std::string(g_build_filename(reg.c_str(), "xjadeo.exe", NULL));
 	}
-	else if (program_files && Glib::file_test(g_build_filename(program_files, "xjadeo", "xjadeo.exe", NULL), Glib::FILE_TEST_EXISTS))
+	else if (!program_files.empty() && Glib::file_test(g_build_filename(program_files.c_str(), "xjadeo", "xjadeo.exe", NULL), Glib::FILE_TEST_EXISTS))
 	{
-		xjadeo_exe = std::string(g_build_filename(program_files, "xjadeo", "xjadeo.exe", NULL));
+		xjadeo_exe = std::string(g_build_filename(program_files.c_str(), "xjadeo", "xjadeo.exe", NULL));
 	}
 	else if (Glib::file_test(X_("C:\\Program Files\\xjadeo\\xjadeo.exe"), Glib::FILE_TEST_EXISTS)) {
 		xjadeo_exe = X_("C:\\Program Files\\xjadeo\\xjadeo.exe");
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ ArdourVideoToolPaths::transcoder_exe (std::string &ffmpeg_exe, std::string &ffpr
 {
 #ifdef PLATFORM_WINDOWS
 	std::string reg;
-	const char *program_files = PBD::get_win_special_folder (CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILES);
+	std::string program_files = PBD::get_win_special_folder_path (CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILES);
 #endif
 
 	ffmpeg_exe = X_("");
@@ -176,8 +176,8 @@ ArdourVideoToolPaths::transcoder_exe (std::string &ffmpeg_exe, std::string &ffpr
 	if (Glib::file_test(ffmpeg_exe, Glib::FILE_TEST_EXISTS)) {
 		;
 	}
-	else if (program_files && Glib::file_test(g_build_filename(program_files, "harvid", "ffmpeg.exe", NULL), Glib::FILE_TEST_EXISTS)) {
-		ffmpeg_exe = g_build_filename(program_files, "harvid", "ffmpeg.exe", NULL);
+	else if (!program_files.empty() && Glib::file_test(g_build_filename(program_files.c_str(), "harvid", "ffmpeg.exe", NULL), Glib::FILE_TEST_EXISTS)) {
+		ffmpeg_exe = g_build_filename(program_files.c_str(), "harvid", "ffmpeg.exe", NULL);
 	}
 	else if (Glib::file_test(X_("C:\\Program Files\\ffmpeg\\ffmpeg.exe"), Glib::FILE_TEST_EXISTS)) {
 		ffmpeg_exe = X_("C:\\Program Files\\ffmpeg\\ffmpeg.exe");
@@ -193,8 +193,8 @@ ArdourVideoToolPaths::transcoder_exe (std::string &ffmpeg_exe, std::string &ffpr
 	if (Glib::file_test(ffprobe_exe, Glib::FILE_TEST_EXISTS)) {
 		;
 	}
-	else if (program_files && Glib::file_test(g_build_filename(program_files, "harvid", "ffprobe.exe", NULL), Glib::FILE_TEST_EXISTS)) {
-		ffprobe_exe = g_build_filename(program_files, "harvid", "ffprobe.exe", NULL);
+	else if (!program_files.empty() && Glib::file_test(g_build_filename(program_files.c_str(), "harvid", "ffprobe.exe", NULL), Glib::FILE_TEST_EXISTS)) {
+		ffprobe_exe = g_build_filename(program_files.c_str(), "harvid", "ffprobe.exe", NULL);
 	}
 	else if (Glib::file_test(X_("C:\\Program Files\\ffmpeg\\ffprobe.exe"), Glib::FILE_TEST_EXISTS)) {
 		ffprobe_exe = X_("C:\\Program Files\\ffmpeg\\ffprobe.exe");
diff --git a/libs/ardour/search_paths.cc b/libs/ardour/search_paths.cc
index 6b54ff566c..d9e3bf7bc9 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/search_paths.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/search_paths.cc
@@ -196,11 +196,11 @@ vst_search_path ()
 
 	if (p == 0) {
 		char *pVSTx86 = 0;
-		char *pProgFilesX86 = PBD::get_win_special_folder (CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILESX86);
+		std::string pProgFilesX86 = PBD::get_win_special_folder_path (CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILESX86);
 
-		if (pProgFilesX86) {
+		if (!pProgFilesX86.empty()) {
 			// Look for a VST folder under C:\Program Files (x86)
-			if ((pVSTx86 = g_build_filename (pProgFilesX86, "Steinberg", "VSTPlugins", NULL)))
+			if ((pVSTx86 = g_build_filename (pProgFilesX86.c_str(), "Steinberg", "VSTPlugins", NULL)))
 			{
 				if (Glib::file_test (pVSTx86, Glib::FILE_TEST_EXISTS))
 					if (Glib::file_test (pVSTx86, Glib::FILE_TEST_IS_DIR))
@@ -208,25 +208,21 @@ vst_search_path ()
 
 				g_free (pVSTx86);
 			}
-
-			g_free (pProgFilesX86);
 		}
 
 		if (p == 0) {
 			// Look for a VST folder under C:\Program Files
 			char *pVST = 0;
-			char *pProgFiles = PBD::get_win_special_folder (CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILES);
+			std::string pProgFiles = PBD::get_win_special_folder_path (CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILES);
 
-			if (pProgFiles) {
-				if ((pVST = g_build_filename (pProgFiles, "Steinberg", "VSTPlugins", NULL))) {
+			if (!pProgFiles.empty()) {
+				if ((pVST = g_build_filename (pProgFiles.c_str(), "Steinberg", "VSTPlugins", NULL))) {
 					if (Glib::file_test (pVST, Glib::FILE_TEST_EXISTS))
 						if (Glib::file_test (pVST, Glib::FILE_TEST_IS_DIR))
 							p = g_build_filename (pVST, NULL);
 
 					g_free (pVST);
 				}
-
-				g_free (pProgFiles);
 			}
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/libs/pbd/pbd/windows_special_dirs.h b/libs/pbd/pbd/windows_special_dirs.h
index c557ef4c16..0bc5accc96 100644
--- a/libs/pbd/pbd/windows_special_dirs.h
+++ b/libs/pbd/pbd/windows_special_dirs.h
@@ -20,10 +20,22 @@
 #ifndef __libpbd_windows_special_dirs_h__
 #define __libpbd_windows_special_dirs_h__
 
+#include <string>
+
 #include "pbd/libpbd_visibility.h"
 
 namespace PBD {
-	LIBPBD_API char * get_win_special_folder (int csidl);
+
+/**
+* Gets the full path that corresponds of one of the Windows special folders,
+* such as "My Documents" and the like.
+*
+* @param csidl corresponds to CSIDL values, such as CSIDL_SYSTEM etc.
+* @return A string containing the name of the special folder or an empty
+* string on failure.
+*/
+LIBPBD_API std::string get_win_special_folder_path (int csidl);
+
 }
 
 #endif /* __libpbd_windows_special_dirs_h__ */
diff --git a/libs/pbd/windows_special_dirs.cc b/libs/pbd/windows_special_dirs.cc
index 5e924f57e1..d5138050df 100644
--- a/libs/pbd/windows_special_dirs.cc
+++ b/libs/pbd/windows_special_dirs.cc
@@ -23,38 +23,27 @@
 
 #include "pbd/windows_special_dirs.h"
 
-//***************************************************************
-//
-//	get_win_special_folder()
-//
-//  Gets the full path name that corresponds of one of the Windows
-//  special folders, such as "My Documents" and the like. The input
-//  parameter must be one of the corresponding CSIDL values, such
-//  as CSIDL_SYSTEM etc.
-//  
-//	Returns:
-//
-//    On Success: A pointer to a newly allocated string containing
-//                the name of the special folder (must later be freed).
-//    On Failure: NULL
-//
-
-char *
-PBD::get_win_special_folder (int csidl)
+std::string
+PBD::get_win_special_folder_path (int csidl)
 {
 	wchar_t path[PATH_MAX+1];
 	HRESULT hr;
 	LPITEMIDLIST pidl = 0;
-	char *retval = 0;
+	char *utf8_folder_path = 0;
 	
 	if (S_OK == (hr = SHGetSpecialFolderLocation (0, csidl, &pidl))) {
 
 		if (SHGetPathFromIDListW (pidl, path)) {
-			retval = g_utf16_to_utf8 ((const gunichar2*)path, -1, 0, 0, 0);
+			utf8_folder_path = g_utf16_to_utf8 ((const gunichar2*)path, -1, 0, 0, 0);
 		}
 		CoTaskMemFree (pidl);
 	}
 
-	return retval;
+	if (utf8_folder_path != NULL) {
+		std::string folder_path(utf8_folder_path);
+		g_free (utf8_folder_path);
+		return folder_path;
+	}
+	return std::string();
 }