diff --git a/components/esm4/reader.cpp b/components/esm4/reader.cpp
index 93de160e5e..e041626c41 100644
--- a/components/esm4/reader.cpp
+++ b/components/esm4/reader.cpp
@@ -57,16 +57,16 @@ namespace ESM4
             return header + ": code " + std::to_string(errorCode) + ", " + std::string(msg != nullptr ? msg : "(null)");
         }
 
-        std::u8string_view getStringsSuffix(LocalizedStringType type)
+        std::string_view getStringsSuffix(LocalizedStringType type)
         {
             switch (type)
             {
                 case LocalizedStringType::Strings:
-                    return u8".STRINGS";
+                    return ".STRINGS";
                 case LocalizedStringType::ILStrings:
-                    return u8".ILSTRINGS";
+                    return ".ILSTRINGS";
                 case LocalizedStringType::DLStrings:
-                    return u8".DLSTRINGS";
+                    return ".DLSTRINGS";
             }
 
             throw std::logic_error("Unsupported LocalizedStringType: " + std::to_string(static_cast<int>(type)));
@@ -304,29 +304,35 @@ namespace ESM4
         if ((mHeader.mFlags & Rec_ESM) == 0 || (mHeader.mFlags & Rec_Localized) == 0)
             return;
 
-        const std::u8string prefix = mCtx.filename.stem().filename().u8string();
+        const std::string prefix = Files::pathToUnicodeString(mCtx.filename.stem().filename());
 
         buildLStringIndex(LocalizedStringType::Strings, prefix);
         buildLStringIndex(LocalizedStringType::ILStrings, prefix);
         buildLStringIndex(LocalizedStringType::DLStrings, prefix);
     }
 
-    void Reader::buildLStringIndex(LocalizedStringType stringType, const std::u8string& prefix)
+    void Reader::buildLStringIndex(LocalizedStringType stringType, std::string_view prefix)
     {
-        static const std::filesystem::path strings("Strings");
-        const std::u8string language(u8"_En");
-        const std::u8string altLanguage(u8"_English");
-        const std::u8string suffix(getStringsSuffix(stringType));
-        std::filesystem::path path = strings / (prefix + language + suffix);
+        const std::string_view suffix = getStringsSuffix(stringType);
+        constexpr std::string_view language("_En");
+        constexpr std::string_view altLanguage("_English");
         if (mVFS != nullptr)
         {
-            VFS::Path::Normalized vfsPath(Files::pathToUnicodeString(path));
+            constexpr VFS::Path::NormalizedView strings("strings");
+            std::string fileName(prefix);
+            fileName += language;
+            fileName += suffix;
+            VFS::Path::Normalized vfsPath(strings);
+            vfsPath /= fileName;
             Files::IStreamPtr stream = mVFS->find(vfsPath);
 
             if (stream == nullptr)
             {
-                path = strings / (prefix + altLanguage + suffix);
-                vfsPath = VFS::Path::Normalized(Files::pathToUnicodeString(path));
+                fileName = prefix;
+                fileName += altLanguage;
+                fileName += suffix;
+                vfsPath = strings;
+                vfsPath /= fileName;
                 stream = mVFS->find(vfsPath);
             }
 
@@ -337,28 +343,33 @@ namespace ESM4
             }
 
             if (mIgnoreMissingLocalizedStrings)
-            {
                 Log(Debug::Warning) << "Ignore missing VFS strings file: " << vfsPath;
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            static const std::filesystem::path strings("Strings");
+            std::string fileName(prefix);
+            fileName += language;
+            fileName += suffix;
+            std::filesystem::path fsPath = mCtx.filename.parent_path() / strings / fileName;
+            if (!std::filesystem::exists(fsPath))
+            {
+                fileName = prefix;
+                fileName += altLanguage;
+                fileName += suffix;
+                fsPath = mCtx.filename.parent_path() / strings / fileName;
+            }
+
+            if (std::filesystem::exists(fsPath))
+            {
+                const Files::IStreamPtr stream = Files::openConstrainedFileStream(fsPath);
+                buildLStringIndex(stringType, *stream);
                 return;
             }
-        }
 
-        std::filesystem::path fsPath = mCtx.filename.parent_path() / path;
-        if (!std::filesystem::exists(fsPath))
-        {
-            path = strings / (prefix + altLanguage + suffix);
-            fsPath = mCtx.filename.parent_path() / path;
+            if (mIgnoreMissingLocalizedStrings)
+                Log(Debug::Warning) << "Ignore missing strings file: " << fsPath;
         }
-
-        if (std::filesystem::exists(fsPath))
-        {
-            const Files::IStreamPtr stream = Files::openConstrainedFileStream(fsPath);
-            buildLStringIndex(stringType, *stream);
-            return;
-        }
-
-        if (mIgnoreMissingLocalizedStrings)
-            Log(Debug::Warning) << "Ignore missing strings file: " << fsPath;
     }
 
     void Reader::buildLStringIndex(LocalizedStringType stringType, std::istream& stream)
diff --git a/components/esm4/reader.hpp b/components/esm4/reader.hpp
index e8be484355..0f026e09b3 100644
--- a/components/esm4/reader.hpp
+++ b/components/esm4/reader.hpp
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ namespace ESM4
 
         bool mIgnoreMissingLocalizedStrings = false;
 
-        void buildLStringIndex(LocalizedStringType stringType, const std::u8string& prefix);
+        void buildLStringIndex(LocalizedStringType stringType, std::string_view prefix);
 
         void buildLStringIndex(LocalizedStringType stringType, std::istream& stream);