diff --git a/i3-nagbar/main.c b/i3-nagbar/main.c
index 87214477..7a09b99d 100644
--- a/i3-nagbar/main.c
+++ b/i3-nagbar/main.c
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
 #include "i3-nagbar.h"
 
 typedef struct {
-    char *label;
+    i3String *label;
     char *action;
     int16_t x;
     uint16_t width;
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ static xcb_pixmap_t pixmap;
 static xcb_gcontext_t pixmap_gc;
 static xcb_rectangle_t rect = { 0, 0, 600, 20 };
 static i3Font font;
-static char *prompt;
+static i3String *prompt;
 static button_t *buttons;
 static int buttoncnt;
 
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ static int handle_expose(xcb_connection_t *conn, xcb_expose_event_t *event) {
 
     /* restore font color */
     set_font_colors(pixmap_gc, color_text, color_background);
-    draw_text(prompt, strlen(prompt), false, pixmap, pixmap_gc,
+    draw_text((char *)i3string_as_ucs2(prompt), i3string_get_num_glyphs(prompt), true, pixmap, pixmap_gc,
             4 + 4, 4 + 4, rect.width - 4 - 4);
 
     /* render close button */
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ static int handle_expose(xcb_connection_t *conn, xcb_expose_event_t *event) {
         values[0] = color_text;
         values[1] = color_button_background;
         set_font_colors(pixmap_gc, color_text, color_button_background);
-        draw_text(buttons[c].label, strlen(buttons[c].label), false, pixmap, pixmap_gc,
+        draw_text((char *)i3string_as_ucs2(buttons[c].label), i3string_get_num_glyphs(buttons[c].label), true, pixmap, pixmap_gc,
                 y - w - line_width + 6, 4 + 3, rect.width - y + w + line_width - 6);
 
         y -= w;
@@ -232,7 +232,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
 
     char *options_string = "b:f:m:t:vh";
 
-    prompt = sstrdup("Please do not run this program.");
+    prompt = i3string_from_utf8("Please do not run this program.");
 
     while ((o = getopt_long(argc, argv, options_string, long_options, &option_index)) != -1) {
         switch (o) {
@@ -244,8 +244,8 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
                 pattern = sstrdup(optarg);
                 break;
             case 'm':
-                FREE(prompt);
-                prompt = sstrdup(optarg);
+                i3string_free(prompt);
+                prompt = i3string_from_utf8(optarg);
                 break;
             case 't':
                 bar_type = (strcasecmp(optarg, "warning") == 0 ? TYPE_WARNING : TYPE_ERROR);
@@ -256,10 +256,10 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
                 return 0;
             case 'b':
                 buttons = realloc(buttons, sizeof(button_t) * (buttoncnt + 1));
-                buttons[buttoncnt].label = optarg;
+                buttons[buttoncnt].label = i3string_from_utf8(optarg);
                 buttons[buttoncnt].action = argv[optind];
                 printf("button with label *%s* and action *%s*\n",
-                        buttons[buttoncnt].label,
+                        i3string_as_utf8(buttons[buttoncnt].label),
                         buttons[buttoncnt].action);
                 buttoncnt++;
                 printf("now %d buttons\n", buttoncnt);