diff --git a/src/Mod/Arch/ArchCommands.py b/src/Mod/Arch/ArchCommands.py
index d0ce15269d..95c1f5d4a4 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Arch/ArchCommands.py
+++ b/src/Mod/Arch/ArchCommands.py
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@ if FreeCAD.GuiUp:
     import FreeCADGui
     from PySide import QtGui,QtCore
     from draftutils.translate import translate
-    from draftutils.utils import utf8_decode
 else:
     # \cond
     def translate(ctxt,txt):
@@ -862,14 +861,14 @@ def survey(callback=False):
                                     t = u.getUserPreferred()[0]
                                     t = t.replace("^3","³")
                                     anno.LabelText = "v " + t
-                                    FreeCAD.Console.PrintMessage("Object: " + n + ", Element: Whole, Volume: " + utf8_decode(t) + "\n")
+                                    FreeCAD.Console.PrintMessage("Object: " + n + ", Element: Whole, Volume: " + t + "\n")
                                     FreeCAD.SurveyObserver.totalVolume += u.Value
                                 elif o.Object.Shape.Faces:
                                     u = FreeCAD.Units.Quantity(o.Object.Shape.Area,FreeCAD.Units.Area)
                                     t = u.getUserPreferred()[0]
                                     t = t.replace("^2","²")
                                     anno.LabelText = "a " + t
-                                    FreeCAD.Console.PrintMessage("Object: " + n + ", Element: Whole, Area: " + utf8_decode(t) + "\n")
+                                    FreeCAD.Console.PrintMessage("Object: " + n + ", Element: Whole, Area: " + t + "\n")
                                     FreeCAD.SurveyObserver.totalArea += u.Value
                                     if hasattr(FreeCAD,"SurveyDialog"):
                                         FreeCAD.SurveyDialog.update(2,t)
@@ -878,7 +877,7 @@ def survey(callback=False):
                                     t = u.getUserPreferred()[0]
                                     t = t.encode("utf8")
                                     anno.LabelText = "l " + t
-                                    FreeCAD.Console.PrintMessage("Object: " + n + ", Element: Whole, Length: " + utf8_decode(t) + "\n")
+                                    FreeCAD.Console.PrintMessage("Object: " + n + ", Element: Whole, Length: " + t + "\n")
                                     FreeCAD.SurveyObserver.totalLength += u.Value
                                     if hasattr(FreeCAD,"SurveyDialog"):
                                         FreeCAD.SurveyDialog.update(1,t)
@@ -905,7 +904,7 @@ def survey(callback=False):
                                         t = u.getUserPreferred()[0]
                                         t = t.replace("^2","²")
                                         anno.LabelText = "a " + t
-                                        FreeCAD.Console.PrintMessage("Object: " + n + ", Element: " + el + ", Area: "+ utf8_decode(t)  + "\n")
+                                        FreeCAD.Console.PrintMessage("Object: " + n + ", Element: " + el + ", Area: "+ t + "\n")
                                         FreeCAD.SurveyObserver.totalArea += u.Value
                                         if hasattr(FreeCAD,"SurveyDialog"):
                                             FreeCAD.SurveyDialog.update(2,t)
@@ -913,7 +912,7 @@ def survey(callback=False):
                                         u= FreeCAD.Units.Quantity(e.Length,FreeCAD.Units.Length)
                                         t = u.getUserPreferred()[0]
                                         anno.LabelText = "l " + t
-                                        FreeCAD.Console.PrintMessage("Object: " + n + ", Element: " + el + ", Length: " + utf8_decode(t) + "\n")
+                                        FreeCAD.Console.PrintMessage("Object: " + n + ", Element: " + el + ", Length: " + t + "\n")
                                         FreeCAD.SurveyObserver.totalLength += u.Value
                                         if hasattr(FreeCAD,"SurveyDialog"):
                                             FreeCAD.SurveyDialog.update(1,t)
@@ -921,7 +920,7 @@ def survey(callback=False):
                                         u = FreeCAD.Units.Quantity(e.Z,FreeCAD.Units.Length)
                                         t = u.getUserPreferred()[0]
                                         anno.LabelText = "z " + t
-                                        FreeCAD.Console.PrintMessage("Object: " + n + ", Element: " + el + ", Zcoord: " + utf8_decode(t) + "\n")
+                                        FreeCAD.Console.PrintMessage("Object: " + n + ", Element: " + el + ", Zcoord: " + t + "\n")
                                     if FreeCAD.GuiUp and t:
                                         if showUnit:
                                             QtGui.QApplication.clipboard().setText(t)
@@ -1087,7 +1086,7 @@ class SurveyTaskPanel:
     def update(self,column,txt):
         item = QtGui.QTreeWidgetItem(self.tree)
         self.tree.setCurrentItem(item)
-        item.setText(column,utf8_decode(txt))
+        item.setText(column,txt)
 
     def setDescr(self,item,col):
         self.descr.setText(item.text(0))
@@ -1539,7 +1538,7 @@ class _CommandCheck:
         else:
             FreeCADGui.Selection.clearSelection()
             for i in result:
-                FreeCAD.Console.PrintWarning("Object "+i[0].Name+" ("+i[0].Label+") "+ utf8_decode(i[1]))
+                FreeCAD.Console.PrintWarning("Object "+i[0].Name+" ("+i[0].Label+") "+i[1])
                 FreeCADGui.Selection.addSelection(i[0])
 
 
diff --git a/src/Mod/Arch/ArchPanel.py b/src/Mod/Arch/ArchPanel.py
index 9762ddbb20..b2c1f148bc 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Arch/ArchPanel.py
+++ b/src/Mod/Arch/ArchPanel.py
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ if FreeCAD.GuiUp:
     import draftguitools.gui_trackers as DraftTrackers
 else:
     # \cond
-    def translate(ctxt,txt,utf8_decode=False):
+    def translate(ctxt,txt):
         return txt
     def QT_TRANSLATE_NOOP(ctxt,txt):
         return txt
diff --git a/src/Mod/Arch/ArchReference.py b/src/Mod/Arch/ArchReference.py
index 47f20d6450..0b1d0ec55c 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Arch/ArchReference.py
+++ b/src/Mod/Arch/ArchReference.py
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ if FreeCAD.GuiUp:
     from PySide.QtCore import QT_TRANSLATE_NOOP
 else:
     # \cond
-    def translate(ctxt,txt, utf8_decode=False):
+    def translate(ctxt,txt):
         return txt
     def QT_TRANSLATE_NOOP(ctxt,txt):
         return txt
@@ -159,7 +159,6 @@ class ArchReference:
                             f = zdoc.open(self.parts[obj.Part][1])
                             shapedata = f.read()
                             f.close()
-                            shapedata = shapedata.decode("utf8")
                             shape = self.cleanShape(shapedata,obj,self.parts[obj.Part][2])
                             obj.Shape = shape
                             if not pl.isIdentity():
@@ -261,7 +260,6 @@ class ArchReference:
             materials = {}
             writemode = False
             for line in docf:
-                line = line.decode("utf8")
                 if "<Object name=" in line:
                     n = re.findall('name=\"(.*?)\"',line)
                     if n:
@@ -317,7 +315,6 @@ class ArchReference:
             writemode1 = False
             writemode2 = False
             for line in docf:
-                line = line.decode("utf8")
                 if ("<ViewProvider name=" in line) and (part in line):
                     writemode1 = True
                 elif writemode1 and ("<Property name=\"DiffuseColor\"" in line):
@@ -622,7 +619,6 @@ class ViewProviderArchReference:
             writemode1 = False
             writemode2 = False
             for line in docf:
-                line = line.decode("utf8")
                 if ("<Object name=" in line) and (part in line):
                     writemode1 = True
                 elif writemode1 and ("<Property name=\"SavedInventor\"" in line):
@@ -639,7 +635,6 @@ class ViewProviderArchReference:
             return None
         f = zdoc.open(ivfile)
         buf = f.read()
-        buf = buf.decode("utf8")
         f.close()
         buf = buf.replace("lineWidth 2","lineWidth "+str(int(obj.ViewObject.LineWidth)))
         return buf
diff --git a/src/Mod/Arch/ArchWall.py b/src/Mod/Arch/ArchWall.py
index 1f931dbe8e..e77474a7bc 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Arch/ArchWall.py
+++ b/src/Mod/Arch/ArchWall.py
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ if FreeCAD.GuiUp:
     import draftguitools.gui_trackers as DraftTrackers
 else:
     # \cond
-    def translate(ctxt,txt, utf8_decode=False):
+    def translate(ctxt,txt):
         return txt
     def QT_TRANSLATE_NOOP(ctxt,txt):
         return txt
diff --git a/src/Mod/Arch/import3DS.py b/src/Mod/Arch/import3DS.py
index 50884c9ab4..5e9b39d068 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Arch/import3DS.py
+++ b/src/Mod/Arch/import3DS.py
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ def open(filename):
         return
     docname = (os.path.splitext(os.path.basename(filename))[0]).encode("utf8")
     doc = FreeCAD.newDocument(docname)
-    doc.Label = decode(docname)
+    doc.Label = docname
     FreeCAD.ActiveDocument = doc
     read(filename)
     return doc
@@ -71,19 +71,6 @@ def insert(filename,docname):
     return doc
 
 
-def decode(name):
-    "decodes encoded strings"
-    try:
-        decodedName = (name.decode("utf8"))
-    except UnicodeDecodeError:
-        try:
-            decodedName = (name.decode("latin1"))
-        except UnicodeDecodeError:
-            FreeCAD.Console.PrintError(translate("Arch","Error: Couldn't determine character encoding"))
-            decodedName = name
-    return decodedName
-
-
 def read(filename):
     dom = dom3ds.read_3ds_file(filename,tight=False)
 
@@ -106,4 +93,3 @@ def read(filename):
             obj.Placement = placement
         else:
             print("Skipping object without vertices array: ",d_nobj.obj)
-
diff --git a/src/Mod/Arch/importDAE.py b/src/Mod/Arch/importDAE.py
index 06e16bbf17..41e8144f0f 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Arch/importDAE.py
+++ b/src/Mod/Arch/importDAE.py
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ def open(filename):
         return
     docname = (os.path.splitext(os.path.basename(filename))[0]).encode("utf8")
     doc = FreeCAD.newDocument(docname)
-    doc.Label = decode(docname)
+    doc.Label = docname
     FreeCAD.ActiveDocument = doc
     read(filename)
     return doc
@@ -113,21 +113,6 @@ def insert(filename,docname):
     return doc
 
 
-def decode(name):
-
-    "decodes encoded strings"
-
-    try:
-        decodedName = (name.decode("utf8"))
-    except UnicodeDecodeError:
-        try:
-            decodedName = (name.decode("latin1"))
-        except UnicodeDecodeError:
-            FreeCAD.Console.PrintError(translate("Arch","Error: Couldn't determine character encoding"))
-            decodedName = name
-    return decodedName
-
-
 def read(filename):
 
     "reads a DAE file"
diff --git a/src/Mod/Arch/importIFClegacy.py b/src/Mod/Arch/importIFClegacy.py
index 6d7a869561..8c8658e98a 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Arch/importIFClegacy.py
+++ b/src/Mod/Arch/importIFClegacy.py
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ def open(filename,skip=None):
     "called when freecad opens a file"
     docname = os.path.splitext(os.path.basename(filename))[0]
     doc = FreeCAD.newDocument(docname)
-    doc.Label = decode(docname)
+    doc.Label = docname
     FreeCAD.ActiveDocument = doc
     getConfig()
     read(filename,skip)
@@ -810,18 +810,6 @@ def getVector(entity):
 
 # below is only used by the internal parser #########################################
 
-def decode(name):
-    "decodes encoded strings"
-    try:
-        decodedName = (name.decode("utf8"))
-    except UnicodeDecodeError:
-        try:
-            decodedName = (name.decode("latin1"))
-        except UnicodeDecodeError:
-            FreeCAD.Console.PrintError(translate("Arch", "Error: Couldn't determine character encoding")+"\n")
-            decodedName = name
-    return decodedName
-
 def getSchema():
     "retrieves the express schema"
     custom = FreeCAD.ParamGet("User parameter:BaseApp/Preferences/Mod/Arch").GetString("CustomIfcSchema","")
diff --git a/src/Mod/Arch/importOBJ.py b/src/Mod/Arch/importOBJ.py
index da45c7b2f5..783e88a338 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Arch/importOBJ.py
+++ b/src/Mod/Arch/importOBJ.py
@@ -54,9 +54,6 @@ p = Draft.precision()
 if open.__module__ in ['__builtin__','io']:
     pythonopen = open
 
-def decode(txt):
-    return txt
-
 def findVert(aVertex,aList):
     "finds aVertex in aList, returns index"
     for i in range(len(aList)):
@@ -253,7 +250,7 @@ def export(exportList,filename,colors=None):
                     for f in flist:
                         outfile.write("f" + f + "\n")
     outfile.close()
-    FreeCAD.Console.PrintMessage(translate("Arch","Successfully written") + " " + decode(filename) + "\n")
+    FreeCAD.Console.PrintMessage(translate("Arch","Successfully written") + " " + filename + "\n")
     if materials:
         outfile = pythonopen(filenamemtl,"w")
         outfile.write("# FreeCAD v" + ver[0] + "." + ver[1] + " build" + ver[2] + " Arch module\n")
@@ -277,21 +274,9 @@ def export(exportList,filename,colors=None):
                     done.append(mat.Name)
         outfile.write("# Material Count: " + str(len(materials)))
         outfile.close()
-        FreeCAD.Console.PrintMessage(translate("Arch","Successfully written") + ' ' + decode(filenamemtl) + "\n")
+        FreeCAD.Console.PrintMessage(translate("Arch","Successfully written") + ' ' + filenamemtl + "\n")
 
 
-#def decode(name):
-#    "decodes encoded strings"
-#    try:
-#        decodedName = (name.decode("utf8"))
-#    except UnicodeDecodeError:
-#        try:
-#            decodedName = (name.decode("latin1"))
-#        except UnicodeDecodeError:
-#            FreeCAD.Console.PrintError(translate("Arch","Error: Couldn't determine character encoding"))
-#            decodedName = name
-#    return decodedName
-
 def open(filename):
     "called when freecad wants to open a file"
     docname = (os.path.splitext(os.path.basename(filename))[0])
@@ -371,7 +356,7 @@ def insert(filename,docname):
             material = line[7:]
     if activeobject:
         makeMesh(doc,activeobject,verts,facets,material,colortable)
-    FreeCAD.Console.PrintMessage(translate("Arch","Successfully imported") + ' ' + decode(filename) + "\n")
+    FreeCAD.Console.PrintMessage(translate("Arch","Successfully imported") + ' ' + filename + "\n")
     return doc
 
 def makeMesh(doc,activeobject,verts,facets,material,colortable):
diff --git a/src/Mod/Arch/importSH3D.py b/src/Mod/Arch/importSH3D.py
index bb1a522556..ac5ad30c8e 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Arch/importSH3D.py
+++ b/src/Mod/Arch/importSH3D.py
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ def open(filename):
     "called when freecad wants to open a file"
     docname = (os.path.splitext(os.path.basename(filename))[0]).encode("utf8")
     doc = FreeCAD.newDocument(docname)
-    doc.Label = decode(docname)
+    doc.Label = docname
     FreeCAD.ActiveDocument = doc
     read(filename)
     return doc
@@ -68,19 +68,6 @@ def insert(filename,docname):
     return doc
 
 
-def decode(name):
-    "decodes encoded strings"
-    try:
-        decodedName = (name.decode("utf8"))
-    except UnicodeDecodeError:
-        try:
-            decodedName = (name.decode("latin1"))
-        except UnicodeDecodeError:
-            FreeCAD.Console.PrintError(translate("Arch","Error: Couldn't determine character encoding"))
-            decodedName = name
-    return decodedName
-
-
 def read(filename):
     "reads the file and creates objects in the active document"