diff --git a/src/Mod/Start/StartPage/StartPage.py b/src/Mod/Start/StartPage/StartPage.py
index b394442802..23ff22a3ca 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Start/StartPage/StartPage.py
+++ b/src/Mod/Start/StartPage/StartPage.py
@@ -36,6 +36,17 @@ iconbank = {} # to store already created icons so we don't overpollute the temp
 tempfolder = None # store icons inside a subfolder in temp dir
 defaulticon = None # store a default icon for problematic file types
 
+
+def encode(text):
+
+    "make sure we are always working with unicode in python2"
+
+    if sys.version_info.major < 3:
+        if not isinstance(text,unicode):
+            return text.decode("utf8")
+    return text
+
+
 def gethexcolor(color):
 
     "returns a color hex value #000000"
@@ -187,7 +198,7 @@ def buildCard(filename,method,arg=None):
 
     "builds a html <li> element representing a file. method is a script + a keyword, for ex. url.py?key="
 
-    result = ""
+    result = encode("")
     if os.path.exists(filename) and isOpenableByFreeCAD(filename):
         basename = os.path.basename(filename)
         if not arg:
@@ -197,10 +208,10 @@ def buildCard(filename,method,arg=None):
             image = finfo[0]
             size = finfo[1]
             author = finfo[2]
-            infostring = TranslationTexts.T_CREATIONDATE+": "+finfo[3]+"\n"
-            infostring += TranslationTexts.T_LASTMODIFIED+": "+finfo[4]
+            infostring = encode(TranslationTexts.T_CREATIONDATE+": "+finfo[3]+"\n")
+            infostring += encode(TranslationTexts.T_LASTMODIFIED+": "+finfo[4])
             if finfo[5]:
-                infostring += "\n\n" + finfo[5]
+                infostring += "\n\n" + encode(finfo[5])
             if size:
                 result += '<a href="'+method+arg+'" title="'+infostring+'">'
                 result += '<li class="icon">'
@@ -251,6 +262,7 @@ def handle():
         CSS = f.read()
     HTML = HTML.replace("JS",JS)
     HTML = HTML.replace("CSS",CSS)
+    HTML = encode(HTML)
 
     # get the stylesheet if we are using one
 
@@ -258,25 +270,20 @@ def handle():
         qssfile = FreeCAD.ParamGet("User parameter:BaseApp/Preferences/MainWindow").GetString("StyleSheet","")
         if qssfile:
             with open(qssfile, 'r') as f:
-                ALTCSS = f.read()
-                if sys.version_info.major < 3:
-                    ALTCSS = ALTCSS.decode("utf8")
+                ALTCSS = encode(f.read())
             HTML = HTML.replace("<!--QSS-->","<style type=\"text/css\">"+ALTCSS+"</style>")
 
     # get FreeCAD version
 
     v = FreeCAD.Version()
-    VERSIONSTRING = TranslationTexts.T_VERSION + " " + v[0] + "." + v[1] + " " + TranslationTexts.T_BUILD + " " + v[2]
+    VERSIONSTRING = encode(TranslationTexts.T_VERSION + " " + v[0] + "." + v[1] + " " + TranslationTexts.T_BUILD + " " + v[2])
     HTML = HTML.replace("VERSIONSTRING",VERSIONSTRING)
 
     # translate texts
 
     texts = [t for t in dir(TranslationTexts) if t.startswith("T_")]
     for text in texts:
-        if sys.version_info.major < 3:
-            HTML = HTML.replace(text,getattr(TranslationTexts,text).decode("utf8"))
-        else:
-            HTML = HTML.replace(text,getattr(TranslationTexts,text))
+        HTML = HTML.replace(text,encode(getattr(TranslationTexts,text)))
 
     # build a "create new" icon with the FreeCAD background color gradient
 
@@ -297,60 +304,54 @@ def handle():
 
     # build SECTION_RECENTFILES
 
-    SECTION_RECENTFILES = ""
+    SECTION_RECENTFILES = encode("")
     rf = FreeCAD.ParamGet("User parameter:BaseApp/Preferences/RecentFiles")
     rfcount = rf.GetInt("RecentFiles",0)
     if rfcount:
-        SECTION_RECENTFILES = "<h2>"+TranslationTexts.T_RECENTFILES+"</h2>"
+        SECTION_RECENTFILES = encode("<h2>"+TranslationTexts.T_RECENTFILES+"</h2>")
         SECTION_RECENTFILES += "<ul>"
-        SECTION_RECENTFILES += '<a href="LoadNew.py" title="'+TranslationTexts.T_CREATENEW+'">'
+        SECTION_RECENTFILES += '<a href="LoadNew.py" title="'+encode(TranslationTexts.T_CREATENEW)+'">'
         SECTION_RECENTFILES += '<li class="icon">'
         if FreeCAD.ParamGet("User parameter:BaseApp/Preferences/Mod/Start").GetBool("NewFileGradient",False):
-            SECTION_RECENTFILES += '<img src="'+iconbank["createimg"]+'">'
+            SECTION_RECENTFILES += '<img src="'+encode(iconbank["createimg"])+'">'
         else:
             SECTION_RECENTFILES += '<img src="images/new_file_thumbnail.svg">'
         SECTION_RECENTFILES += '<div class="caption">'
-        SECTION_RECENTFILES += '<h4>'+TranslationTexts.T_CREATENEW+'</h4>'
+        SECTION_RECENTFILES += '<h4>'+encode(TranslationTexts.T_CREATENEW)+'</h4>'
         SECTION_RECENTFILES += '</div>'
         SECTION_RECENTFILES += '</li>'
         SECTION_RECENTFILES += '</a>'
         for i in range(rfcount):
             filename = rf.GetString("MRU%d" % (i))
-            SECTION_RECENTFILES += buildCard(filename,method="LoadMRU.py?MRU=",arg=str(i))
+            SECTION_RECENTFILES += encode(buildCard(filename,method="LoadMRU.py?MRU=",arg=str(i)))
         SECTION_RECENTFILES += '</ul>'
-        if sys.version_info.major < 3:
-            SECTION_RECENTFILES = SECTION_RECENTFILES.decode("utf8")
     HTML = HTML.replace("SECTION_RECENTFILES",SECTION_RECENTFILES)
 
     # build SECTION_EXAMPLES
 
-    SECTION_EXAMPLES = ""
+    SECTION_EXAMPLES = encode("")
     if FreeCAD.ParamGet("User parameter:BaseApp/Preferences/Mod/Start").GetBool("ShowExamples",True):
-        SECTION_EXAMPLES = "<h2>"+TranslationTexts.T_EXAMPLES+"</h2>"
+        SECTION_EXAMPLES = encode("<h2>"+TranslationTexts.T_EXAMPLES+"</h2>")
         SECTION_EXAMPLES += "<ul>"
         for basename in os.listdir(FreeCAD.getResourceDir()+"examples"):
             filename = FreeCAD.getResourceDir()+"examples"+os.sep+basename
-            SECTION_EXAMPLES += buildCard(filename,method="LoadExample.py?filename=")
+            SECTION_EXAMPLES += encode(buildCard(filename,method="LoadExample.py?filename="))
         SECTION_EXAMPLES += "</ul>"
-    if sys.version_info.major < 3:
-        SECTION_EXAMPLES = SECTION_EXAMPLES.decode("utf8")
     HTML = HTML.replace("SECTION_EXAMPLES",SECTION_EXAMPLES)
 
     # build SECTION_CUSTOM
 
-    SECTION_CUSTOM = ""
+    SECTION_CUSTOM = encode("")
     cfolder = FreeCAD.ParamGet("User parameter:BaseApp/Preferences/Mod/Start").GetString("ShowCustomFolder","")
     if cfolder:
         if not os.path.isdir(cfolder):
             cfolder = os.path.dirname(cfolder)
-        SECTION_CUSTOM = "<h2>"+os.path.basename(os.path.normpath(cfolder))+"</h2>"
+        SECTION_CUSTOM = encode("<h2>"+os.path.basename(os.path.normpath(cfolder))+"</h2>")
         SECTION_CUSTOM += "<ul>"
         for basename in os.listdir(cfolder):
             filename = os.path.join(cfolder,basename)
-            SECTION_CUSTOM += buildCard(filename,method="LoadCustom.py?filename=")
+            SECTION_CUSTOM += encode(buildCard(filename,method="LoadCustom.py?filename="))
         SECTION_CUSTOM += "</ul>"
-    if sys.version_info.major < 3:
-        SECTION_CUSTOM = SECTION_CUSTOM.decode("utf8")
     HTML = HTML.replace("SECTION_CUSTOM",SECTION_CUSTOM)
 
     # build UL_WORKBENCHES
@@ -395,7 +396,7 @@ def handle():
         UL_WORKBENCHES += '<a href="https://www.freecadweb.org/wiki/'+wn+'_Workbench">'+wn.replace("ReverseEngineering","ReverseEng")+'</a>'
         UL_WORKBENCHES += '</li>'
     UL_WORKBENCHES += '</ul>'
-    HTML = HTML.replace("UL_WORKBENCHES",UL_WORKBENCHES)
+    HTML = HTML.replace("UL_WORKBENCHES",encode(UL_WORKBENCHES))
 
     # Detect additional addons that are not a workbench
 
@@ -435,7 +436,7 @@ def handle():
     SHADOW = "#888888"
     if QtGui.QColor(BASECOLOR).valueF() < 0.5: # dark page - we need to make darker shadows
         SHADOW = "#000000"
-    FONTFAMILY = p.GetString("FontFamily","Arial,Helvetica,sans")
+    FONTFAMILY = encode(p.GetString("FontFamily","Arial,Helvetica,sans"))
     if not FONTFAMILY:
         FONTFAMILY = "Arial,Helvetica,sans"
     FONTSIZE = p.GetInt("FontSize",13)