diff --git a/src/openrct2-ui/interface/Window.cpp b/src/openrct2-ui/interface/Window.cpp
index 2dea9a6331..bef13339fa 100644
--- a/src/openrct2-ui/interface/Window.cpp
+++ b/src/openrct2-ui/interface/Window.cpp
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@
 #include <openrct2/entity/EntityRegistry.h>
 #include <openrct2/interface/Widget.h>
 #include <openrct2/localisation/Formatter.h>
-#include <openrct2/localisation/Formatting.h>
 #include <openrct2/localisation/StringIds.h>
 #include <openrct2/sprites.h>
 #include <openrct2/ui/UiContext.h>
@@ -867,31 +866,22 @@ namespace OpenRCT2::Ui::Windows
         return window.classification;
     }
 
-    void WindowStartTextbox(
-        WindowBase& call_w, WidgetIndex call_widget, StringId existing_text, const char* existing_args, int32_t maxLength)
+    void WindowStartTextbox(const WindowBase& callW, WidgetIndex callWidget, u8string existingText, int32_t maxLength)
     {
         if (_usingWidgetTextBox)
             WindowCancelTextbox();
 
         _usingWidgetTextBox = true;
-        _currentTextBox.window.classification = call_w.classification;
-        _currentTextBox.window.number = call_w.number;
-        _currentTextBox.widget_index = call_widget;
+        _currentTextBox.window.classification = callW.classification;
+        _currentTextBox.window.number = callW.number;
+        _currentTextBox.widget_index = callWidget;
         _textBoxFrameNo = 0;
 
         WindowCloseByClass(WindowClass::Textinput);
 
-        // Clear the text input buffer
-        _textBoxInput.clear();
-
         // Enter in the text input buffer any existing
         // text.
-        if (existing_text != STR_NONE)
-        {
-            char tempBuf[TEXT_INPUT_SIZE]{};
-            size_t len = FormatStringLegacy(tempBuf, TEXT_INPUT_SIZE, existing_text, &existing_args);
-            _textBoxInput.assign(tempBuf, len);
-        }
+        _textBoxInput = existingText;
 
         _textInput = ContextStartTextInput(_textBoxInput, maxLength);
     }
diff --git a/src/openrct2-ui/interface/Window.h b/src/openrct2-ui/interface/Window.h
index eae16723f2..b107f167e4 100644
--- a/src/openrct2-ui/interface/Window.h
+++ b/src/openrct2-ui/interface/Window.h
@@ -76,8 +76,7 @@ namespace OpenRCT2::Ui::Windows
     WindowBase* WindowGetListening();
     WindowClass WindowGetClassification(const WindowBase& window);
 
-    void WindowStartTextbox(
-        WindowBase& call_w, WidgetIndex call_widget, StringId existing_text, const char* existing_args, int32_t maxLength);
+    void WindowStartTextbox(const WindowBase& callW, WidgetIndex callWidget, u8string existingText, int32_t maxLength);
     void WindowCancelTextbox();
     void WindowUpdateTextboxCaret();
     void WindowUpdateTextbox();
diff --git a/src/openrct2-ui/scripting/CustomWindow.cpp b/src/openrct2-ui/scripting/CustomWindow.cpp
index ba513ce796..e0b8589bad 100644
--- a/src/openrct2-ui/scripting/CustomWindow.cpp
+++ b/src/openrct2-ui/scripting/CustomWindow.cpp
@@ -653,8 +653,7 @@ namespace OpenRCT2::Ui::Windows
                 }
                 else if (widgetDesc->Type == "textbox")
                 {
-                    auto* text = const_cast<char*>(widgetDesc->Text.c_str());
-                    WindowStartTextbox(*this, widgetIndex, STR_STRING, text, widgetDesc->MaxLength + 1);
+                    WindowStartTextbox(*this, widgetIndex, widgetDesc->Text, widgetDesc->MaxLength + 1);
                 }
             }
         }
diff --git a/src/openrct2-ui/windows/EditorObjectSelection.cpp b/src/openrct2-ui/windows/EditorObjectSelection.cpp
index a65dd08c4f..7110640fdc 100644
--- a/src/openrct2-ui/windows/EditorObjectSelection.cpp
+++ b/src/openrct2-ui/windows/EditorObjectSelection.cpp
@@ -422,7 +422,7 @@ static std::vector<Widget> _window_editor_object_selection_widgets = {
                     break;
                 }
                 case WIDX_FILTER_TEXT_BOX:
-                    WindowStartTextbox(*this, widgetIndex, STR_STRING, _filter_string, sizeof(_filter_string));
+                    WindowStartTextbox(*this, widgetIndex, _filter_string, sizeof(_filter_string));
                     break;
                 case WIDX_FILTER_CLEAR_BUTTON:
                     std::fill_n(_filter_string, sizeof(_filter_string), 0x00);
diff --git a/src/openrct2-ui/windows/NewRide.cpp b/src/openrct2-ui/windows/NewRide.cpp
index c6b4b4c3ae..ca64284f5e 100644
--- a/src/openrct2-ui/windows/NewRide.cpp
+++ b/src/openrct2-ui/windows/NewRide.cpp
@@ -370,7 +370,7 @@ static Widget window_new_ride_widgets[] = {
                     SetPage(_currentTab);
                     break;
                 case WIDX_FILTER_TEXT_BOX:
-                    WindowStartTextbox(*this, widgetIndex, STR_STRING, _filter.data(), kTextInputSize);
+                    WindowStartTextbox(*this, widgetIndex, _filter, kTextInputSize);
                     break;
                 case WIDX_FILTER_CLEAR_BUTTON:
                     _filter.clear();
diff --git a/src/openrct2-ui/windows/Scenery.cpp b/src/openrct2-ui/windows/Scenery.cpp
index 3dce046fcd..327573e92a 100644
--- a/src/openrct2-ui/windows/Scenery.cpp
+++ b/src/openrct2-ui/windows/Scenery.cpp
@@ -276,7 +276,7 @@ static Widget WindowSceneryBaseWidgets[] = {
                     Invalidate();
                     break;
                 case WIDX_FILTER_TEXT_BOX:
-                    WindowStartTextbox(*this, widgetIndex, STR_STRING, _filteredSceneryTab.Filter.data(), kTextInputSize);
+                    WindowStartTextbox(*this, widgetIndex, _filteredSceneryTab.Filter, kTextInputSize);
                     break;
                 case WIDX_FILTER_CLEAR_BUTTON:
                     _tabEntries[_activeTabIndex].Filter.clear();
diff --git a/src/openrct2-ui/windows/ServerList.cpp b/src/openrct2-ui/windows/ServerList.cpp
index 4c22b62fee..840fc3642a 100644
--- a/src/openrct2-ui/windows/ServerList.cpp
+++ b/src/openrct2-ui/windows/ServerList.cpp
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ static Widget _serverListWidgets[] = {
                     Close();
                     break;
                 case WIDX_PLAYER_NAME_INPUT:
-                    WindowStartTextbox(*this, widgetIndex, STR_STRING, _playerName.c_str(), MaxPlayerNameLength);
+                    WindowStartTextbox(*this, widgetIndex, _playerName, MaxPlayerNameLength);
                     break;
                 case WIDX_LIST:
                 {
diff --git a/src/openrct2-ui/windows/ServerStart.cpp b/src/openrct2-ui/windows/ServerStart.cpp
index 3e45c9188c..fcad422072 100644
--- a/src/openrct2-ui/windows/ServerStart.cpp
+++ b/src/openrct2-ui/windows/ServerStart.cpp
@@ -95,19 +95,19 @@ static Widget _windowServerStartWidgets[] = {
                     Close();
                     break;
                 case WIDX_PORT_INPUT:
-                    WindowStartTextbox(*this, widgetIndex, STR_STRING, _port, 6);
+                    WindowStartTextbox(*this, widgetIndex, _port, 6);
                     break;
                 case WIDX_NAME_INPUT:
-                    WindowStartTextbox(*this, widgetIndex, STR_STRING, _name, 64);
+                    WindowStartTextbox(*this, widgetIndex, _name, 64);
                     break;
                 case WIDX_DESCRIPTION_INPUT:
-                    WindowStartTextbox(*this, widgetIndex, STR_STRING, _description, MAX_SERVER_DESCRIPTION_LENGTH);
+                    WindowStartTextbox(*this, widgetIndex, _description, MAX_SERVER_DESCRIPTION_LENGTH);
                     break;
                 case WIDX_GREETING_INPUT:
-                    WindowStartTextbox(*this, widgetIndex, STR_STRING, _greeting, kChatInputSize);
+                    WindowStartTextbox(*this, widgetIndex, _greeting, kChatInputSize);
                     break;
                 case WIDX_PASSWORD_INPUT:
-                    WindowStartTextbox(*this, widgetIndex, STR_STRING, _password, 32);
+                    WindowStartTextbox(*this, widgetIndex, _password, 32);
                     break;
                 case WIDX_MAXPLAYERS_INCREASE:
                     if (gConfigNetwork.Maxplayers < 255)
diff --git a/src/openrct2-ui/windows/TrackList.cpp b/src/openrct2-ui/windows/TrackList.cpp
index 37245176fb..716faca1d6 100644
--- a/src/openrct2-ui/windows/TrackList.cpp
+++ b/src/openrct2-ui/windows/TrackList.cpp
@@ -297,8 +297,7 @@ static Widget _trackListWidgets[] = {
                     }
                     break;
                 case WIDX_FILTER_STRING:
-                    WindowStartTextbox(
-                        *this, widgetIndex, STR_STRING, _filterString, sizeof(_filterString)); // TODO check this out
+                    WindowStartTextbox(*this, widgetIndex, _filterString, sizeof(_filterString)); // TODO check this out
                     break;
                 case WIDX_FILTER_CLEAR:
                     // Keep the highlighted item selected