diff --git a/src/Gui/ViewProviderAnnotation.cpp b/src/Gui/ViewProviderAnnotation.cpp
index e0d98f3da398..04683c172e88 100644
--- a/src/Gui/ViewProviderAnnotation.cpp
+++ b/src/Gui/ViewProviderAnnotation.cpp
@@ -218,8 +218,15 @@ void ViewProviderAnnotation::updateData(const App::Property* prop)
         pLabel->string.setNum((int)lines.size());
         pLabel3d->string.setNum((int)lines.size());
         for (std::vector<std::string>::const_iterator it = lines.begin(); it != lines.end(); ++it) {
+#if (COIN_MAJOR_VERSION <= 3)
+            QByteArray latin1str;
+            latin1str = (QString::fromUtf8(it->c_str())).toLatin1();
+            pLabel->string.set1Value(index, SbString(latin1str.constData()));
+            pLabel3d->string.set1Value(index, SbString(latin1str.constData()));
+#else
             pLabel->string.set1Value(index, SbString(it->c_str()));
             pLabel3d->string.set1Value(index, SbString(it->c_str()));
+#endif
             index++;
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/Mod/Draft/Draft.py b/src/Mod/Draft/Draft.py
index 00ea49c4b248..1ea3a5fb0791 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Draft/Draft.py
+++ b/src/Mod/Draft/Draft.py
@@ -891,11 +891,8 @@ def makeText(stringslist,point=Vector(0,0,0),screen=False):
     If screen is True, the text always faces the view direction.'''
     typecheck([(point,Vector)], "makeText")
     if not isinstance(stringslist,list): stringslist = [stringslist]
-    textbuffer = []
-    for l in stringslist: 
-        textbuffer.append(stringencodecoin(l.decode("utf8")))
     obj=FreeCAD.ActiveDocument.addObject("App::Annotation","Text")
-    obj.LabelText=textbuffer
+    obj.LabelText=stringlist
     obj.Position=point
     if FreeCAD.GuiUp:
         if not screen: