diff --git a/wrapper/include/AlphaSkiaCanvas.h b/wrapper/include/AlphaSkiaCanvas.h
index b2e3af4..051fd34 100644
--- a/wrapper/include/AlphaSkiaCanvas.h
+++ b/wrapper/include/AlphaSkiaCanvas.h
@@ -44,8 +44,6 @@ class AlphaSkiaCanvas
 private:
     SkPaint create_paint();
 
-    std::string convert_utf16_to_utf8(const char16_t *text);
-
     SkColor color_;
     float line_width_;
     sk_sp<SkSurface> surface_;
diff --git a/wrapper/src/AlphaSkiaCanvas.cpp b/wrapper/src/AlphaSkiaCanvas.cpp
index 321e943..cf3d046 100644
--- a/wrapper/src/AlphaSkiaCanvas.cpp
+++ b/wrapper/src/AlphaSkiaCanvas.cpp
@@ -301,8 +301,6 @@ void AlphaSkiaCanvas::text_run(const char16_t *text,
     font.setSubpixel(true);
     font.setHinting(SkFontHinting::kNormal);
 
-    std::string utf8(convert_utf16_to_utf8(text));
-
     HBFont harfBuzzFont(make_harfbuzz_font(font));
 
     SkTextBlobBuilder builder;
@@ -317,7 +315,7 @@ void AlphaSkiaCanvas::text_run(const char16_t *text,
     HBBuffer buffer(hb_buffer_create());
     hb_buffer_set_direction(buffer.get(), HB_DIRECTION_LTR);
     hb_buffer_set_language(buffer.get(), hb_language_get_default());
-    hb_buffer_add_utf8(buffer.get(), utf8.c_str(), -1, 0, -1);
+    hb_buffer_add_utf16(buffer.get(), reinterpret_cast<const uint16_t*>(text), -1, 0, -1);
 
     hb_shape(harfBuzzFont.get(), buffer.get(), nullptr, 0);