diff --git a/src/file.cpp b/src/file.cpp
index 6a5368d..d3b71eb 100644
--- a/src/file.cpp
+++ b/src/file.cpp
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 #include <filesystem>
 #include <ios>
 #include <istream>
+#include <system_error>
 #include <utility>
 
 #ifdef __GLIBCXX__
@@ -15,8 +16,6 @@
 #endif
 
 #ifdef _WIN32
-#define NOMINMAX
-#define UNICODE
 #include <Windows.h>
 #include <corecrt_io.h>
 #endif
@@ -37,129 +36,110 @@ file::native_handle_type get_native_handle(std::FILE* file) noexcept {
 #endif
 }
 
-#ifdef _WIN32
-/// Makes a mode string for opening a temporary file using `_wfsopen`
+/// Makes a mode string for opening a temporary file
 /// @param[in] mode The file opening mode
 /// @returns A suitable mode string
-const wchar_t* make_mdstring(std::ios::openmode mode) noexcept {
-  switch (mode & ~std::ios::in & ~std::ios::out & ~std::ios::ate) {
-  case std::ios::openmode():
-  case std::ios::trunc:
-    return L"w+xTD";
+const char* make_mdstring(std::ios::openmode mode) noexcept {
+  // Special case: the C++ standard forbids `app` and `trunc` at the same time
+  if ((mode & std::ios::app) != 0 && (mode & std::ios::trunc) != 0) {
+    return nullptr;
+  }
+
+  // - `std::ios::in` and `std::ios::out` are always applied
+  // - `std::ios::trunc` has no effect on the empty file
+  // - `std::ios::noreplace` has no effect for temporary files
+  // - any other platform dependent flag is not supported
+  unsigned filtered = mode & (std::ios::app | std::ios::binary);
+
+  switch (filtered) {
+  case 0:
+#ifdef _WIN32
+    return "w+TD";
+#else
+    return "w+";
+#endif
   case std::ios::app:
-    return L"a+TD";
+#ifdef _WIN32
+    return "a+TD";
+#else
+    return "a+";
+#endif
   case std::ios::binary:
-  case std::ios::trunc | std::ios::binary:
-    return L"w+bxTD";
+#ifdef _WIN32
+    return "w+bTD";
+#else
+    return "w+b";
+#endif
   case std::ios::app | std::ios::binary:
-    return L"a+bTD";
+#ifdef _WIN32
+    return "a+bTD";
+#else
+    return "a+b";
+#endif
   default:
     return nullptr;
   }
 }
 
-/// Creates and opens a temporary file in the current user's temporary directory
-/// @param[in]  mode The file opening mode
-/// @param[out] ec   Parameter for error reporting
-/// @returns A handle to the created temporary file
-/// @throws std::invalid_argument if the given openmode is invalid
-std::FILE* create_file(std::ios::openmode mode, std::error_code& ec) {
-  const wchar_t* mdstr = make_mdstring(mode);
-  if (mdstr == nullptr) {
-    throw std::invalid_argument(
-        "Cannot create a temporary file: invalid openmode");
-  }
-
-  std::FILE* file = std::tmpfile();
-  if (file == nullptr) {
-    ec.assign(errno, std::generic_category());
-    return nullptr;
-  }
+/// Reopens the given temporary file with the given open mode
+/// @param[in]  mdstring The temporary file opening mode
+/// @param[out] file     The file to reopen
+/// @param[out] ec       Parameter for error reporting
+void reopen_file(const char* mdstring, std::FILE* file,
+                 std::error_code& ec) noexcept {
+  ec.clear();
 
+#ifdef _WIN32
   HANDLE handle = get_native_handle(file);
 
-  std::wstring path;
+  std::string path;
   path.resize(MAX_PATH);
-  DWORD ret = GetFinalPathNameByHandle(handle, path.data(), MAX_PATH, 0);
+  DWORD ret = GetFinalPathNameByHandleA(handle, path.data(), MAX_PATH, 0);
   if (ret == 0) {
     ec.assign(GetLastError(), std::system_category());
-    return nullptr;
+    return;
   }
 
   path.resize(ret);
 
-  file = _wfreopen(path.c_str(), make_mdstring(mode), file);
+  file = freopen(path.c_str(), mdstring, file);
   if (file == nullptr) {
     ec.assign(errno, std::generic_category());
-    return nullptr;
   }
-
-  ec.clear();
-  return file;
-}
 #else
-/// Makes a mode string for opening a file using `fopen`
-/// @param[in] mode The file opening mode
-/// @returns A suitable mode string
-const char* make_mdstring(std::ios::openmode mode) noexcept {
-  unsigned filtered = mode & ~std::ios::in & ~std::ios::out & ~std::ios::ate;
-  switch (filtered) {
-  case 0:
-    return "r+";
-  case std::ios::trunc:
-    return "w+";
-  case std::ios::app:
-    return "a+";
-  case std::ios::binary:
-    return "r+b";
-  case std::ios::trunc | std::ios::binary:
-    return "w+b";
-  case std::ios::app | std::ios::binary:
-    return "a+b";
-  default:
-    return nullptr;
+  file = std::freopen(nullptr, mdstring, file);
+  if (file == nullptr) {
+    ec.assign(errno, std::generic_category());
   }
-}
 #endif
+}
 
 /// Creates and opens a temporary file in the current user's temporary directory
 /// @param[in] mode The file opening mode
 /// @returns A handle to the created temporary file
 /// @throws fs::filesystem_error if cannot create a temporary file
 /// @throws std::invalid_argument if the given openmode is invalid
-std::FILE* create_file(std::ios::openmode mode);
-
-#ifdef _WIN32
 std::FILE* create_file(std::ios::openmode mode) {
-  std::error_code ec;
-  std::FILE* file = create_file(mode, ec);
-  if (file == nullptr) {
-    throw fs::filesystem_error("Cannot create a temporary file", ec);
-  }
-
-  return file;
-}
-#else
-std::FILE* create_file(std::ios::openmode mode) {
-  const char* mdstr = make_mdstring(mode);
-  if (mdstr == nullptr) {
+  const char* mdstring = make_mdstring(mode);
+  if (mdstring == nullptr) {
     throw std::invalid_argument(
         "Cannot create a temporary file: invalid openmode");
   }
 
+  std::error_code ec;
   std::FILE* file = std::tmpfile();
-  if (file != nullptr) {
-    file = freopen(nullptr, mdstr, file);
+  if (file == nullptr) {
+    ec.assign(errno, std::generic_category());
+  } else {
+    reopen_file(mdstring, file, ec);
   }
 
-  if (file == nullptr) {
-    std::error_code ec = std::error_code(errno, std::system_category());
+  if (ec) {
     throw fs::filesystem_error("Cannot create a temporary file", ec);
   }
 
   return file;
 }
-#endif
 }    // namespace
 
 file::file(std::ios::openmode mode)