diff --git a/framework/Source/FillMode.swift b/framework/Source/FillMode.swift
index 865fae75..7f45ffe4 100644
--- a/framework/Source/FillMode.swift
+++ b/framework/Source/FillMode.swift
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import OpenGLES
 import COpenGL
 #endif
 
+import Foundation
 
 public enum FillMode {
     case stretch
diff --git a/framework/Source/OpenGLRendering.swift b/framework/Source/OpenGLRendering.swift
index 1a935433..832c18ab 100755
--- a/framework/Source/OpenGLRendering.swift
+++ b/framework/Source/OpenGLRendering.swift
@@ -277,10 +277,10 @@ extension String {
     }
     
     func withGLChar(_ operation:(UnsafePointer<GLchar>) -> ()) {
-        if let value = self.cString(using:String.Encoding.utf8) {
-            operation(UnsafePointer<GLchar>(value))
-        } else {
-            fatalError("Could not convert this string to UTF8: \(self)")
+        let cString = self.utf8CString
+        cString.withUnsafeBytes { ptr -> Void in
+            let bind = ptr.bindMemory(to: CChar.self)
+            operation(bind.baseAddress!)
         }
     }
 }