diff --git a/src/abstract_client.cpp b/src/abstract_client.cpp
index be2685be85..be869012e8 100644
--- a/src/abstract_client.cpp
+++ b/src/abstract_client.cpp
@@ -1637,7 +1637,7 @@ void AbstractClient::setupWindowManagementInterface()
     //show/hide when the window enters/exits from desktop
     connect(w, &PlasmaWindowInterface::enterPlasmaVirtualDesktopRequested, this,
         [this] (const QString &desktopId) {
-            VirtualDesktop *vd = VirtualDesktopManager::self()->desktopForId(desktopId.toUtf8());
+            VirtualDesktop *vd = VirtualDesktopManager::self()->desktopForId(desktopId);
             if (vd) {
                 enterDesktop(vd);
             }
@@ -1651,7 +1651,7 @@ void AbstractClient::setupWindowManagementInterface()
     );
     connect(w, &PlasmaWindowInterface::leavePlasmaVirtualDesktopRequested, this,
         [this] (const QString &desktopId) {
-            VirtualDesktop *vd = VirtualDesktopManager::self()->desktopForId(desktopId.toUtf8());
+            VirtualDesktop *vd = VirtualDesktopManager::self()->desktopForId(desktopId);
             if (vd) {
                 leaveDesktop(vd);
             }
diff --git a/src/dbusinterface.cpp b/src/dbusinterface.cpp
index 2244b7dc30..bc0fe8a631 100644
--- a/src/dbusinterface.cpp
+++ b/src/dbusinterface.cpp
@@ -458,7 +458,7 @@ void VirtualDesktopManagerDBusInterface::setCurrent(const QString &id)
         return;
     }
 
-    auto *vd = m_manager->desktopForId(id.toUtf8());
+    auto *vd = m_manager->desktopForId(id);
     if (vd) {
         m_manager->setCurrent(vd);
     }
@@ -506,7 +506,7 @@ void VirtualDesktopManagerDBusInterface::createDesktop(uint position, const QStr
 
 void VirtualDesktopManagerDBusInterface::setDesktopName(const QString &id, const QString &name)
 {
-    VirtualDesktop *vd = m_manager->desktopForId(id.toUtf8());
+    VirtualDesktop *vd = m_manager->desktopForId(id);
     if (!vd) {
         return;
     }
@@ -520,7 +520,7 @@ void VirtualDesktopManagerDBusInterface::setDesktopName(const QString &id, const
 
 void VirtualDesktopManagerDBusInterface::removeDesktop(const QString &id)
 {
-    m_manager->removeVirtualDesktop(id.toUtf8());
+    m_manager->removeVirtualDesktop(id);
 }
 
 PluginManagerDBusInterface::PluginManagerDBusInterface(PluginManager *manager)
diff --git a/src/virtualdesktops.cpp b/src/virtualdesktops.cpp
index 67149ad36f..0f4e6eeeee 100644
--- a/src/virtualdesktops.cpp
+++ b/src/virtualdesktops.cpp
@@ -26,9 +26,9 @@ namespace KWin {
 
 static bool s_loadingDesktopSettings = false;
 
-static QByteArray generateDesktopId()
+static QString generateDesktopId()
 {
-    return QUuid::createUuid().toString(QUuid::WithoutBraces).toUtf8();
+    return QUuid::createUuid().toString(QUuid::WithoutBraces);
 }
 
 VirtualDesktop::VirtualDesktop(QObject *parent)
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ void VirtualDesktopManager::setVirtualDesktopManagement(KWaylandServer::PlasmaVi
         [this](const QString &id) {
             //here there can be some nice kauthorized check?
             //remove only from VirtualDesktopManager, the other connections will remove it from m_virtualDesktopManagement as well
-            removeVirtualDesktop(id.toUtf8());
+            removeVirtualDesktop(id);
         }
     );
 
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ void VirtualDesktopManager::setVirtualDesktopManagement(KWaylandServer::PlasmaVi
     );
 }
 
-void VirtualDesktop::setId(const QByteArray &id)
+void VirtualDesktop::setId(const QString &id)
 {
     Q_ASSERT(m_id.isEmpty());
     m_id = id;
@@ -427,7 +427,7 @@ VirtualDesktop *VirtualDesktopManager::desktopForX11Id(uint id) const
     return m_desktops.at(id - 1);
 }
 
-VirtualDesktop *VirtualDesktopManager::desktopForId(const QByteArray &id) const
+VirtualDesktop *VirtualDesktopManager::desktopForId(const QString &id) const
 {
     auto desk = std::find_if(
         m_desktops.constBegin(),
@@ -488,7 +488,7 @@ VirtualDesktop *VirtualDesktopManager::createVirtualDesktop(uint position, const
     return vd;
 }
 
-void VirtualDesktopManager::removeVirtualDesktop(const QByteArray &id)
+void VirtualDesktopManager::removeVirtualDesktop(const QString &id)
 {
     //don't end up without any desktop
     if (m_desktops.count() == 1) {
@@ -699,14 +699,14 @@ void VirtualDesktopManager::load()
         if (m_rootInfo) {
             m_rootInfo->setDesktopName(i, s.toUtf8().data());
         }
-        m_desktops[i-1]->setName(s.toUtf8().data());
+        m_desktops[i-1]->setName(s);
 
         const QString sId = group.readEntry(QStringLiteral("Id_%1").arg(i), QString());
 
         if (m_desktops[i-1]->id().isEmpty()) {
-            m_desktops[i-1]->setId(sId.isEmpty() ? generateDesktopId() : sId.toUtf8());
+            m_desktops[i-1]->setId(sId.isEmpty() ? generateDesktopId() : sId);
         } else {
-            Q_ASSERT(sId.isEmpty() || m_desktops[i-1]->id() == sId.toUtf8().data());
+            Q_ASSERT(sId.isEmpty() || m_desktops[i-1]->id() == sId);
         }
 
         // TODO: update desktop focus chain, why?
diff --git a/src/virtualdesktops.h b/src/virtualdesktops.h
index 148fd81b4c..1d3f1d8a2b 100644
--- a/src/virtualdesktops.h
+++ b/src/virtualdesktops.h
@@ -35,15 +35,15 @@ namespace KWin {
 class KWIN_EXPORT VirtualDesktop : public QObject
 {
     Q_OBJECT
-    Q_PROPERTY(QByteArray id READ id CONSTANT)
+    Q_PROPERTY(QString id READ id CONSTANT)
     Q_PROPERTY(uint x11DesktopNumber READ x11DesktopNumber NOTIFY x11DesktopNumberChanged)
     Q_PROPERTY(QString name READ name WRITE setName NOTIFY nameChanged)
 public:
     explicit VirtualDesktop(QObject *parent = nullptr);
     ~VirtualDesktop() override;
 
-    void setId(const QByteArray &id);
-    QByteArray id() const {
+    void setId(const QString &id);
+    QString id() const {
         return m_id;
     }
 
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ Q_SIGNALS:
     void aboutToBeDestroyed();
 
 private:
-    QByteArray m_id;
+    QString m_id;
     QString m_name;
     int m_x11DesktopNumber = 0;
 
@@ -272,7 +272,7 @@ public:
     /**
      * @returns The VirtualDesktop for the internal desktop string @p id, if no such VirtualDesktop @c null is returned
      */
-    VirtualDesktop *desktopForId(const QByteArray &id) const;
+    VirtualDesktop *desktopForId(const QString &id) const;
 
     /**
      * Create a new virtual desktop at the requested position.
@@ -289,7 +289,7 @@ public:
      * not only the last one.
      * @param id the string id of the desktop to remove
      */
-    void removeVirtualDesktop(const QByteArray &id);
+    void removeVirtualDesktop(const QString &id);
 
     /**
      * Updates the net root info for new number of desktops