diff --git a/src/utility/wide_string.cpp b/src/utility/wide_string.cpp
index 7f3cd8fd..a20b7f2c 100644
--- a/src/utility/wide_string.cpp
+++ b/src/utility/wide_string.cpp
@@ -18,21 +18,9 @@
  *   51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301, USA.              *
  ***************************************************************************/
 
-#include <string> // include before boost to compile on MACOSX
-#include <boost/locale/encoding_utf.hpp>
 #include <cassert>
 #include "utility/wide_string.h"
 
-std::string ToString(const std::wstring &ws)
-{
-	return boost::locale::conv::utf_to_utf<char>(ws);
-}
-
-std::wstring ToWString(const std::string &s)
-{
-	return boost::locale::conv::utf_to_utf<wchar_t>(s);
-}
-
 size_t wideLength(const std::wstring &ws)
 {
 	size_t result = 0;
diff --git a/src/utility/wide_string.h b/src/utility/wide_string.h
index 076dfe95..b863eb3a 100644
--- a/src/utility/wide_string.h
+++ b/src/utility/wide_string.h
@@ -21,10 +21,19 @@
 #ifndef NCMPCPP_UTILITY_WIDE_STRING_H
 #define NCMPCPP_UTILITY_WIDE_STRING_H
 
-#include <string>
+#include <string> // include before boost to compile on MACOSX
+#include <boost/locale/encoding_utf.hpp>
 
-std::string ToString(const std::wstring &ws);
-std::wstring ToWString(const std::string &s);
+template <typename StringT>
+std::string ToString(StringT &&s)
+{
+	return boost::locale::conv::utf_to_utf<char>(std::forward<StringT>(s));
+}
+template <typename StringT>
+std::wstring ToWString(StringT &&s)
+{
+	return boost::locale::conv::utf_to_utf<wchar_t>(std::forward<StringT>(s));
+}
 
 size_t wideLength(const std::wstring &ws);
 void wideCut(std::wstring &ws, size_t max_length);