diff --git a/ext/standard/file.c b/ext/standard/file.c
index fae91aff94f..f79c11d0f11 100644
--- a/ext/standard/file.c
+++ b/ext/standard/file.c
@@ -1016,30 +1016,25 @@ PHP_NAMED_FUNCTION(php_if_tmpfile)
    Open a file or a URL and return a file pointer */
 PHP_NAMED_FUNCTION(php_if_fopen)
 {
+	zval **ppfilename;
 	char *filename, *mode;
 	int filename_len, mode_len;
-	zend_uchar filename_type;
 	zend_bool use_include_path = 0;
 	zval *zcontext = NULL;
 	php_stream *stream;
 	php_stream_context *context = NULL;
 
-	if (zend_parse_parameters(ZEND_NUM_ARGS() TSRMLS_CC, "ts|br", &filename, &filename_len, &filename_type,
-				&mode, &mode_len, &use_include_path, &zcontext) == FAILURE) {
+	if (zend_parse_parameters(ZEND_NUM_ARGS() TSRMLS_CC, "Zs|br", &ppfilename, &mode, &mode_len, &use_include_path, &zcontext) == FAILURE) {
 		RETURN_FALSE;
 	}
 
 	context = php_stream_context_from_zval(zcontext, 0);
 
-	if (filename_type == IS_UNICODE) {
-		if (php_stream_path_encode(NULL, &filename, &filename_len, (UChar*)filename, filename_len, REPORT_ERRORS, context) == FAILURE) {
-			RETURN_FALSE;
-		}
+	if (FAILURE == php_stream_path_param_encode(ppfilename, &filename, &filename_len, REPORT_ERRORS, context)) {
+		RETURN_FALSE;
 	}
+
 	stream = php_stream_open_wrapper_ex(filename, mode, (use_include_path ? USE_PATH : 0) | REPORT_ERRORS, NULL, context);
-	if (filename_type == IS_UNICODE) {
-		efree(filename);
-	}
 	if (stream == NULL) {
 		RETURN_FALSE;
 	}
diff --git a/main/php_streams.h b/main/php_streams.h
index 88e673e5569..1ddefadd7b2 100755
--- a/main/php_streams.h
+++ b/main/php_streams.h
@@ -388,6 +388,61 @@ PHPAPI int _php_stream_path_decode(php_stream_wrapper *wrapper,
 END_EXTERN_C()
 
 
+#define php_stream_path_param_encode(ppzval, ppath, ppath_len, options, context) \
+	_php_stream_path_param_encode((ppzval), (ppath), (ppath_len), (options), (context) TSRMLS_CC)
+static inline int _php_stream_path_param_encode(zval **ppzval, char **ppath, int *ppath_len, int options, php_stream_context *context TSRMLS_DC)
+{
+	if (Z_TYPE_PP(ppzval) == IS_UNICODE) {
+		zval *zpath;
+		char *path;
+		int path_len;
+
+		/* Convert the path and put it into a fresh new zval */
+		if (FAILURE == php_stream_path_encode(NULL, &path, &path_len, Z_USTRVAL_PP(ppzval), Z_USTRLEN_PP(ppzval), options, context)) {
+			return FAILURE;
+		}
+		MAKE_STD_ZVAL(zpath);
+		ZVAL_STRINGL(zpath, path, path_len, 0);
+		zpath->is_ref = 0;
+		zpath->refcount = 1;
+
+		/* Replace the param stack with the new zval */
+		zval_ptr_dtor(ppzval);
+		*ppzval = zpath;
+	} else if (Z_TYPE_PP(ppzval) != IS_STRING) {
+		if ((*ppzval)->is_ref ||
+			(*ppzval)->refcount > 1) {
+			zval *zpath;
+
+			/* Produce a new zval of type string */
+			MAKE_STD_ZVAL(zpath);
+			*zpath = **ppzval;
+			zval_copy_ctor(zpath);
+			convert_to_string(zpath);
+			zpath->is_ref = 0;
+			zpath->refcount = 1;
+
+			/* Replace the param stack with it */
+			zval_ptr_dtor(ppzval);
+			*ppzval = zpath;
+		} else {
+			/* Convert the value on the param stack directly */
+			convert_to_string(*ppzval);
+		}
+	}
+
+	/* Populate convenience params if requested */
+	if (ppath) {
+		*ppath = Z_STRVAL_PP(ppzval);
+	}
+	if (ppath_len) {
+		*ppath_len = Z_STRLEN_PP(ppzval);
+	}
+
+	return SUCCESS;
+}
+
+
 /* Flags for mkdir method in wrapper ops */
 #define PHP_STREAM_MKDIR_RECURSIVE	1
 /* define REPORT ERRORS 8 (below) */