diff --git a/src/Mod/TechDraw/Gui/CommandCreateDims.cpp b/src/Mod/TechDraw/Gui/CommandCreateDims.cpp
index 34e678873..ae28955b5 100644
--- a/src/Mod/TechDraw/Gui/CommandCreateDims.cpp
+++ b/src/Mod/TechDraw/Gui/CommandCreateDims.cpp
@@ -385,8 +385,8 @@ void CmdTechDrawNewDiameterDimension::activated(int iMsg)
     doCommand(Doc,"App.activeDocument().%s.Type = '%s'",FeatName.c_str()
                                                        ,"Diameter");
 
-
-    doCommand(Doc, "App.activeDocument().%s.FormatSpec = '\xe2\x8c\x80%%value%%'", FeatName.c_str()); // utf-8 encoded diameter symbol
+    char * format = u8"\xe2\x8c\x80%value%";
+    doCommand(Doc, "App.activeDocument().%s.FormatSpec = '%s'", FeatName.c_str(),format);
 
     dim = dynamic_cast<TechDraw::DrawViewDimension *>(getDocument()->getObject(FeatName.c_str()));
     if (!dim) {