diff --git a/htmlparser/src/nsHTMLToTXTSinkStream.cpp b/htmlparser/src/nsHTMLToTXTSinkStream.cpp
index b874bd28bd95..faa2b66e2814 100644
--- a/htmlparser/src/nsHTMLToTXTSinkStream.cpp
+++ b/htmlparser/src/nsHTMLToTXTSinkStream.cpp
@@ -851,7 +851,7 @@ nsHTMLToTXTSinkStream::AddLeaf(const nsIParserNode& aNode)
     {
       EnsureVerticalSpace(mEmptyLines+1);
     }
-    else Write(" ");
+    else Write(NS_ConvertASCIItoUCS2(" "));
   }
   else if (type == eHTMLTag_hr &&
            (mFlags & nsIDocumentEncoder::OutputFormatted))
diff --git a/htmlparser/src/nsParserNode.cpp b/htmlparser/src/nsParserNode.cpp
index 747bcf368096..c1db60585d23 100644
--- a/htmlparser/src/nsParserNode.cpp
+++ b/htmlparser/src/nsParserNode.cpp
@@ -32,11 +32,10 @@ static NS_DEFINE_IID(kISupportsIID, NS_ISUPPORTS_IID);
 static NS_DEFINE_IID(kClassIID, NS_PARSER_NODE_IID); 
 static NS_DEFINE_IID(kIParserNodeIID, NS_IPARSER_NODE_IID); 
 
-nsString& GetEmptyString() {
-  static nsString* gEmptyStr=0;
-  if(!gEmptyStr)
-    gEmptyStr=new nsString;
-  return *gEmptyStr;
+static
+const nsString& GetEmptyString() {
+  static nsString gEmptyStr;
+  return gEmptyStr;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/parser/htmlparser/src/nsHTMLToTXTSinkStream.cpp b/parser/htmlparser/src/nsHTMLToTXTSinkStream.cpp
index b874bd28bd95..faa2b66e2814 100644
--- a/parser/htmlparser/src/nsHTMLToTXTSinkStream.cpp
+++ b/parser/htmlparser/src/nsHTMLToTXTSinkStream.cpp
@@ -851,7 +851,7 @@ nsHTMLToTXTSinkStream::AddLeaf(const nsIParserNode& aNode)
     {
       EnsureVerticalSpace(mEmptyLines+1);
     }
-    else Write(" ");
+    else Write(NS_ConvertASCIItoUCS2(" "));
   }
   else if (type == eHTMLTag_hr &&
            (mFlags & nsIDocumentEncoder::OutputFormatted))
diff --git a/parser/htmlparser/src/nsParserNode.cpp b/parser/htmlparser/src/nsParserNode.cpp
index 747bcf368096..c1db60585d23 100644
--- a/parser/htmlparser/src/nsParserNode.cpp
+++ b/parser/htmlparser/src/nsParserNode.cpp
@@ -32,11 +32,10 @@ static NS_DEFINE_IID(kISupportsIID, NS_ISUPPORTS_IID);
 static NS_DEFINE_IID(kClassIID, NS_PARSER_NODE_IID); 
 static NS_DEFINE_IID(kIParserNodeIID, NS_IPARSER_NODE_IID); 
 
-nsString& GetEmptyString() {
-  static nsString* gEmptyStr=0;
-  if(!gEmptyStr)
-    gEmptyStr=new nsString;
-  return *gEmptyStr;
+static
+const nsString& GetEmptyString() {
+  static nsString gEmptyStr;
+  return gEmptyStr;
 }
 
 /**