diff --git a/builds/windows/ftsystem.c b/builds/windows/ftsystem.c
index 0a8d2b6b4..ac1d2e78c 100644
--- a/builds/windows/ftsystem.c
+++ b/builds/windows/ftsystem.c
@@ -217,8 +217,8 @@
       return FT_THROW( Invalid_Stream_Handle );
 
     /* open the file */
-    file = CreateFile( filepathname, GENERIC_READ, FILE_SHARE_READ, NULL,
-                       OPEN_EXISTING, FILE_ATTRIBUTE_NORMAL, 0 );
+    file = CreateFile( (LPCTSTR)filepathname, GENERIC_READ, FILE_SHARE_READ,
+                       NULL, OPEN_EXISTING, FILE_ATTRIBUTE_NORMAL, 0 );
     if ( file == INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE )
     {
       FT_ERROR(( "FT_Stream_Open:" ));