diff --git a/taglib/fileref.cpp b/taglib/fileref.cpp
index 8682b55a..eee62f2c 100644
--- a/taglib/fileref.cpp
+++ b/taglib/fileref.cpp
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ File *FileRef::create(FileName fileName, bool readAudioProperties,
   String s;
 
 #ifdef _WIN32
-  s = (wcslen((const wchar_t *) fileName) > 0) ? (const wchar_t) fileName : (const char *) fileName;
+  s = (wcslen((const wchar_t *) fileName) > 0) ? String((const wchar_t *) fileName) : String((const char *) fileName);
 #else
   s = fileName;
 #endif