diff --git a/src/app/app_menus.cpp b/src/app/app_menus.cpp
index 912008f36..0b0f9adc3 100644
--- a/src/app/app_menus.cpp
+++ b/src/app/app_menus.cpp
@@ -35,13 +35,13 @@
 #include "app/ui/main_window.h"
 #include "app/util/filetoks.h"
 #include "base/bind.h"
+#include "base/path.h"
 #include "ui/ui.h"
 
 #include "tinyxml.h"
-#include <allegro/file.h>
-#include <allegro/unicode.h>
-#include <stdio.h>
-#include <string.h>
+
+#include <cstdio>
+#include <cstring>
 
 namespace app {
 
@@ -251,7 +251,9 @@ bool AppMenus::rebuildRecentList()
 
         params.set("filename", filename);
 
-        menuitem = new AppMenuItem(get_filename(filename), cmd_open_file, &params);
+        menuitem = new AppMenuItem(
+          base::get_file_name(filename).c_str(),
+          cmd_open_file, &params);
         submenu->addChild(menuitem);
       }
     }
@@ -389,8 +391,9 @@ void AppMenus::applyShortcutToMenuitemsWithCommand(Menu* menu, Command *command,
       Command* mi_command = menuitem->getCommand();
       Params* mi_params = menuitem->getParams();
 
-      if (mi_command &&
-          ustricmp(mi_command->short_name(), command->short_name()) == 0 &&
+      if ((mi_command) &&
+          (base::string_to_lower(mi_command->short_name()) ==
+           base::string_to_lower(command->short_name())) &&
           ((mi_params && *mi_params == *params) ||
            (Params() == *params))) {
         // Set the accelerator to be shown in this menu-item
diff --git a/src/app/commands/cmd_cel_properties.cpp b/src/app/commands/cmd_cel_properties.cpp
index 51066022e..2a36ad12e 100644
--- a/src/app/commands/cmd_cel_properties.cpp
+++ b/src/app/commands/cmd_cel_properties.cpp
@@ -36,8 +36,6 @@
 #include "raster/stock.h"
 #include "ui/ui.h"
 
-#include <allegro/unicode.h>
-
 namespace app {
 
 using namespace ui;
diff --git a/src/app/commands/cmd_change_pixel_format.cpp b/src/app/commands/cmd_change_pixel_format.cpp
index d1c34eda4..a0a042ae8 100644
--- a/src/app/commands/cmd_change_pixel_format.cpp
+++ b/src/app/commands/cmd_change_pixel_format.cpp
@@ -32,8 +32,6 @@
 #include "raster/image.h"
 #include "raster/sprite.h"
 
-#include <allegro/unicode.h>
-
 namespace app {
   
 class ChangePixelFormatCommand : public Command {
diff --git a/src/app/commands/cmd_goto_frame.cpp b/src/app/commands/cmd_goto_frame.cpp
index 5c892ce73..9bce24d06 100644
--- a/src/app/commands/cmd_goto_frame.cpp
+++ b/src/app/commands/cmd_goto_frame.cpp
@@ -30,8 +30,6 @@
 #include "raster/sprite.h"
 #include "ui/window.h"
 
-#include <allegro/unicode.h>
-
 namespace app {
 
 using namespace ui;
@@ -124,7 +122,7 @@ protected:
   void onLoadParams(Params* params) override
   {
     std::string frame = params->get("frame");
-    if (!frame.empty()) m_frame = ustrtol(frame.c_str(), NULL, 10);
+    if (!frame.empty()) m_frame = strtol(frame.c_str(), NULL, 10);
     else m_frame = 0;
   }
 
diff --git a/src/app/commands/cmd_grid.cpp b/src/app/commands/cmd_grid.cpp
index 3b77638a3..1fef2f770 100644
--- a/src/app/commands/cmd_grid.cpp
+++ b/src/app/commands/cmd_grid.cpp
@@ -33,8 +33,6 @@
 #include "app/ui_context.h"
 #include "ui/window.h"
 
-#include <allegro/unicode.h>
-
 namespace app {
 
 using namespace ui;
@@ -89,12 +87,11 @@ protected:
   void onExecute(Context* context)
   {
     IDocumentSettings* docSettings = context->settings()->getDocumentSettings(context->activeDocument());
-    char buf[512];
-
     docSettings->setSnapToGrid(docSettings->getSnapToGrid() ? false: true);
 
-    usprintf(buf, "Snap to grid: %s",
-             (docSettings->getSnapToGrid() ? "On": "Off"));
+    char buf[512];
+    sprintf(buf, "Snap to grid: %s",
+      (docSettings->getSnapToGrid() ? "On": "Off"));
 
     StatusBar::instance()->setStatusText(250, buf);
   }
diff --git a/src/app/commands/cmd_import_sprite_sheet.cpp b/src/app/commands/cmd_import_sprite_sheet.cpp
index df60b938c..3db83150e 100644
--- a/src/app/commands/cmd_import_sprite_sheet.cpp
+++ b/src/app/commands/cmd_import_sprite_sheet.cpp
@@ -48,8 +48,6 @@
 #include "raster/stock.h"
 #include "ui/ui.h"
 
-#include <allegro/color.h>
-
 namespace app {
 
 using namespace ui;
diff --git a/src/app/commands/cmd_new_file.cpp b/src/app/commands/cmd_new_file.cpp
index 6ab7dd771..8d7f9b83e 100644
--- a/src/app/commands/cmd_new_file.cpp
+++ b/src/app/commands/cmd_new_file.cpp
@@ -47,9 +47,6 @@
 
 #include "generated_new_sprite.h"
 
-#include <allegro/config.h>
-#include <allegro/unicode.h>
-
 using namespace ui;
 
 namespace app {
@@ -194,7 +191,7 @@ void NewFileCommand::onExecute(Context* context)
       // Show the sprite to the user
       base::UniquePtr<Document> doc(new Document(sprite));
       sprite.release();
-      usprintf(buf, "Sprite-%04d", ++_sprite_counter);
+      sprintf(buf, "Sprite-%04d", ++_sprite_counter);
       doc->setFilename(buf);
       doc->setContext(context);
       doc.release();
diff --git a/src/app/commands/cmd_play_animation.cpp b/src/app/commands/cmd_play_animation.cpp
index 07df4af92..c33498dd0 100644
--- a/src/app/commands/cmd_play_animation.cpp
+++ b/src/app/commands/cmd_play_animation.cpp
@@ -35,7 +35,6 @@
 #include "app/ui/editor/editor.h"
 #include "app/ui/main_window.h"
 #include "app/ui/mini_editor.h"
-#include "raster/conversion_alleg.h"
 #include "raster/image.h"
 #include "raster/palette.h"
 #include "raster/sprite.h"
diff --git a/src/app/commands/cmd_rotate.cpp b/src/app/commands/cmd_rotate.cpp
index 12d183afa..dcd250e26 100644
--- a/src/app/commands/cmd_rotate.cpp
+++ b/src/app/commands/cmd_rotate.cpp
@@ -40,8 +40,6 @@
 #include "raster/stock.h"
 #include "ui/ui.h"
 
-#include <allegro/unicode.h>
-
 namespace app {
 
 class RotateCommand : public Command {
@@ -193,7 +191,7 @@ void RotateCommand::onLoadParams(Params* params)
   m_flipMask = (target == "mask");
 
   if (params->has_param("angle")) {
-    m_angle = ustrtol(params->get("angle").c_str(), NULL, 10);
+    m_angle = strtol(params->get("angle").c_str(), NULL, 10);
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/app/commands/cmd_save_mask.cpp b/src/app/commands/cmd_save_mask.cpp
index 3367f3ad1..867dfd7ab 100644
--- a/src/app/commands/cmd_save_mask.cpp
+++ b/src/app/commands/cmd_save_mask.cpp
@@ -20,12 +20,12 @@
 #include "config.h"
 #endif
 
-#include <allegro/file.h>
-
 #include "app/commands/command.h"
 #include "app/context_access.h"
 #include "app/file_selector.h"
 #include "app/util/msk_file.h"
+#include "base/fs.h"
+#include "base/path.h"
 #include "raster/mask.h"
 #include "raster/sprite.h"
 #include "ui/alert.h"
@@ -66,11 +66,11 @@ void SaveMaskCommand::onExecute(Context* context)
     if (filename.empty())
       return;
 
-    /* does the file exist? */
-    if (exists(filename.c_str())) {
+    // Does the file exist?
+    if (base::is_file(filename.c_str())) {
       /* ask if the user wants overwrite the file? */
       ret = ui::Alert::show("Warning<<File exists, overwrite it?<<%s||&Yes||&No||&Cancel",
-                            get_filename(filename.c_str()));
+        base::get_file_name(filename).c_str());
     }
     else
       break;
diff --git a/src/app/commands/cmd_sprite_properties.cpp b/src/app/commands/cmd_sprite_properties.cpp
index 05bfcbbe5..0e81e5e31 100644
--- a/src/app/commands/cmd_sprite_properties.cpp
+++ b/src/app/commands/cmd_sprite_properties.cpp
@@ -36,7 +36,6 @@
 #include "raster/sprite.h"
 #include "ui/ui.h"
 
-#include <allegro/unicode.h>
 #include <cstdio>
 
 namespace app {
@@ -113,10 +112,10 @@ void SpritePropertiesCommand::onExecute(Context* context)
     type->setText(imgtype_text.c_str());
 
     // Sprite size (width and height)
-    usprintf(buf, "%dx%d (%s)",
-             sprite->width(),
-             sprite->height(),
-             base::get_pretty_memory_size(sprite->getMemSize()).c_str());
+    sprintf(buf, "%dx%d (%s)",
+      sprite->width(),
+      sprite->height(),
+      base::get_pretty_memory_size(sprite->getMemSize()).c_str());
 
     size->setText(buf);
 
diff --git a/src/app/commands/cmd_sprite_size.cpp b/src/app/commands/cmd_sprite_size.cpp
index ab642e652..c0c75acec 100644
--- a/src/app/commands/cmd_sprite_size.cpp
+++ b/src/app/commands/cmd_sprite_size.cpp
@@ -42,8 +42,6 @@
 #include "raster/stock.h"
 #include "ui/ui.h"
 
-#include <allegro/unicode.h>
-
 #define PERC_FORMAT     "%.1f"
 
 namespace app {
diff --git a/src/app/commands/cmd_switch_colors.cpp b/src/app/commands/cmd_switch_colors.cpp
index 4cbeb9352..29b21c216 100644
--- a/src/app/commands/cmd_switch_colors.cpp
+++ b/src/app/commands/cmd_switch_colors.cpp
@@ -20,8 +20,6 @@
 #include "config.h"
 #endif
 
-#include <allegro/unicode.h>
-
 #include "app/app.h"
 #include "app/commands/command.h"
 #include "app/ui/color_bar.h"
diff --git a/src/app/commands/commands.cpp b/src/app/commands/commands.cpp
index ddc23017b..af2571354 100644
--- a/src/app/commands/commands.cpp
+++ b/src/app/commands/commands.cpp
@@ -20,16 +20,15 @@
 #include "config.h"
 #endif
 
-/* #include <stdio.h> */
-#include <allegro/unicode.h>
-#include <exception>
-#include <string.h>
-
-#include "ui/ui.h"
+#include "app/commands/commands.h"
 
 #include "app/commands/command.h"
-#include "app/commands/commands.h"
 #include "app/console.h"
+#include "base/string.h"
+#include "ui/ui.h"
+
+#include <cstring>
+#include <exception>
 
 namespace app {
 
@@ -58,10 +57,8 @@ CommandsModule::~CommandsModule()
 {
   ASSERT(m_instance == this);
 
-  for (CommandsList::iterator
-         it = m_commands.begin(); it != m_commands.end(); ++it) {
-    delete *it;
-  }
+  for (Command* cmd : m_commands)
+    delete cmd;
 
   m_commands.clear();
   m_instance = NULL;
@@ -78,10 +75,10 @@ Command* CommandsModule::getCommandByName(const char* name)
   if (!name)
     return NULL;
 
-  for (CommandsList::iterator
-         it = m_commands.begin(); it != m_commands.end(); ++it) {
-    if (ustricmp((*it)->short_name(), name) == 0)
-      return *it;
+  std::string lname = base::string_to_lower(name);
+  for (Command* cmd : m_commands) {
+    if (base::string_to_lower(cmd->short_name()) == lname)
+      return cmd;
   }
 
   return NULL;
diff --git a/src/app/data_recovery.cpp b/src/app/data_recovery.cpp
index 51145a49e..ba2892931 100644
--- a/src/app/data_recovery.cpp
+++ b/src/app/data_recovery.cpp
@@ -23,13 +23,12 @@
 #include "app/data_recovery.h"
 
 #include "app/backup.h"
+#include "app/document.h"
+#include "app/ini_file.h"
+#include "app/ui_context.h"
 #include "base/fs.h"
 #include "base/path.h"
 #include "base/temp_dir.h"
-#include "app/document.h"
-#include "app/ui_context.h"
-
-#include <allegro.h>
 
 namespace app {
 
diff --git a/src/app/file/bmp_format.cpp b/src/app/file/bmp_format.cpp
index 475e9d907..5c83c07e3 100644
--- a/src/app/file/bmp_format.cpp
+++ b/src/app/file/bmp_format.cpp
@@ -29,8 +29,6 @@
 #include "base/file_handle.h"
 #include "raster/raster.h"
 
-#include <allegro/color.h>
-
 namespace app {
 
 using namespace base;
diff --git a/src/app/file/fli_format.cpp b/src/app/file/fli_format.cpp
index 808260701..e887fe7ea 100644
--- a/src/app/file/fli_format.cpp
+++ b/src/app/file/fli_format.cpp
@@ -29,8 +29,7 @@
 #include "base/file_handle.h"
 #include "raster/raster.h"
 
-#include <allegro/color.h>
-#include <stdio.h>
+#include <cstdio>
 
 namespace app {
 
diff --git a/src/app/file/ico_format.cpp b/src/app/file/ico_format.cpp
index fea20cdaa..c03abea34 100644
--- a/src/app/file/ico_format.cpp
+++ b/src/app/file/ico_format.cpp
@@ -30,8 +30,6 @@
 #include "base/file_handle.h"
 #include "raster/raster.h"
 
-#include <allegro/color.h>
-
 namespace app {
 
 using namespace base;
diff --git a/src/app/file/pcx_format.cpp b/src/app/file/pcx_format.cpp
index 75d006ab9..8f197e281 100644
--- a/src/app/file/pcx_format.cpp
+++ b/src/app/file/pcx_format.cpp
@@ -29,8 +29,6 @@
 #include "base/file_handle.h"
 #include "raster/raster.h"
 
-#include <allegro/color.h>
-
 namespace app {
 
 using namespace base;
diff --git a/src/app/file/tga_format.cpp b/src/app/file/tga_format.cpp
index 00c0e194d..8387cc060 100644
--- a/src/app/file/tga_format.cpp
+++ b/src/app/file/tga_format.cpp
@@ -30,8 +30,6 @@
 #include "base/file_handle.h"
 #include "raster/raster.h"
 
-#include <allegro/color.h>
-
 namespace app {
 
 using namespace base;
diff --git a/src/app/ui/skin/skin_theme.cpp b/src/app/ui/skin/skin_theme.cpp
index ad5f4e2cb..4002a9a09 100644
--- a/src/app/ui/skin/skin_theme.cpp
+++ b/src/app/ui/skin/skin_theme.cpp
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 #include "config.h"
 #endif
 
+#include "app/ini_file.h"
 #include "app/modules/gui.h"
 #include "app/resource_finder.h"
 #include "app/ui/skin/button_icon_impl.h"
@@ -33,6 +34,7 @@
 #include "base/bind.h"
 #include "base/fs.h"
 #include "base/shared_ptr.h"
+#include "base/string.h"
 #include "css/sheet.h"
 #include "gfx/border.h"
 #include "gfx/point.h"
@@ -47,8 +49,6 @@
 
 #include "tinyxml.h"
 
-#include <allegro.h>
-
 #define BGCOLOR                 (getWidgetBgColor(widget))
 
 namespace app {
@@ -1082,7 +1082,6 @@ void SkinTheme::paintEntry(PaintEvent& ev)
   int scroll, caret, state, selbeg, selend;
   std::string textString = widget->getText() + widget->getSuffix();
   int suffixIndex = widget->getTextLength();
-  const char* text = textString.c_str();
   int c, ch, x, y, w;
   int caret_x;
 
@@ -1107,8 +1106,11 @@ void SkinTheme::paintEntry(PaintEvent& ev)
   x = bounds.x + widget->border_width.l;
   y = bounds.y + bounds.h/2 - widget->getTextHeight()/2;
 
-  for (c=scroll; ugetat(text, c); c++) {
-    ch = password ? '*': ugetat(text, c);
+  base::utf8_const_iterator utf8_it = base::utf8_const_iterator(textString.begin());
+  int textlen = base::utf8_length(textString);
+
+  for (c=scroll, utf8_it+=scroll; c<textlen; ++c, ++utf8_it) {
+    ch = password ? '*': *utf8_it;
 
     // Normal text
     bg = ColorNone;
@@ -1546,7 +1548,7 @@ void SkinTheme::paintComboBoxEntry(ui::PaintEvent& ev)
   gfx::Rect bounds = widget->getClientBounds();
   bool password = widget->isPassword();
   int scroll, caret, state, selbeg, selend;
-  const char *text = widget->getText().c_str();
+  const std::string& textString = widget->getText();
   int c, ch, x, y, w;
   int caret_x;
 
@@ -1566,8 +1568,11 @@ void SkinTheme::paintComboBoxEntry(ui::PaintEvent& ev)
   x = bounds.x + widget->border_width.l;
   y = bounds.y + bounds.h/2 - widget->getTextHeight()/2;
 
-  for (c=scroll; ugetat(text, c); c++) {
-    ch = password ? '*': ugetat(text, c);
+  base::utf8_const_iterator utf8_it = base::utf8_const_iterator(textString.begin());
+  int textlen = base::utf8_length(textString);
+
+  for (c=scroll, utf8_it+=scroll; c<textlen; ++c, ++utf8_it) {
+    ch = password ? '*': *utf8_it;
 
     // Normal text
     bg = ColorNone;
diff --git a/src/app/ui_context.cpp b/src/app/ui_context.cpp
index 9468042d8..01c0d757e 100644
--- a/src/app/ui_context.cpp
+++ b/src/app/ui_context.cpp
@@ -37,9 +37,6 @@
 #include "raster/sprite.h"
 #include "undo/undo_history.h"
 
-#include <allegro/file.h>
-#include <allegro/system.h>
-
 namespace app {
 
 UIContext* UIContext::m_instance = NULL;