diff --git a/include/serial/impl/win.h b/include/serial/impl/win.h
index eb3fe7c..2e3f5ff 100644
--- a/include/serial/impl/win.h
+++ b/include/serial/impl/win.h
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@
 namespace serial {
 
 using std::string;
+using std::wstring;
 using std::invalid_argument;
 
 using serial::SerialException;
@@ -172,7 +173,7 @@ protected:
   void reconfigurePort ();
 
 private:
-  string port_;               // Path to the file descriptor
+  wstring port_;               // Path to the file descriptor
   HANDLE fd_;
 
   bool is_open_;
diff --git a/src/impl/win.cc b/src/impl/win.cc
index babde5a..acf281a 100644
--- a/src/impl/win.cc
+++ b/src/impl/win.cc
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 #include "serial/impl/win.h"
 
 using std::string;
+using std::wstring;
 using std::stringstream;
 using std::invalid_argument;
 using serial::Serial;
@@ -20,7 +21,7 @@ Serial::SerialImpl::SerialImpl (const string &port, unsigned long baudrate,
                                 bytesize_t bytesize,
                                 parity_t parity, stopbits_t stopbits,
                                 flowcontrol_t flowcontrol)
-  : port_ (port), fd_ (INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE), is_open_ (false),
+  : port_ (port.begin(), port.end()), fd_ (INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE), is_open_ (false),
     baudrate_ (baudrate), parity_ (parity),
     bytesize_ (bytesize), stopbits_ (stopbits), flowcontrol_ (flowcontrol)
 {
@@ -47,7 +48,8 @@ Serial::SerialImpl::open ()
     throw SerialException ("Serial port already open.");
   }
 
-  fd_ = CreateFile(port_.c_str(),
+  LPCWSTR lp_port = port_.c_str();
+  fd_ = CreateFile(lp_port,
                    GENERIC_READ | GENERIC_WRITE,
                    0,
                    0,
@@ -60,7 +62,8 @@ Serial::SerialImpl::open ()
 	stringstream ss;
     switch (errno_) {
     case ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND:
-      ss << "Specified port, " << port_ << ", does not exist.";
+      // Use this->getPort to convert to a std::string
+      ss << "Specified port, " << this->getPort() << ", does not exist.";
       THROW (IOException, ss.str().c_str());
     default:
       ss << "Unknown error opening the serial port: " << errno;
@@ -296,13 +299,13 @@ Serial::SerialImpl::write (const uint8_t *data, size_t length)
 void
 Serial::SerialImpl::setPort (const string &port)
 {
-  port_ = port;
+  port_ = wstring(port.begin(), port.end());
 }
 
 string
 Serial::SerialImpl::getPort () const
 {
-  return port_;
+  return string(port_.begin(), port_.end());
 }
 
 void