diff --git a/windows/registry/key.go b/windows/registry/key.go
index fd86324..39aeeb6 100644
--- a/windows/registry/key.go
+++ b/windows/registry/key.go
@@ -164,7 +164,12 @@
 func CreateKey(k Key, path string, access uint32) (newk Key, openedExisting bool, err error) {
 	var h syscall.Handle
 	var d uint32
-	err = regCreateKeyEx(syscall.Handle(k), syscall.StringToUTF16Ptr(path),
+	var pathPointer *uint16
+	pathPointer, err = syscall.UTF16PtrFromString(path)
+	if err != nil {
+		return 0, false, err
+	}
+	err = regCreateKeyEx(syscall.Handle(k), pathPointer,
 		0, nil, _REG_OPTION_NON_VOLATILE, access, nil, &h, &d)
 	if err != nil {
 		return 0, false, err
@@ -174,7 +179,11 @@
 
 // DeleteKey deletes the subkey path of key k and its values.
 func DeleteKey(k Key, path string) error {
-	return regDeleteKey(syscall.Handle(k), syscall.StringToUTF16Ptr(path))
+	pathPointer, err := syscall.UTF16PtrFromString(path)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	return regDeleteKey(syscall.Handle(k), pathPointer)
 }
 
 // A KeyInfo describes the statistics of a key. It is returned by Stat.
diff --git a/windows/registry/value.go b/windows/registry/value.go
index 74db26b..a1bcbb2 100644
--- a/windows/registry/value.go
+++ b/windows/registry/value.go
@@ -340,7 +340,11 @@
 
 // DeleteValue removes a named value from the key k.
 func (k Key) DeleteValue(name string) error {
-	return regDeleteValue(syscall.Handle(k), syscall.StringToUTF16Ptr(name))
+	namePointer, err := syscall.UTF16PtrFromString(name)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	return regDeleteValue(syscall.Handle(k), namePointer)
 }
 
 // ReadValueNames returns the value names of key k.
diff --git a/windows/svc/eventlog/log.go b/windows/svc/eventlog/log.go
index f279444..ad40c2f 100644
--- a/windows/svc/eventlog/log.go
+++ b/windows/svc/eventlog/log.go
@@ -29,11 +29,19 @@
 	if source == "" {
 		return nil, errors.New("Specify event log source")
 	}
-	var s *uint16
+	var hostPointer *uint16
 	if host != "" {
-		s = syscall.StringToUTF16Ptr(host)
+		var err error
+		hostPointer, err = syscall.UTF16PtrFromString(host)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
 	}
-	h, err := windows.RegisterEventSource(s, syscall.StringToUTF16Ptr(source))
+	sourcePointer, err := syscall.UTF16PtrFromString(source)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	h, err := windows.RegisterEventSource(hostPointer, sourcePointer)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -46,7 +54,11 @@
 }
 
 func (l *Log) report(etype uint16, eid uint32, msg string) error {
-	ss := []*uint16{syscall.StringToUTF16Ptr(msg)}
+	msgPointer, err := syscall.UTF16PtrFromString(msg)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	ss := []*uint16{msgPointer}
 	return windows.ReportEvent(l.Handle, etype, 0, eid, 0, 1, 0, &ss[0], nil)
 }
 
diff --git a/windows/svc/mgr/config.go b/windows/svc/mgr/config.go
index 3c7ba08..ec01f96 100644
--- a/windows/svc/mgr/config.go
+++ b/windows/svc/mgr/config.go
@@ -121,7 +121,11 @@
 }
 
 func updateDescription(handle windows.Handle, desc string) error {
-	d := windows.SERVICE_DESCRIPTION{Description: toPtr(desc)}
+	descPointer, err := toPtr(desc)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	d := windows.SERVICE_DESCRIPTION{Description: descPointer}
 	return windows.ChangeServiceConfig2(handle,
 		windows.SERVICE_CONFIG_DESCRIPTION, (*byte)(unsafe.Pointer(&d)))
 }
@@ -141,10 +145,30 @@
 
 // UpdateConfig updates service s configuration parameters.
 func (s *Service) UpdateConfig(c Config) error {
-	err := windows.ChangeServiceConfig(s.Handle, c.ServiceType, c.StartType,
-		c.ErrorControl, toPtr(c.BinaryPathName), toPtr(c.LoadOrderGroup),
-		nil, toStringBlock(c.Dependencies), toPtr(c.ServiceStartName),
-		toPtr(c.Password), toPtr(c.DisplayName))
+	binaryPathNamePointer, err := toPtr(c.BinaryPathName)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	loadOrderGroupPointer, err := toPtr(c.LoadOrderGroup)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	serviceStartNamePointer, err := toPtr(c.ServiceStartName)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	passwordPointer, err := toPtr(c.Password)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	displayNamePointer, err := toPtr(c.DisplayName)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	err = windows.ChangeServiceConfig(s.Handle, c.ServiceType, c.StartType,
+		c.ErrorControl, binaryPathNamePointer, loadOrderGroupPointer,
+		nil, toStringBlock(c.Dependencies), serviceStartNamePointer,
+		passwordPointer, displayNamePointer)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/windows/svc/mgr/mgr.go b/windows/svc/mgr/mgr.go
index dbfd729..7475594 100644
--- a/windows/svc/mgr/mgr.go
+++ b/windows/svc/mgr/mgr.go
@@ -34,7 +34,11 @@
 func ConnectRemote(host string) (*Mgr, error) {
 	var s *uint16
 	if host != "" {
-		s = syscall.StringToUTF16Ptr(host)
+		var err error
+		s, err = syscall.UTF16PtrFromString(host)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
 	}
 	h, err := windows.OpenSCManager(s, nil, windows.SC_MANAGER_ALL_ACCESS)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -78,11 +82,11 @@
 	}
 }
 
-func toPtr(s string) *uint16 {
+func toPtr(s string) (*uint16, error) {
 	if len(s) == 0 {
-		return nil
+		return nil, nil
 	}
-	return syscall.StringToUTF16Ptr(s)
+	return syscall.UTF16PtrFromString(s)
 }
 
 // toStringBlock terminates strings in ss with 0, and then
@@ -122,10 +126,34 @@
 	for _, v := range args {
 		s += " " + syscall.EscapeArg(v)
 	}
-	h, err := windows.CreateService(m.Handle, toPtr(name), toPtr(c.DisplayName),
+	namePointer, err := toPtr(name)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	displayNamePointer, err := toPtr(c.DisplayName)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	sPointer, err := toPtr(s)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	loadOrderGroupPointer, err := toPtr(c.LoadOrderGroup)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	serviceStartNamePointer, err := toPtr(c.ServiceStartName)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	passwordPointer, err := toPtr(c.Password)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	h, err := windows.CreateService(m.Handle, namePointer, displayNamePointer,
 		windows.SERVICE_ALL_ACCESS, c.ServiceType,
-		c.StartType, c.ErrorControl, toPtr(s), toPtr(c.LoadOrderGroup),
-		nil, toStringBlock(c.Dependencies), toPtr(c.ServiceStartName), toPtr(c.Password))
+		c.StartType, c.ErrorControl, sPointer, loadOrderGroupPointer,
+		nil, toStringBlock(c.Dependencies), serviceStartNamePointer, passwordPointer)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -159,7 +187,12 @@
 // OpenService retrieves access to service name, so it can
 // be interrogated and controlled.
 func (m *Mgr) OpenService(name string) (*Service, error) {
-	h, err := windows.OpenService(m.Handle, syscall.StringToUTF16Ptr(name), windows.SERVICE_ALL_ACCESS)
+	namePointer, err := syscall.UTF16PtrFromString(name)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	h, err := windows.OpenService(m.Handle, namePointer, windows.SERVICE_ALL_ACCESS)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/windows/svc/mgr/recovery.go b/windows/svc/mgr/recovery.go
index ef2a687..1a07374 100644
--- a/windows/svc/mgr/recovery.go
+++ b/windows/svc/mgr/recovery.go
@@ -99,8 +99,13 @@
 // SetRebootMessage sets service s reboot message.
 // If msg is "", the reboot message is deleted and no message is broadcast.
 func (s *Service) SetRebootMessage(msg string) error {
+	msgPointer, err := syscall.UTF16PtrFromString(msg)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
 	rActions := windows.SERVICE_FAILURE_ACTIONS{
-		RebootMsg: syscall.StringToUTF16Ptr(msg),
+		RebootMsg: msgPointer,
 	}
 	return windows.ChangeServiceConfig2(s.Handle, windows.SERVICE_CONFIG_FAILURE_ACTIONS, (*byte)(unsafe.Pointer(&rActions)))
 }
@@ -118,8 +123,13 @@
 // SetRecoveryCommand sets the command line of the process to execute in response to the RunCommand service controller action.
 // If cmd is "", the command is deleted and no program is run when the service fails.
 func (s *Service) SetRecoveryCommand(cmd string) error {
+	cmdPointer, err := syscall.UTF16PtrFromString(cmd)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
 	rActions := windows.SERVICE_FAILURE_ACTIONS{
-		Command: syscall.StringToUTF16Ptr(cmd),
+		Command: cmdPointer,
 	}
 	return windows.ChangeServiceConfig2(s.Handle, windows.SERVICE_CONFIG_FAILURE_ACTIONS, (*byte)(unsafe.Pointer(&rActions)))
 }
diff --git a/windows/svc/mgr/service.go b/windows/svc/mgr/service.go
index c9740ef..9f59eab 100644
--- a/windows/svc/mgr/service.go
+++ b/windows/svc/mgr/service.go
@@ -37,7 +37,11 @@
 	if len(args) > 0 {
 		vs := make([]*uint16, len(args))
 		for i := range vs {
-			vs[i] = syscall.StringToUTF16Ptr(args[i])
+			argPointer, err := syscall.UTF16PtrFromString(args[i])
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+			vs[i] = argPointer
 		}
 		p = &vs[0]
 	}
diff --git a/windows/svc/service.go b/windows/svc/service.go
index c4f7492..a9b1c19 100644
--- a/windows/svc/service.go
+++ b/windows/svc/service.go
@@ -132,10 +132,10 @@
 
 // service provides access to windows service api.
 type service struct {
-	name    string
-	h       windows.Handle
-	c       chan ctlEvent
-	handler Handler
+	namePointer *uint16
+	h           windows.Handle
+	c           chan ctlEvent
+	handler     Handler
 }
 
 type exitCode struct {
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@
 // serviceMain is the entry point called by the service manager, registered earlier by
 // the call to StartServiceCtrlDispatcher.
 func serviceMain(argc uint32, argv **uint16) uintptr {
-	handle, err := windows.RegisterServiceCtrlHandlerEx(windows.StringToUTF16Ptr(theService.name), ctlHandlerCallback, 0)
+	handle, err := windows.RegisterServiceCtrlHandlerEx(theService.namePointer, ctlHandlerCallback, 0)
 	if sysErr, ok := err.(windows.Errno); ok {
 		return uintptr(sysErr)
 	} else if err != nil {
@@ -280,15 +280,21 @@
 
 // Run executes service name by calling appropriate handler function.
 func Run(name string, handler Handler) error {
+	// Check to make sure that the service name is valid.
+	namePointer, err := windows.UTF16PtrFromString(name)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
 	initCallbacks.Do(func() {
 		ctlHandlerCallback = windows.NewCallback(ctlHandler)
 		serviceMainCallback = windows.NewCallback(serviceMain)
 	})
-	theService.name = name
+	theService.namePointer = namePointer
 	theService.handler = handler
 	theService.c = make(chan ctlEvent)
 	t := []windows.SERVICE_TABLE_ENTRY{
-		{ServiceName: windows.StringToUTF16Ptr(theService.name), ServiceProc: serviceMainCallback},
+		{ServiceName: namePointer, ServiceProc: serviceMainCallback},
 		{ServiceName: nil, ServiceProc: 0},
 	}
 	return windows.StartServiceCtrlDispatcher(&t[0])