diff --git a/src/kits/support/utf8_conversions.cpp b/src/kits/support/utf8_conversions.cpp
index b6f8fb3954..bef8857b6c 100644
--- a/src/kits/support/utf8_conversions.cpp
+++ b/src/kits/support/utf8_conversions.cpp
@@ -4,10 +4,41 @@
 #include <CharacterSetRoster.h>
 #include <Errors.h>
 #include <errno.h>
+#include <iostream.h>
 
 using namespace BPrivate;
 
-typedef char ** input_buffer_t;
+typedef const char ** input_buffer_t;
+
+status_t
+convert_encoding(const char * from, const char * to,
+                 const char * src, int32 * srcLen,
+                 char * dst, int32 * dstLen,
+                 int32 * state)
+{
+	iconv_t conversion = iconv_open(to,from);
+	if (conversion == (iconv_t)-1) {
+		return B_ERROR;
+	}
+	if (state == 0) {
+		return B_ERROR;
+	}	
+	if (*state == 0) {
+		iconv(conversion,0,0,0,0);
+		*state = 1;
+	}	
+	input_buffer_t inputBuffer = const_cast<input_buffer_t>(&src);
+	size_t inputLeft = *srcLen;
+	size_t outputLeft = *dstLen;
+	size_t bytesLeft = iconv(conversion,inputBuffer,&inputLeft,&dst,&outputLeft);
+	*srcLen -= inputLeft;
+	*dstLen -= outputLeft;
+	if ((bytesLeft != 0) && (errno != E2BIG) && (errno != EINVAL)) {
+		return B_ERROR;
+	}
+	iconv_close(conversion);
+	return B_OK;
+}
 
 status_t
 convert_to_utf8(uint32 srcEncoding,
@@ -17,23 +48,10 @@ convert_to_utf8(uint32 srcEncoding,
 {
 	const BCharacterSet * charset = BCharacterSetRoster::GetCharacterSetByConversionID(srcEncoding);
 	if (charset == 0) {
-		return B_ERROR;
-	}	
-	iconv_t conversion = iconv_open("UTF-8",charset->GetName());
-	if (conversion == (iconv_t)-1) {
+		cout << "no charset for #: " << srcEncoding << endl;
 		return B_ERROR;
 	}
-	input_buffer_t inputBuffer = const_cast<input_buffer_t>(&src);
-	size_t charsLeft = *dstLen;
-	size_t inputLength = *srcLen;
-	size_t bytesLeft = iconv(conversion,inputBuffer,&inputLength,&dst,&charsLeft);
-	*srcLen = inputLength;
-	*dstLen -= charsLeft;
-	if ((bytesLeft != 0) && (errno != E2BIG) && (errno != EINVAL)) {
-		return B_ERROR;
-	}
-	iconv_close(conversion);
-	return B_OK;
+	return convert_encoding(charset->GetName(),"UTF-8",src,srcLen,dst,dstLen,state);
 }
 
 status_t
@@ -44,21 +62,8 @@ convert_from_utf8(uint32 dstEncoding,
 {
 	const BCharacterSet * charset = BCharacterSetRoster::GetCharacterSetByConversionID(dstEncoding);
 	if (charset == 0) {
+		cout << "no charset for #: " << dstEncoding << endl;
 		return B_ERROR;
 	}	
-	iconv_t conversion = iconv_open(charset->GetName(),"UTF-8");
-	if (conversion == (iconv_t)-1) {
-		return B_ERROR;
-	}
-	input_buffer_t inputBuffer = const_cast<input_buffer_t>(&src);
-	size_t charsLeft = *dstLen;
-	size_t inputLength = *srcLen;
-	size_t bytesLeft = iconv(conversion,inputBuffer,&inputLength,&dst,&charsLeft);
-	*srcLen = inputLength;
-	*dstLen -= charsLeft;
-	if ((bytesLeft != 0) && (errno != E2BIG) && (errno != EINVAL)) {
-		return B_ERROR;
-	}
-	iconv_close(conversion);
-	return B_OK;
+	return convert_encoding("UTF-8",charset->GetName(),src,srcLen,dst,dstLen,state);
 }