diff --git a/compat/mingw.c b/compat/mingw.c
index a0ac487c0c..71a04c5a30 100644
--- a/compat/mingw.c
+++ b/compat/mingw.c
@@ -238,11 +238,12 @@ static int is_dir_empty(const char *path)
 		return GetLastError() == ERROR_NO_MORE_FILES;
 	}
 
-	while (!strcmp(findbuf.cFileName, ".") ||
-			!strcmp(findbuf.cFileName, ".."))
-		if (!FindNextFile(handle, &findbuf)) {
-			strbuf_release(&buf);
-			return GetLastError() == ERROR_NO_MORE_FILES;
+	while (!wcscmp(findbuf.cFileName, L".") ||
+			!wcscmp(findbuf.cFileName, L".."))
+		if (!FindNextFileW(handle, &findbuf)) {
+			DWORD err = GetLastError();
+			FindClose(handle);
+			return err == ERROR_NO_MORE_FILES;
 		}
 	FindClose(handle);
 	strbuf_release(&buf);