diff --git a/plug-ins/file-webp/file-webp-load.c b/plug-ins/file-webp/file-webp-load.c
index d66e9dfb55..a13d22b5f8 100644
--- a/plug-ins/file-webp/file-webp-load.c
+++ b/plug-ins/file-webp/file-webp-load.c
@@ -77,7 +77,6 @@ load_image (GFile    *file,
             gboolean  interactive,
             GError   **error)
 {
-  gchar            *filename;
   uint8_t          *indata = NULL;
   gsize             indatalen;
   gint              width;
@@ -92,15 +91,12 @@ load_image (GFile    *file,
   gboolean          exif      = FALSE;
   gboolean          xmp       = FALSE;
 
-  filename = g_file_get_path (file);
-
   /* Attempt to read the file contents from disk */
-  if (! g_file_get_contents (filename,
+  if (! g_file_get_contents (g_file_peek_path (file),
                              (gchar **) &indata,
                              &indatalen,
                              error))
     {
-      g_free (filename);
       return NULL;
     }
 
@@ -110,7 +106,6 @@ load_image (GFile    *file,
       g_set_error (error, G_FILE_ERROR, 0,
                    _("Invalid WebP file '%s'"),
                    gimp_file_get_utf8_name (file));
-      g_free (filename);
       return NULL;
     }
 
@@ -120,7 +115,6 @@ load_image (GFile    *file,
   mux = WebPMuxCreate (&wp_data, 1);
   if (! mux)
     {
-      g_free (filename);
       return NULL;
     }
 
@@ -166,7 +160,6 @@ load_image (GFile    *file,
       if (! outdata)
         {
           WebPMuxDelete (mux);
-          g_free (filename);
           return NULL;
         }
 
@@ -198,7 +191,6 @@ load_image (GFile    *file,
             }
 
           WebPMuxDelete (mux);
-          g_free (filename);
           return NULL;
         }
 
@@ -258,7 +250,6 @@ load_image (GFile    *file,
   if (exif || xmp)
     {
       GimpMetadata *metadata;
-      GFile        *file;
 
       if (exif)
         {
@@ -274,7 +265,6 @@ load_image (GFile    *file,
           WebPMuxGetChunk (mux, "XMP ", &xmp);
         }
 
-      file = g_file_new_for_path (filename);
       metadata = gimp_image_metadata_load_prepare (image, "image/webp",
                                                    file, NULL);
       if (metadata)
@@ -288,15 +278,12 @@ load_image (GFile    *file,
                                            metadata, flags);
           g_object_unref (metadata);
         }
-
-      g_object_unref (file);
     }
 
   WebPMuxDelete (mux);
 
   gimp_image_set_file (image, file);
 
-  g_free (filename);
   if (profile)
     g_object_unref (profile);
 
diff --git a/plug-ins/file-webp/file-webp-save.c b/plug-ins/file-webp/file-webp-save.c
index c95723c04f..a307264ae9 100644
--- a/plug-ins/file-webp/file-webp-save.c
+++ b/plug-ins/file-webp/file-webp-save.c
@@ -190,16 +190,12 @@ save_layer (GFile         *file,
 
   do
     {
-      gchar *filename;
-
       /* Begin displaying export progress */
       gimp_progress_init_printf (_("Saving '%s'"),
                                  gimp_file_get_utf8_name (file));
 
       /* Attempt to open the output file */
-      filename = g_file_get_path (file);
-      outfile = g_fopen (filename, "w+b");
-      g_free (filename);
+      outfile = g_fopen (g_file_peek_path (file), "w+b");
 
       if (! outfile)
         {
@@ -586,7 +582,6 @@ save_animation (GFile         *file,
 
   do
     {
-      gchar *filename;
       GList *list;
       gint   i;
 
@@ -595,9 +590,7 @@ save_animation (GFile         *file,
                                  gimp_file_get_utf8_name (file));
 
       /* Attempt to open the output file */
-      filename = g_file_get_path (file);
-      outfile = g_fopen (filename, "wb");
-      g_free (filename);
+      outfile = g_fopen (g_file_peek_path (file), "wb");
 
       if (! outfile)
         {