diff --git a/desktop_version/src/CustomLevels.cpp b/desktop_version/src/CustomLevels.cpp
index 7d882e1d..2a7494cf 100644
--- a/desktop_version/src/CustomLevels.cpp
+++ b/desktop_version/src/CustomLevels.cpp
@@ -87,26 +87,14 @@ static bool compare_nocase (std::string first, std::string second)
  * as being translated, while they're actually stored in English in the level file.
  * This way we translate "Untitled Level" and "Unknown" without
  * spreading around translations in level files posted online! */
-std::string translate_title(const std::string& title, bool* is_gettext)
+bool translate_title(const std::string& title)
 {
-    if (title == "Untitled Level")
-    {
-        *is_gettext = true;
-        return loc::gettext("Untitled Level");
-    }
-    *is_gettext = false;
-    return title;
+    return title == "Untitled Level";
 }
 
-std::string translate_creator(const std::string& creator, bool* is_gettext)
+bool translate_creator(const std::string& creator)
 {
-    if (creator == "Unknown")
-    {
-        *is_gettext = true;
-        return loc::gettext("Unknown");
-    }
-    *is_gettext = false;
-    return creator;
+    return creator == "Unknown";
 }
 
 static void levelZipCallback(const char* filename)
@@ -306,8 +294,10 @@ bool customlevelclass::getLevelMetaDataAndPlaytestArgs(const std::string& _path,
         return false;
     }
 
-    _data.creator = translate_creator(find_creator(buf), &_data.creator_is_gettext);
-    _data.title = translate_title(find_title(buf), &_data.title_is_gettext);
+    _data.creator = find_creator(buf);
+    _data.creator_is_gettext = translate_creator(_data.creator);
+    _data.title = find_title(buf);
+    _data.title_is_gettext = translate_title(_data.title);
     _data.Desc1 = find_desc1(buf);
     _data.Desc2 = find_desc2(buf);
     _data.Desc3 = find_desc3(buf);
diff --git a/desktop_version/src/CustomLevels.h b/desktop_version/src/CustomLevels.h
index ac9fcdf4..97e3448d 100644
--- a/desktop_version/src/CustomLevels.h
+++ b/desktop_version/src/CustomLevels.h
@@ -171,9 +171,9 @@ public:
     bool onewaycol_override;
 };
 
-std::string translate_title(const std::string& title, bool* is_gettext);
+bool translate_title(const std::string& title);
 
-std::string translate_creator(const std::string& creator, bool* is_gettext);
+bool translate_creator(const std::string& creator);
 
 #ifndef CL_DEFINITION
 extern customlevelclass cl;
diff --git a/desktop_version/src/Editor.cpp b/desktop_version/src/Editor.cpp
index 22ddf006..57fdb0de 100644
--- a/desktop_version/src/Editor.cpp
+++ b/desktop_version/src/Editor.cpp
@@ -544,13 +544,31 @@ static void editormenurender(int tr, int tg, int tb)
         }
         else
         {
-            bool title_is_gettext;
-            std::string title = translate_title(cl.title, &title_is_gettext);
+            const char* title = cl.title.c_str();
+            const bool title_is_gettext = translate_title(cl.title);
+            if (title_is_gettext)
+            {
+                title = loc::gettext(title);
+            }
             font::print(PR_2X | PR_CEN | (title_is_gettext ? PR_FONT_INTERFACE : PR_FONT_LEVEL), -1, 35, title, tr, tg, tb);
         }
 
-        bool creator_is_gettext = false;
-        std::string creator = (ed.current_text_mode == TEXT_CREATOR) ? input_text : translate_creator(cl.creator, &creator_is_gettext);
+        bool creator_is_gettext;
+        const char* creator;
+        if (ed.current_text_mode == TEXT_CREATOR)
+        {
+            creator_is_gettext = false;
+            creator = input_text.c_str();
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            creator_is_gettext = translate_creator(cl.creator);
+            creator = cl.creator.c_str();
+        }
+        if (creator_is_gettext)
+        {
+            creator = loc::gettext(creator);
+        }
 
         int sp = SDL_max(10, font::height(PR_FONT_LEVEL));
         graphics.print_level_creator((creator_is_gettext ? PR_FONT_INTERFACE : PR_FONT_LEVEL), 60, creator, tr, tg, tb);
@@ -2653,8 +2671,7 @@ static void editormenuactionpress(void)
         {
         case 0:
         {
-            bool title_is_gettext;
-            translate_title(cl.title, &title_is_gettext);
+            const bool title_is_gettext = translate_title(cl.title);
 
             ed.current_text_mode = TEXT_TITLE;
             ed.substate = EditorSubState_MENU_INPUT;
@@ -2673,8 +2690,7 @@ static void editormenuactionpress(void)
         }
         case 1:
         {
-            bool creator_is_gettext;
-            translate_creator(cl.creator, &creator_is_gettext);
+            const bool creator_is_gettext = translate_creator(cl.creator);
 
             ed.current_text_mode = TEXT_CREATOR;
             ed.substate = EditorSubState_MENU_INPUT;
diff --git a/desktop_version/src/Game.cpp b/desktop_version/src/Game.cpp
index 151cef1f..035070cf 100644
--- a/desktop_version/src/Game.cpp
+++ b/desktop_version/src/Game.cpp
@@ -6638,6 +6638,11 @@ void Game::createmenu( enum Menu::MenuName t, bool samemenu/*= false*/ )
                         prefix = "";
                         break;
                     }
+                    const char* title = cl.ListOfMetaData[i].title.c_str();
+                    if (cl.ListOfMetaData[i].title_is_gettext)
+                    {
+                        title = loc::gettext(title);
+                    }
                     /* We have to make sure the stars and spaces are consistently on the
                      * correct side of the title, no matter what bidi characters are in there.
                      * So just always let the bidi engine handle it, with a few control chars. */
@@ -6650,7 +6655,7 @@ void Game::createmenu( enum Menu::MenuName t, bool samemenu/*= false*/ )
                         prefix,
                         // FIRST STRONG ISOLATE, to start an isolated block oriented however bidi sees fit
                         UTF8_encode(0x2068).bytes,
-                        cl.ListOfMetaData[i].title.c_str(),
+                        title,
                         // POP DIRECTIONAL ISOLATE, exit isolated level title
                         UTF8_encode(0x2069).bytes
                     );
diff --git a/desktop_version/src/Render.cpp b/desktop_version/src/Render.cpp
index 20b6436b..82132350 100644
--- a/desktop_version/src/Render.cpp
+++ b/desktop_version/src/Render.cpp
@@ -272,10 +272,20 @@ static void menurender(void)
                 );
                 uint32_t title_flags = cl.ListOfMetaData[tmp].title_is_gettext ? PR_FONT_INTERFACE : level_flags;
                 uint32_t creator_flags = cl.ListOfMetaData[tmp].creator_is_gettext ? PR_FONT_INTERFACE : level_flags;
+                const char* title = cl.ListOfMetaData[tmp].title.c_str();
+                if (cl.ListOfMetaData[tmp].title_is_gettext)
+                {
+                    title = loc::gettext(title);
+                }
+                const char* creator = cl.ListOfMetaData[tmp].creator.c_str();
+                if (cl.ListOfMetaData[tmp].creator_is_gettext)
+                {
+                    creator = loc::gettext(creator);
+                }
 
-                font::print(title_flags | PR_2X | PR_CEN, -1, 15, cl.ListOfMetaData[tmp].title, tr, tg, tb);
+                font::print(title_flags | PR_2X | PR_CEN, -1, 15, title, tr, tg, tb);
                 int sp = SDL_max(10, font::height(level_flags));
-                graphics.print_level_creator(creator_flags, 40, cl.ListOfMetaData[tmp].creator, tr, tg, tb);
+                graphics.print_level_creator(creator_flags, 40, creator, tr, tg, tb);
                 font::print(level_flags | PR_CEN, -1, 40+sp, cl.ListOfMetaData[tmp].website, tr, tg, tb);
                 font::print(level_flags | PR_CEN, -1, 40+sp*3, cl.ListOfMetaData[tmp].Desc1, tr, tg, tb);
                 font::print(level_flags | PR_CEN, -1, 40+sp*4, cl.ListOfMetaData[tmp].Desc2, tr, tg, tb);