diff --git a/include/fmt/core.h b/include/fmt/core.h
index 708d8589af43..49d48f202654 100644
--- a/include/fmt/core.h
+++ b/include/fmt/core.h
@@ -1346,26 +1346,20 @@ typename std::enable_if<
   return out;
 }
 
-template <typename Container, typename... Args>
-inline typename std::enable_if<
-  is_contiguous<Container>::value, std::back_insert_iterator<Container>>::type
-    format_to(std::back_insert_iterator<Container> out,
-              string_view format_str, const Args &... args) {
-  format_arg_store<format_context, Args...> as{args...};
-  return vformat_to(out, format_str, as);
-}
-
-template <typename Container, typename... Args>
+#define FMT_CHAR(Str) typename internal::format_string_traits<Str>::char_type
+template <typename Container, typename String, typename... Args>
 inline typename std::enable_if<
-  is_contiguous<Container>::value, std::back_insert_iterator<Container>>::type
+  is_contiguous<Container>::value && internal::is_format_string<String>::value,
+  std::back_insert_iterator<Container>>::type
     format_to(std::back_insert_iterator<Container> out,
-              wstring_view format_str, const Args &... args) {
-  return vformat_to(out, format_str,
-                    make_format_args<wformat_context>(args...));
+              const String &format_str, const Args &... args) {
+  internal::check_format_string<Args...>(format_str);
+  typedef typename buffer_context< FMT_CHAR(String) >::type context_t;
+  format_arg_store<context_t, Args...> as{args...};
+  return vformat_to(out, basic_string_view< FMT_CHAR(String) >(format_str),
+                    basic_format_args<context_t>(as));
 }
 
-#define FMT_CHAR(Str) typename internal::format_string_traits<Str>::char_type
-
 template <typename String, typename Char = FMT_CHAR(String) >
 inline std::basic_string<Char> vformat(
     const String &format_str,
@@ -1407,21 +1401,21 @@ FMT_API void vprint(std::FILE *f, wstring_view format_str, wformat_args args);
   **Example**::
 
     fmt::print(stderr, "Don't {}!", "panic");
-  \endrst
- */
-template <typename... Args>
-inline void print(std::FILE *f, string_view format_str, const Args &... args) {
-  format_arg_store<format_context, Args...> as(args...);
-  vprint(f, format_str, as);
-}
-/**
-  Prints formatted data to the file *f* which should be in wide-oriented mode
+
+  **Hint**::
+
+  for wide format strings, *f* should be in wide-oriented mode
   set via ``fwide(f, 1)`` or ``_setmode(_fileno(f), _O_U8TEXT)`` on Windows.
+  \endrst
  */
-template <typename... Args>
-inline void print(std::FILE *f, wstring_view format_str, const Args &... args) {
-  format_arg_store<wformat_context, Args...> as(args...);
-  vprint(f, format_str, as);
+template <typename String, typename... Args>
+inline typename std::enable_if<internal::is_format_string<String>::value>::type
+print(std::FILE *f, const String &format_str, const Args &... args) {
+  internal::check_format_string<Args...>(format_str);
+  typedef typename buffer_context< FMT_CHAR(String) >::type context_t;
+  format_arg_store<context_t, Args...> as{ args... };
+  vprint(f, basic_string_view< FMT_CHAR(String) >(format_str),
+         basic_format_args<context_t>(as));
 }
 
 FMT_API void vprint(string_view format_str, format_args args);
@@ -1436,16 +1430,14 @@ FMT_API void vprint(wstring_view format_str, wformat_args args);
     fmt::print("Elapsed time: {0:.2f} seconds", 1.23);
   \endrst
  */
-template <typename... Args>
-inline void print(string_view format_str, const Args &... args) {
-  format_arg_store<format_context, Args...> as{args...};
-  vprint(format_str, as);
-}
-
-template <typename... Args>
-inline void print(wstring_view format_str, const Args &... args) {
-  format_arg_store<wformat_context, Args...> as(args...);
-  vprint(format_str, as);
+template <typename String, typename... Args>
+inline typename std::enable_if<internal::is_format_string<String>::value>::type
+print(const String &format_str, const Args &... args) {
+  internal::check_format_string<Args...>(format_str);
+  typedef typename buffer_context< FMT_CHAR(String) >::type context_t;
+  format_arg_store<context_t, Args...> as{ args... };
+  vprint(basic_string_view< FMT_CHAR(String) >(format_str),
+         basic_format_args<context_t>(as));
 }
 FMT_END_NAMESPACE