diff --git a/modules/juce_core/text/juce_String.cpp b/modules/juce_core/text/juce_String.cpp
index 2cca258027..f91adf5098 100644
--- a/modules/juce_core/text/juce_String.cpp
+++ b/modules/juce_core/text/juce_String.cpp
@@ -1617,10 +1617,10 @@ String String::upToLastOccurrenceOf (StringRef sub,
 
 bool String::isQuotedString() const
 {
-    const String trimmed (trimStart());
+    const juce_wchar trimmedStart = trimStart()[0];
 
-    return trimmed[0] == '"'
-        || trimmed[0] == '\'';
+    return trimmedStart == '"'
+        || trimmedStart == '\'';
 }
 
 String String::unquoted() const
diff --git a/modules/juce_core/text/juce_String.h b/modules/juce_core/text/juce_String.h
index 0260acff13..8fb209adb6 100644
--- a/modules/juce_core/text/juce_String.h
+++ b/modules/juce_core/text/juce_String.h
@@ -299,13 +299,13 @@ public:
         Note that there's also an isNotEmpty() method to help write readable code.
         @see containsNonWhitespaceChars()
     */
-    inline bool isEmpty() const noexcept                    { return text[0] == 0; }
+    inline bool isEmpty() const noexcept                    { return text.isEmpty(); }
 
     /** Returns true if the string contains at least one character.
         Note that there's also an isEmpty() method to help write readable code.
         @see containsNonWhitespaceChars()
     */
-    inline bool isNotEmpty() const noexcept                 { return text[0] != 0; }
+    inline bool isNotEmpty() const noexcept                 { return ! text.isEmpty(); }
 
     /** Resets this string to be empty. */
     void clear() noexcept;