diff --git a/src/common/autoconfig-win.h b/src/common/autoconfig-win.h
index f71493ca..38c05bb8 100644
--- a/src/common/autoconfig-win.h
+++ b/src/common/autoconfig-win.h
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@
 #define PACKAGE_NAME "Recoll"
 
 /* Define to the full name and version of this package. */
-#define PACKAGE_STRING "Recoll 1.28.5"
+#define PACKAGE_STRING "Recoll 1.29.0pre1"
 
 /* Define to the one symbol short name of this package. */
 #define PACKAGE_TARNAME "recoll"
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@
 #define PACKAGE_URL ""
 
 /* Define to the version of this package. */
-#define PACKAGE_VERSION "1.28.5"
+#define PACKAGE_VERSION "1.29.0pre1"
 
 /* putenv parameter is const */
 /* #undef PUTENV_ARG_CONST */
diff --git a/src/index/recollindex.cpp b/src/index/recollindex.cpp
index 564a448f..cc6ff6e9 100644
--- a/src/index/recollindex.cpp
+++ b/src/index/recollindex.cpp
@@ -574,19 +574,6 @@ static vector<string> argstovector(int argc, wchar_t **argv)
     return args;
 }
 
-static vector<string> fileToArgs(const string& fn)
-{
-    string reason, data;
-    if (!file_to_string(fn, data, &reason)) {
-        std::cerr << "Failed reading args file " << fn << " reason " <<
-            reason << "\n";
-        exit(1);
-    }
-    vector<string> args;
-    stringToStrings(data, args);
-    return args;
-}
-
 
 // Working directory before we change: it's simpler to change early
 // but some options need the original for computing absolute paths.
@@ -615,13 +602,6 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
     vector<string> args = argstovector(argc, argv);
 
-    // Passing args through a temp file: this is used on Windows to
-    // avoid issues with charsets in args (thought to avoid using
-    // wmain, which proved false, but the args file was kept)
-    if (args.size() == 1 && args[0][0] != '-') {
-        args = fileToArgs(args[0]);
-    }
-
     vector<string> selpatterns;
     int sleepsecs{60};
     string a_config;
diff --git a/src/qtgui/rclm_idx.cpp b/src/qtgui/rclm_idx.cpp
index 7018e825..7eda431a 100644
--- a/src/qtgui/rclm_idx.cpp
+++ b/src/qtgui/rclm_idx.cpp
@@ -214,52 +214,10 @@ void RclMain::periodic100()
     }
 }
 
-// On win32 we have trouble passing filename args on the command line
-// (recollindex would need to use wmain and process wchar args). So we
-// use a temp file: if the first and only arg to recollindex is not an
-// option, it's a file with the command line inside it.
-bool RclMain::maybeArgsToFile(vector<string>& args)
-{
-#ifdef _WIN32
-    if (!m_idxargstmp || !m_idxargstmp->ok()) {
-        TempFile temp("");
-        m_idxargstmp = rememberTempFile(temp);
-    }
-    LOGDEB0("RclMain::maybeArgsToFile: temp file name [" <<
-           m_idxargstmp->filename() << "]\n");
-    bool hasrclindex = (args[0] == "recollindex");
-    if (hasrclindex) {
-        args.erase(args.begin());
-    }
-    string s;
-    stringsToString(args, s);
-    fstream fout;
-    if (!path_streamopen(m_idxargstmp->filename(), ios::out|ios::trunc, fout)) {
-        QMessageBox::warning(
-            0, "Recoll", tr("Could not start recollindex (temp file error)"));
-        return false;
-    }
-    fout << s;
-    fout.close();
-    if (hasrclindex) {
-        args = {"recollindex", m_idxargstmp->filename()};
-    } else {
-        args = {m_idxargstmp->filename()};
-    }
-    return true;
-#else
-    (void)args;
-    return true;
-#endif
-}
-
 bool RclMain::checkIdxPaths()
 {
     string badpaths;
     vector<string> args{"recollindex", "-c", theconfig->getConfDir(), "-E"};
-    if (!maybeArgsToFile(args)) {
-        return false;
-    }
     ExecCmd::backtick(args, badpaths);
     if (!badpaths.empty()) {
         int rep = QMessageBox::warning(
@@ -329,9 +287,6 @@ void RclMain::toggleIndexing()
             args.push_back(m_idxreasontmp->filename());
         }
         m_idxproc = new ExecCmd;
-        if (!maybeArgsToFile(args)) {
-            return;
-        }
         m_idxproc->startExec("recollindex", args, false, false);
     }
     break;
@@ -437,9 +392,6 @@ void RclMain::rebuildIndex()
                 args.push_back(m_idxreasontmp->filename());
             }
             m_idxproc = new ExecCmd;
-            if (!maybeArgsToFile(args)) {
-                return;
-            }
             m_idxproc->startExec("recollindex", args, false, false);
         }
     }
@@ -566,9 +518,6 @@ void RclMain::specialIndex()
         args.push_back(top);
     }
     m_idxproc = new ExecCmd;
-    if (!maybeArgsToFile(args)) {
-        return;
-    }
     LOGINFO("specialIndex: exec: " << execToString("recollindex", args) <<endl);
     m_idxproc->startExec("recollindex", args, false, false);
 }
@@ -591,9 +540,6 @@ void RclMain::updateIdxForDocs(vector<Rcl::Doc>& docs)
         }
         args.insert(args.end(), paths.begin(), paths.end());
         m_idxproc = new ExecCmd;
-        if (!maybeArgsToFile(args)) {
-            return;
-        }
         m_idxproc->startExec("recollindex", args, false, false);
         // Call periodic100 to update the menu entries states
         periodic100();
diff --git a/src/qtgui/rclmain_w.h b/src/qtgui/rclmain_w.h
index a3737bfe..1d09b967 100644
--- a/src/qtgui/rclmain_w.h
+++ b/src/qtgui/rclmain_w.h
@@ -227,7 +227,6 @@ private:
     ExecCmd          *m_idxproc{0}; // Indexing process
     bool             m_idxkilled{false}; // Killed my process
     TempFile        *m_idxreasontmp{nullptr};
-    TempFile        *m_idxargstmp{nullptr};
     map<QString, QAction*> m_stemLangToId;
     vector<string>    m_catgbutvec;
     int               m_catgbutvecidx{0};
@@ -283,7 +282,6 @@ private:
     virtual bool containerUpToDate(Rcl::Doc& doc);
     virtual void setFiltSpec();
     virtual bool checkIdxPaths();
-    bool maybeArgsToFile(std::vector<std::string>& args);
 };
 
 #endif // RCLMAIN_W_H
diff --git a/src/windows/recoll-setup.iss b/src/windows/recoll-setup.iss
index b751290f..4a574ef8 100644
--- a/src/windows/recoll-setup.iss
+++ b/src/windows/recoll-setup.iss
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 ; SEE THE DOCUMENTATION FOR DETAILS ON CREATING INNO SETUP SCRIPT FILES!
 
 #define MyAppName "Recoll"
-#define MyAppVersion "1.27.6-20200913-7bbca8c7"
+#define MyAppVersion "1.29.0pre1-20200225-xxxxxxxx"
 #define MyAppPublisher "Recoll.org"
 #define MyAppURL "http://www.recoll.org"
 #define MyAppExeName "recoll.exe"