diff --git a/scheduler/semaphore.c b/scheduler/semaphore.c
index 890efa8..a9b130f 100644
--- a/scheduler/semaphore.c
+++ b/scheduler/semaphore.c
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@
 #include <assert.h>
 #include <string.h>
 #include "winerror.h"
-#include "heap.h"
 #include "server.h"
 
 
@@ -29,7 +28,7 @@
     req->initial = (unsigned int)initial;
     req->max     = (unsigned int)max;
     req->inherit = (sa && (sa->nLength>=sizeof(*sa)) && sa->bInheritHandle);
-    lstrcpynA( req->name, name ? name : "", server_remaining(req->name) );
+    server_strcpyAtoW( req->name, name );
     SetLastError(0);
     server_call( REQ_CREATE_SEMAPHORE );
     if (req->handle == -1) return 0;
@@ -43,10 +42,24 @@
 HANDLE WINAPI CreateSemaphoreW( SECURITY_ATTRIBUTES *sa, LONG initial,
                                     LONG max, LPCWSTR name )
 {
-    LPSTR nameA = HEAP_strdupWtoA( GetProcessHeap(), 0, name );
-    HANDLE ret = CreateSemaphoreA( sa, initial, max, nameA );
-    if (nameA) HeapFree( GetProcessHeap(), 0, nameA );
-    return ret;
+    struct create_semaphore_request *req = get_req_buffer();
+
+    /* Check parameters */
+
+    if ((max <= 0) || (initial < 0) || (initial > max))
+    {
+        SetLastError( ERROR_INVALID_PARAMETER );
+        return 0;
+    }
+
+    req->initial = (unsigned int)initial;
+    req->max     = (unsigned int)max;
+    req->inherit = (sa && (sa->nLength>=sizeof(*sa)) && sa->bInheritHandle);
+    server_strcpyW( req->name, name );
+    SetLastError(0);
+    server_call( REQ_CREATE_SEMAPHORE );
+    if (req->handle == -1) return 0;
+    return req->handle;
 }
 
 
@@ -59,7 +72,7 @@
 
     req->access  = access;
     req->inherit = inherit;
-    lstrcpynA( req->name, name ? name : "", server_remaining(req->name) );
+    server_strcpyAtoW( req->name, name );
     server_call( REQ_OPEN_SEMAPHORE );
     if (req->handle == -1) return 0; /* must return 0 on failure, not -1 */
     return req->handle;
@@ -71,10 +84,14 @@
  */
 HANDLE WINAPI OpenSemaphoreW( DWORD access, BOOL inherit, LPCWSTR name )
 {
-    LPSTR nameA = HEAP_strdupWtoA( GetProcessHeap(), 0, name );
-    HANDLE ret = OpenSemaphoreA( access, inherit, nameA );
-    if (nameA) HeapFree( GetProcessHeap(), 0, nameA );
-    return ret;
+    struct open_semaphore_request *req = get_req_buffer();
+
+    req->access  = access;
+    req->inherit = inherit;
+    server_strcpyW( req->name, name );
+    server_call( REQ_OPEN_SEMAPHORE );
+    if (req->handle == -1) return 0; /* must return 0 on failure, not -1 */
+    return req->handle;
 }
 
 
@@ -83,6 +100,7 @@
  */
 BOOL WINAPI ReleaseSemaphore( HANDLE handle, LONG count, LONG *previous )
 {
+    BOOL ret = FALSE;
     struct release_semaphore_request *req = get_req_buffer();
 
     if (count < 0)
@@ -92,7 +110,10 @@
     }
     req->handle = handle;
     req->count  = (unsigned int)count;
-    if (server_call( REQ_RELEASE_SEMAPHORE )) return FALSE;
-    if (previous) *previous = req->prev_count;
-    return TRUE;
+    if (!server_call( REQ_RELEASE_SEMAPHORE ))
+    {
+        if (previous) *previous = req->prev_count;
+        ret = TRUE;
+    }
+    return ret;
 }