diff --git a/src/embed_tests/TestPythonEngineProperties.cs b/src/embed_tests/TestPythonEngineProperties.cs
index 25da158f2..11db57b3d 100644
--- a/src/embed_tests/TestPythonEngineProperties.cs
+++ b/src/embed_tests/TestPythonEngineProperties.cs
@@ -105,5 +105,42 @@ public static void GetPythonHomeDefault()
             Assert.AreEqual(envPythonHome, enginePythonHome);
             PythonEngine.Shutdown();
         }
+
+        [Test]
+        public void SetPythonHome()
+        {
+            var pythonHome = "/dummypath/";
+
+            PythonEngine.PythonHome = pythonHome;
+            PythonEngine.Initialize();
+
+            Assert.AreEqual(pythonHome, PythonEngine.PythonHome);
+            PythonEngine.Shutdown();
+        }
+
+        [Test]
+        public void SetPythonHomeTwice()
+        {
+            var pythonHome = "/dummypath/";
+
+            PythonEngine.PythonHome = "/dummypath2/";
+            PythonEngine.PythonHome = pythonHome;
+            PythonEngine.Initialize();
+
+            Assert.AreEqual(pythonHome, PythonEngine.PythonHome);
+            PythonEngine.Shutdown();
+        }
+
+        [Test]
+        public void SetProgramName()
+        {
+            var programName = "FooBar";
+
+            PythonEngine.ProgramName = programName;
+            PythonEngine.Initialize();
+
+            Assert.AreEqual(programName, PythonEngine.ProgramName);
+            PythonEngine.Shutdown();
+        }
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/runtime/pythonengine.cs b/src/runtime/pythonengine.cs
index 4a641e538..b5f609630 100644
--- a/src/runtime/pythonengine.cs
+++ b/src/runtime/pythonengine.cs
@@ -14,6 +14,9 @@ public class PythonEngine : IDisposable
     {
         private static DelegateManager delegateManager;
         private static bool initialized;
+        private static IntPtr _pythonHome = IntPtr.Zero;
+        private static IntPtr _programName = IntPtr.Zero;
+        private static IntPtr _pythonPath = IntPtr.Zero;
 
         public PythonEngine()
         {
@@ -64,7 +67,14 @@ public static string ProgramName
 
                 return result ?? "";
             }
-            set { Runtime.Py_SetProgramName(value); }
+            set
+            {
+                Marshal.FreeHGlobal(_programName);
+                _programName = Runtime.IsPython3
+                    ? UcsMarshaler.GetInstance("").MarshalManagedToNative(value)
+                    : Marshal.StringToHGlobalAnsi(value);
+                Runtime.Py_SetProgramName(_programName);
+            }
         }
 
         public static string PythonHome
@@ -78,7 +88,14 @@ public static string PythonHome
 
                 return result ?? "";
             }
-            set { Runtime.Py_SetPythonHome(value); }
+            set
+            {
+                Marshal.FreeHGlobal(_pythonHome);
+                _pythonHome = Runtime.IsPython3
+                    ? UcsMarshaler.GetInstance("").MarshalManagedToNative(value)
+                    : Marshal.StringToHGlobalAnsi(value);
+                Runtime.Py_SetPythonHome(_pythonHome);
+            }
         }
 
         public static string PythonPath
@@ -92,7 +109,14 @@ public static string PythonPath
 
                 return result ?? "";
             }
-            set { Runtime.Py_SetPath(value); }
+            set
+            {
+                Marshal.FreeHGlobal(_pythonPath);
+                _pythonPath = Runtime.IsPython3
+                    ? UcsMarshaler.GetInstance("").MarshalManagedToNative(value)
+                    : Marshal.StringToHGlobalAnsi(value);
+                Runtime.Py_SetPath(_pythonPath);
+            }
         }
 
         public static string Version
@@ -284,6 +308,13 @@ public static void Shutdown()
         {
             if (initialized)
             {
+                Marshal.FreeHGlobal(_pythonHome);
+                _pythonHome = IntPtr.Zero;
+                Marshal.FreeHGlobal(_programName);
+                _programName = IntPtr.Zero;
+                Marshal.FreeHGlobal(_pythonPath);
+                _pythonPath = IntPtr.Zero;
+
                 Runtime.Shutdown();
                 initialized = false;
             }
diff --git a/src/runtime/runtime.cs b/src/runtime/runtime.cs
index 540e2c45c..d47c02490 100644
--- a/src/runtime/runtime.cs
+++ b/src/runtime/runtime.cs
@@ -686,43 +686,37 @@ public static extern int Py_Main(
         internal static extern IntPtr Py_GetProgramName();
 
         [DllImport(PythonDll)]
-        internal static extern void Py_SetProgramName(
-            [MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)] string name
-        );
+        internal static extern void Py_SetProgramName(IntPtr name);
 
         [DllImport(PythonDll)]
         internal static extern IntPtr Py_GetPythonHome();
 
         [DllImport(PythonDll)]
-        internal static extern void Py_SetPythonHome(
-            [MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)] string home
-        );
+        internal static extern void Py_SetPythonHome(IntPtr home);
 
         [DllImport(PythonDll)]
         internal static extern IntPtr Py_GetPath();
 
         [DllImport(PythonDll)]
-        internal static extern void Py_SetPath(
-            [MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)] string home
-        );
+        internal static extern void Py_SetPath(IntPtr home);
 #elif PYTHON2
         [DllImport(PythonDll)]
         internal static extern IntPtr Py_GetProgramName();
 
         [DllImport(PythonDll)]
-        internal static extern void Py_SetProgramName(string name);
+        internal static extern void Py_SetProgramName(IntPtr name);
 
         [DllImport(PythonDll)]
         internal static extern IntPtr Py_GetPythonHome();
 
         [DllImport(PythonDll)]
-        internal static extern void Py_SetPythonHome(string home);
+        internal static extern void Py_SetPythonHome(IntPtr home);
 
         [DllImport(PythonDll)]
         internal static extern IntPtr Py_GetPath();
 
         [DllImport(PythonDll)]
-        internal static extern void Py_SetPath(string home);
+        internal static extern void Py_SetPath(IntPtr home);
 #endif
 
         [DllImport(PythonDll)]