diff --git a/apps/openmw_test_suite/testing_util.hpp b/apps/openmw_test_suite/testing_util.hpp
index b819848a8f..ad1b0423ef 100644
--- a/apps/openmw_test_suite/testing_util.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw_test_suite/testing_util.hpp
@@ -51,25 +51,21 @@ namespace TestingOpenMW
 
     struct VFSTestData : public VFS::Archive
     {
-        std::map<std::string, VFS::File*, VFS::Path::PathLess> mFiles;
+        VFS::FileMap mFiles;
 
-        VFSTestData(std::map<std::string, VFS::File*, VFS::Path::PathLess> files)
+        explicit VFSTestData(VFS::FileMap&& files)
             : mFiles(std::move(files))
         {
         }
 
-        void listResources(VFS::FileMap& out) override
-        {
-            for (const auto& [key, value] : mFiles)
-                out.emplace(key, value);
-        }
+        void listResources(VFS::FileMap& out) override { out = mFiles; }
 
-        bool contains(std::string_view file) const override { return mFiles.contains(file); }
+        bool contains(VFS::Path::NormalizedView file) const override { return mFiles.contains(file); }
 
         std::string getDescription() const override { return "TestData"; }
     };
 
-    inline std::unique_ptr<VFS::Manager> createTestVFS(std::map<std::string, VFS::File*, VFS::Path::PathLess> files)
+    inline std::unique_ptr<VFS::Manager> createTestVFS(VFS::FileMap&& files)
     {
         auto vfs = std::make_unique<VFS::Manager>();
         vfs->addArchive(std::make_unique<VFSTestData>(std::move(files)));
diff --git a/components/vfs/archive.hpp b/components/vfs/archive.hpp
index 42b88219d7..bd793b8523 100644
--- a/components/vfs/archive.hpp
+++ b/components/vfs/archive.hpp
@@ -2,9 +2,9 @@
 #define OPENMW_COMPONENTS_VFS_ARCHIVE_H
 
 #include <string>
-#include <string_view>
 
 #include "filemap.hpp"
+#include "pathutil.hpp"
 
 namespace VFS
 {
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ namespace VFS
         virtual void listResources(FileMap& out) = 0;
 
         /// True if this archive contains the provided normalized file.
-        virtual bool contains(std::string_view file) const = 0;
+        virtual bool contains(Path::NormalizedView file) const = 0;
 
         virtual std::string getDescription() const = 0;
     };
diff --git a/components/vfs/bsaarchive.hpp b/components/vfs/bsaarchive.hpp
index 304fc438ad..847aeca509 100644
--- a/components/vfs/bsaarchive.hpp
+++ b/components/vfs/bsaarchive.hpp
@@ -52,19 +52,14 @@ namespace VFS
         void listResources(FileMap& out) override
         {
             for (auto& resource : mResources)
-            {
-                std::string ent = resource.mInfo->name();
-                Path::normalizeFilenameInPlace(ent);
-
-                out[ent] = &resource;
-            }
+                out[VFS::Path::Normalized(resource.mInfo->name())] = &resource;
         }
 
-        bool contains(std::string_view file) const override
+        bool contains(Path::NormalizedView file) const override
         {
             for (const auto& it : mResources)
             {
-                if (Path::pathEqual(file, it.mInfo->name()))
+                if (Path::pathEqual(file.value(), it.mInfo->name()))
                     return true;
             }
             return false;
diff --git a/components/vfs/filesystemarchive.cpp b/components/vfs/filesystemarchive.cpp
index 7d88dd9cc0..c72798e7ea 100644
--- a/components/vfs/filesystemarchive.cpp
+++ b/components/vfs/filesystemarchive.cpp
@@ -37,9 +37,9 @@ namespace VFS
 
                 FileSystemArchiveFile file(path);
 
-                std::string searchable = Path::normalizeFilename(std::string_view{ proper }.substr(prefix));
+                VFS::Path::Normalized searchable(std::string_view{ proper }.substr(prefix));
 
-                const auto inserted = mIndex.emplace(searchable, file);
+                const auto inserted = mIndex.emplace(std::move(searchable), std::move(file));
                 if (!inserted.second)
                     Log(Debug::Warning)
                         << "Warning: found duplicate file for '" << proper
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ namespace VFS
         }
     }
 
-    bool FileSystemArchive::contains(std::string_view file) const
+    bool FileSystemArchive::contains(Path::NormalizedView file) const
     {
         return mIndex.find(file) != mIndex.end();
     }
diff --git a/components/vfs/filesystemarchive.hpp b/components/vfs/filesystemarchive.hpp
index 00fe5ba971..b158ef3472 100644
--- a/components/vfs/filesystemarchive.hpp
+++ b/components/vfs/filesystemarchive.hpp
@@ -30,12 +30,12 @@ namespace VFS
 
         void listResources(FileMap& out) override;
 
-        bool contains(std::string_view file) const override;
+        bool contains(Path::NormalizedView file) const override;
 
         std::string getDescription() const override;
 
     private:
-        std::map<std::string, FileSystemArchiveFile, std::less<>> mIndex;
+        std::map<VFS::Path::Normalized, FileSystemArchiveFile, std::less<>> mIndex;
         bool mBuiltIndex;
         std::filesystem::path mPath;
     };