diff --git a/lib/urlapi-int.h b/lib/urlapi-int.h
index f635e9ae68..129ee0481f 100644
--- a/lib/urlapi-int.h
+++ b/lib/urlapi-int.h
@@ -49,6 +49,10 @@ struct Curl_URL {
 #define HOST_IPV4    2
 #define HOST_IPV6    3
 
+#define QUERY_NO      2
+#define QUERY_NOT_YET 3 /* allow to change to query */
+#define QUERY_YES     4
+
 size_t Curl_is_absolute_url(const char *url, char *buf, size_t buflen,
                             bool guess_scheme);
 
diff --git a/lib/urlapi.c b/lib/urlapi.c
index 3a254b7bf3..a3036dcf6a 100644
--- a/lib/urlapi.c
+++ b/lib/urlapi.c
@@ -115,20 +115,25 @@ static const char *find_host_sep(const char *url)
  * URL encoding should be skipped for hostnames, otherwise IDN resolution
  * will fail.
  *
+ * 'query' tells if it is a query part or not, or if it is allowed to
+ * "transition" into a query part with a question mark.
+ *
  * @unittest: 1675
  */
 UNITTEST CURLUcode urlencode_str(struct dynbuf *o, const char *url,
                                  size_t len, bool relative,
-                                 bool query);
+                                 unsigned int query);
 UNITTEST CURLUcode urlencode_str(struct dynbuf *o, const char *url,
                                  size_t len, bool relative,
-                                 bool query)
+                                 unsigned int query)
 {
   /* we must add this with whitespace-replacing */
   const unsigned char *iptr;
   const unsigned char *host_sep = (const unsigned char *)url;
   CURLcode result = CURLE_OK;
 
+  DEBUGASSERT((query >= QUERY_NO) && (query <= QUERY_YES));
+
   if(!relative) {
     size_t n;
     host_sep = (const unsigned char *)find_host_sep(url);
@@ -141,7 +146,7 @@ UNITTEST CURLUcode urlencode_str(struct dynbuf *o, const char *url,
 
   for(iptr = host_sep; len && !result; iptr++, len--) {
     if(*iptr == ' ') {
-      if(!query)
+      if(query != QUERY_YES)
         result = curlx_dyn_addn(o, "%20", 3);
       else
         result = curlx_dyn_addn(o, "+", 1);
@@ -151,7 +156,8 @@ UNITTEST CURLUcode urlencode_str(struct dynbuf *o, const char *url,
       Curl_hexbyte(&out[1], *iptr);
       result = curlx_dyn_addn(o, out, 3);
     }
-    else if(*iptr == '%' && ISXDIGIT(iptr[1]) && ISXDIGIT(iptr[2]) &&
+    else if(*iptr == '%' && (len >= 3) &&
+            ISXDIGIT(iptr[1]) && ISXDIGIT(iptr[2]) &&
             (ISLOWER(iptr[1]) || ISLOWER(iptr[2]))) {
       /* uppercase it */
       unsigned char hex = (unsigned char)((curlx_hexval(iptr[1]) << 4) |
@@ -164,8 +170,8 @@ UNITTEST CURLUcode urlencode_str(struct dynbuf *o, const char *url,
     }
     else {
       result = curlx_dyn_addn(o, iptr, 1);
-      if(*iptr == '?')
-        query = TRUE;
+      if(*iptr == '?' && (query == QUERY_NOT_YET))
+        query = QUERY_YES;
     }
   }
 
@@ -832,15 +838,12 @@ end:
  * @unittest: 1675
  */
 UNITTEST CURLUcode parse_file(const char *url, size_t urllen, CURLU *u,
-                              struct dynbuf *host, const char **pathp,
-                              size_t *pathlenp);
+                              const char **pathp, size_t *pathlenp);
 UNITTEST CURLUcode parse_file(const char *url, size_t urllen, CURLU *u,
-                              struct dynbuf *host, const char **pathp,
-                              size_t *pathlenp)
+                              const char **pathp, size_t *pathlenp)
 {
   const char *path;
   size_t pathlen;
-  bool uncpath = FALSE;
   if(urllen <= 6)
     /* file:/ is not enough to actually be a complete file: URL */
     return CURLUE_BAD_FILE_URL;
@@ -872,9 +875,6 @@ UNITTEST CURLUcode parse_file(const char *url, size_t urllen, CURLU *u,
      *
      *  o the hostname is a FQDN that resolves to this machine, or
      *
-     *  o it is an UNC String transformed to an URI (Windows only, RFC 8089
-     *    Appendix E.3).
-     *
      * For brevity, we only consider URLs with empty, "localhost", or
      * "127.0.0.1" hostnames as local, otherwise as an UNC String.
      *
@@ -889,42 +889,16 @@ UNITTEST CURLUcode parse_file(const char *url, size_t urllen, CURLU *u,
          checkprefix("127.0.0.1/", ptr)) {
         ptr += 9; /* now points to the slash after the host */
       }
-      else {
-#ifdef _WIN32
-        size_t len;
-
-        /* the hostname, NetBIOS computer name, can not contain disallowed
-           chars, and the delimiting slash character must be appended to the
-           hostname */
-        path = strpbrk(ptr, "/\\:*?\"<>|");
-        if(!path || *path != '/')
-          return CURLUE_BAD_FILE_URL;
-
-        len = path - ptr;
-        if(len) {
-          CURLcode code = curlx_dyn_addn(host, ptr, len);
-          if(code)
-            return cc2cu(code);
-          uncpath = TRUE;
-        }
-
-        ptr -= 2; /* now points to the // before the host in UNC */
-#else
+      else
         /* Invalid file://hostname/, expected localhost or 127.0.0.1 or
            none */
         return CURLUE_BAD_FILE_URL;
-#endif
-      }
     }
 
     path = ptr;
     pathlen = urllen - (ptr - url);
   }
 
-  if(!uncpath)
-    /* no host for file: URLs by default */
-    curlx_dyn_reset(host);
-
 #if !defined(_WIN32) && !defined(MSDOS) && !defined(__CYGWIN__)
   /* Do not allow Windows drive letters when not in Windows.
    * This catches both "file:/c:" and "file:c:" */
@@ -1033,7 +1007,7 @@ static CURLUcode handle_fragment(CURLU *u, const char *fragment,
     if(flags & CURLU_URLENCODE) {
       struct dynbuf enc;
       curlx_dyn_init(&enc, CURL_MAX_INPUT_LENGTH);
-      ures = urlencode_str(&enc, fragment + 1, fraglen - 1, TRUE, FALSE);
+      ures = urlencode_str(&enc, fragment + 1, fraglen - 1, TRUE, QUERY_NO);
       if(ures)
         return ures;
       u->fragment = curlx_dyn_ptr(&enc);
@@ -1057,7 +1031,7 @@ static CURLUcode handle_query(CURLU *u, const char *query,
       CURLUcode ures;
       curlx_dyn_init(&enc, CURL_MAX_INPUT_LENGTH);
       /* skip the leading question mark */
-      ures = urlencode_str(&enc, query + 1, qlen - 1, TRUE, TRUE);
+      ures = urlencode_str(&enc, query + 1, qlen - 1, TRUE, QUERY_YES);
       if(ures)
         return ures;
       u->query = curlx_dyn_ptr(&enc);
@@ -1085,7 +1059,7 @@ static CURLUcode handle_path(CURLU *u, const char *path,
   if(pathlen && (flags & CURLU_URLENCODE)) {
     struct dynbuf enc;
     curlx_dyn_init(&enc, CURL_MAX_INPUT_LENGTH);
-    ures = urlencode_str(&enc, path, pathlen, TRUE, FALSE);
+    ures = urlencode_str(&enc, path, pathlen, TRUE, QUERY_NO);
     if(ures)
       return ures;
     pathlen = curlx_dyn_len(&enc);
@@ -1145,7 +1119,7 @@ static CURLUcode parseurl(const char *url, CURLU *u, unsigned int flags)
   /* handle the file: scheme */
   if(schemelen && !strcmp(schemebuf, "file")) {
     is_file = TRUE;
-    ures = parse_file(url, urllen, u, &host, &path, &pathlen);
+    ures = parse_file(url, urllen, u, &path, &pathlen);
   }
   else {
     const char *hostp = NULL;
@@ -1287,7 +1261,8 @@ static CURLUcode redirect_url(const char *base, const char *relurl,
   curlx_dyn_init(&urlbuf, CURL_MAX_INPUT_LENGTH);
 
   if(!curlx_dyn_addn(&urlbuf, base, prelen) &&
-     !urlencode_str(&urlbuf, useurl, strlen(useurl), !host_changed, FALSE)) {
+     !urlencode_str(&urlbuf, useurl, strlen(useurl), !host_changed,
+                    QUERY_NOT_YET)) {
     uc = parseurl_and_replace(curlx_dyn_ptr(&urlbuf), u,
                               flags & ~U_CURLU_PATH_AS_IS);
   }
@@ -1407,7 +1382,8 @@ static CURLUcode urlget_format(const CURLU *u, CURLUPart what,
   if(urlencode) {
     struct dynbuf enc;
     curlx_dyn_init(&enc, CURL_MAX_INPUT_LENGTH);
-    uc = urlencode_str(&enc, part, partlen, TRUE, what == CURLUPART_QUERY);
+    uc = urlencode_str(&enc, part, partlen, TRUE, what == CURLUPART_QUERY ?
+                       QUERY_YES : QUERY_NO);
     curlx_free(part);
     if(uc)
       return uc;
diff --git a/tests/unit/unit1675.c b/tests/unit/unit1675.c
index e43ac1e7fe..25616c6727 100644
--- a/tests/unit/unit1675.c
+++ b/tests/unit/unit1675.c
@@ -145,35 +145,37 @@ static CURLcode test_unit1675(const char *arg)
     struct urlencode_test {
       const char *in;
       bool relative;
-      bool query;
+      unsigned int query;
       const char *out;
     };
     const struct urlencode_test tests[] = {
-      {"http://leave\x01/hello\x01world", FALSE, FALSE,
+      {"http://leave\x01/hello\x01world", FALSE, QUERY_NO,
        "http://leave\x01/hello%01world"},
-      {"http://leave/hello\x01world", FALSE, FALSE,
+      {"http://leave/hello\x01world", FALSE, QUERY_NO,
        "http://leave/hello%01world"},
-      {"http://le ave/hello\x01world", FALSE, FALSE,
+      {"http://le ave/hello\x01world", FALSE, QUERY_NO,
        "http://le ave/hello%01world"},
-      {"hello\x01world", TRUE, FALSE, "hello%01world"},
-      {"hello\xf0world", TRUE, FALSE, "hello%F0world"},
-      {"hello world", TRUE, FALSE, "hello%20world"},
-      {"hello%20world", TRUE, FALSE, "hello%20world"},
-      {"hello world", TRUE, TRUE, "hello+world"},
-      {"a+b c", TRUE, FALSE, "a+b%20c"},
-      {"a%20b%20c", TRUE, FALSE, "a%20b%20c"},
-      {"a%aab%aac", TRUE, FALSE, "a%AAb%AAc"},
-      {"a%aab%AAc", TRUE, FALSE, "a%AAb%AAc"},
-      {"w%w%x", TRUE, FALSE, "w%w%x"},
-      {"w%wf%xf", TRUE, FALSE, "w%wf%xf"},
-      {"w%fw%fw", TRUE, FALSE, "w%fw%fw"},
-      {"a+b c", TRUE, TRUE, "a+b+c"},
-      {"/foo/bar", TRUE, FALSE, "/foo/bar"},
-      {"/foo/bar", TRUE, TRUE, "/foo/bar"},
-      {"/foo/ bar", TRUE, FALSE, "/foo/%20bar"},
-      {"/foo/ bar", TRUE, TRUE, "/foo/+bar"},
-      {"~-._", TRUE, FALSE, "~-._"},
-      {"~-._", TRUE, TRUE, "~-._"},
+      {"hello\x01world", TRUE, QUERY_NO, "hello%01world"},
+      {"hello\xf0world", TRUE, QUERY_NO, "hello%F0world"},
+      {"hello world", TRUE, QUERY_NO, "hello%20world"},
+      {"hello%20world", TRUE, QUERY_NO, "hello%20world"},
+      {"hello world", TRUE, QUERY_YES, "hello+world"},
+      {"a+b c", TRUE, QUERY_NO, "a+b%20c"},
+      {"a%20b%20c", TRUE, QUERY_NO, "a%20b%20c"},
+      {"a%aab%aac", TRUE, QUERY_NO, "a%AAb%AAc"},
+      {"a%aab%AAc", TRUE, QUERY_NO, "a%AAb%AAc"},
+      {"w%w%x", TRUE, QUERY_NO, "w%w%x"},
+      {"w%wf%xf", TRUE, QUERY_NO, "w%wf%xf"},
+      {"w%fw%fw", TRUE, QUERY_NO, "w%fw%fw"},
+      {"a+b c", TRUE, QUERY_YES, "a+b+c"},
+      {"/foo/bar", TRUE, QUERY_NO, "/foo/bar"},
+      {"/foo/bar", TRUE, QUERY_YES, "/foo/bar"},
+      {"/foo/ bar", TRUE, QUERY_NO, "/foo/%20bar"},
+      {"/foo/ bar", TRUE, QUERY_YES, "/foo/+bar"},
+      {"~-._", TRUE, QUERY_NO, "~-._"},
+      {"~-._", TRUE, QUERY_YES, "~-._"},
+      {"foo bar?foo bar", TRUE, QUERY_NO, "foo%20bar?foo%20bar"},
+      {"foo bar?foo bar", TRUE, QUERY_NOT_YET, "foo%20bar?foo+bar"},
     };
 
     curlx_dyn_init(&out, 256);
@@ -259,18 +261,16 @@ static CURLcode test_unit1675(const char *arg)
     unsigned int i;
     struct file_test {
       const char *in;
-      const char *out_host;
       const char *out_path;
       bool fine;
     };
     const struct file_test tests[] = {
-      {"file:///etc/hosts", "", "/etc/hosts", TRUE},
-      {"file://localhost/etc/hosts", "", "/etc/hosts", TRUE},
-      {"file://apple/etc/hosts", "", "/etc/hosts", FALSE},
+      {"file:///etc/hosts", "/etc/hosts", TRUE},
+      {"file://localhost/etc/hosts", "/etc/hosts", TRUE},
+      {"file://apple/etc/hosts", "/etc/hosts", FALSE},
 #ifdef _WIN32
-      {"file:///c:/windows/system32", "", "c:/windows/system32", TRUE},
-      {"file://localhost/c:/windows/system32", "",
-       "c:/windows/system32", TRUE},
+      {"file:///c:/windows/system32", "c:/windows/system32", TRUE},
+      {"file://localhost/c:/windows/system32", "c:/windows/system32", TRUE},
 #endif
     };
 
@@ -280,28 +280,19 @@ static CURLcode test_unit1675(const char *arg)
       if(!u)
         return CURLE_OUT_OF_MEMORY;
 
-      uc = parse_file(tests[i].in, strlen(tests[i].in), u, &host, &path,
-                      &pathlen);
+      uc = parse_file(tests[i].in, strlen(tests[i].in), u, &path, &pathlen);
       if(!tests[i].fine && !uc) {
         curl_mfprintf(stderr, "Unexpectedly fine for input '%s'\n",
                       tests[i].in);
         fails++;
       }
-      else if(tests[i].out_host[0]) {
-        /* expecting a hostname output */
-        if(!curlx_dyn_len(&host) ||
-           strcmp(curlx_dyn_ptr(&host), tests[i].out_host))
-          error = TRUE;
-      }
       if(tests[i].fine &&
          (uc ||
           strncmp(path, tests[i].out_path, pathlen) ||
           strlen(tests[i].out_path) != pathlen)) {
         curl_mfprintf(stderr, "parse_file('%s') failed:"
-                      " expected host '%s', path '%s'; got host '%s',"
-                      " path '%.*s'\n",
-                      tests[i].in, tests[i].out_host, tests[i].out_path,
-                      uc ? "error" : curlx_dyn_ptr(&host),
+                      " expected path '%s'; got path '%.*s'\n",
+                      tests[i].in, tests[i].out_path,
                       (int)pathlen, path);
         fails++;
       }