diff --git a/apps/niftest/niftest.cpp b/apps/niftest/niftest.cpp
index 5d0f723ee5..9352651030 100644
--- a/apps/niftest/niftest.cpp
+++ b/apps/niftest/niftest.cpp
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 #include <components/vfs/bsaarchive.hpp>
 #include <components/vfs/filesystemarchive.hpp>
 #include <components/vfs/manager.hpp>
+#include <components/vfs/recursivedirectoryiterator.hpp>
 
 #include <boost/program_options.hpp>
 
diff --git a/apps/opencs/model/world/resources.cpp b/apps/opencs/model/world/resources.cpp
index bfab0193b0..345f6008ec 100644
--- a/apps/opencs/model/world/resources.cpp
+++ b/apps/opencs/model/world/resources.cpp
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 
 #include <components/misc/strings/lower.hpp>
 #include <components/vfs/manager.hpp>
+#include <components/vfs/recursivedirectoryiterator.hpp>
 
 CSMWorld::Resources::Resources(
     const VFS::Manager* vfs, const std::string& baseDirectory, UniversalId::Type type, const char* const* extensions)
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/loadingscreen.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/loadingscreen.cpp
index 1723841b32..8ba2bb8312 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/loadingscreen.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/loadingscreen.cpp
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 #include <components/resource/resourcesystem.hpp>
 #include <components/settings/values.hpp>
 #include <components/vfs/manager.hpp>
+#include <components/vfs/recursivedirectoryiterator.hpp>
 
 #include "../mwbase/environment.hpp"
 #include "../mwbase/inputmanager.hpp"
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/settingswindow.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/settingswindow.cpp
index 6a1cfaefe2..6c6a34595e 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/settingswindow.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/settingswindow.cpp
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 #include <components/sceneutil/lightmanager.hpp>
 #include <components/settings/values.hpp>
 #include <components/vfs/manager.hpp>
+#include <components/vfs/recursivedirectoryiterator.hpp>
 #include <components/widgets/sharedstatebutton.hpp>
 
 #include "../mwbase/environment.hpp"
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwlua/vfsbindings.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwlua/vfsbindings.cpp
index 0eccb336c2..c9b1a45fe2 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwlua/vfsbindings.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwlua/vfsbindings.cpp
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 #include <components/settings/values.hpp>
 #include <components/vfs/manager.hpp>
 #include <components/vfs/pathutil.hpp>
+#include <components/vfs/recursivedirectoryiterator.hpp>
 
 #include "../mwbase/environment.hpp"
 
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwrender/animation.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwrender/animation.cpp
index 7fa8e43c37..feed9719b6 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwrender/animation.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwrender/animation.cpp
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
 #include <components/sceneutil/keyframe.hpp>
 
 #include <components/vfs/manager.hpp>
+#include <components/vfs/recursivedirectoryiterator.hpp>
 
 #include <components/sceneutil/lightmanager.hpp>
 #include <components/sceneutil/lightutil.hpp>
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwrender/postprocessor.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwrender/postprocessor.cpp
index c82104ee4a..42b2e4e1ee 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwrender/postprocessor.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwrender/postprocessor.cpp
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 #include <components/stereo/multiview.hpp>
 #include <components/stereo/stereomanager.hpp>
 #include <components/vfs/manager.hpp>
+#include <components/vfs/recursivedirectoryiterator.hpp>
 
 #include "../mwbase/environment.hpp"
 #include "../mwbase/windowmanager.hpp"
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwsound/soundmanagerimp.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwsound/soundmanagerimp.cpp
index 64f8959218..383d316c91 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwsound/soundmanagerimp.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwsound/soundmanagerimp.cpp
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 #include <components/settings/values.hpp>
 #include <components/vfs/manager.hpp>
 #include <components/vfs/pathutil.hpp>
+#include <components/vfs/recursivedirectoryiterator.hpp>
 
 #include "../mwbase/environment.hpp"
 #include "../mwbase/mechanicsmanager.hpp"
diff --git a/apps/openmw_test_suite/testing_util.hpp b/apps/openmw_test_suite/testing_util.hpp
index 0c941053a7..b819848a8f 100644
--- a/apps/openmw_test_suite/testing_util.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw_test_suite/testing_util.hpp
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 
 #include <components/misc/strings/conversion.hpp>
 #include <components/vfs/archive.hpp>
+#include <components/vfs/file.hpp>
 #include <components/vfs/manager.hpp>
 #include <components/vfs/pathutil.hpp>
 
@@ -60,7 +61,7 @@ namespace TestingOpenMW
         void listResources(VFS::FileMap& out) override
         {
             for (const auto& [key, value] : mFiles)
-                out.emplace(VFS::Path::normalizeFilename(key), value);
+                out.emplace(key, value);
         }
 
         bool contains(std::string_view file) const override { return mFiles.contains(file); }
diff --git a/components/vfs/archive.hpp b/components/vfs/archive.hpp
index 79c876b391..42b88219d7 100644
--- a/components/vfs/archive.hpp
+++ b/components/vfs/archive.hpp
@@ -1,27 +1,13 @@
-#ifndef OPENMW_COMPONENTS_RESOURCE_ARCHIVE_H
-#define OPENMW_COMPONENTS_RESOURCE_ARCHIVE_H
+#ifndef OPENMW_COMPONENTS_VFS_ARCHIVE_H
+#define OPENMW_COMPONENTS_VFS_ARCHIVE_H
 
-#include <filesystem>
-#include <map>
+#include <string>
 #include <string_view>
 
-#include <components/files/istreamptr.hpp>
+#include "filemap.hpp"
 
 namespace VFS
 {
-
-    class File
-    {
-    public:
-        virtual ~File() = default;
-
-        virtual Files::IStreamPtr open() = 0;
-
-        virtual std::filesystem::path getPath() = 0;
-    };
-
-    using FileMap = std::map<std::string, File*, std::less<>>;
-
     class Archive
     {
     public:
diff --git a/components/vfs/bsaarchive.hpp b/components/vfs/bsaarchive.hpp
index 29098db45d..304fc438ad 100644
--- a/components/vfs/bsaarchive.hpp
+++ b/components/vfs/bsaarchive.hpp
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 #define VFS_BSAARCHIVE_HPP_
 
 #include "archive.hpp"
+#include "file.hpp"
 #include "pathutil.hpp"
 
 #include <components/bsa/ba2dx10file.hpp>
diff --git a/components/vfs/file.hpp b/components/vfs/file.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f2dadb1162
--- /dev/null
+++ b/components/vfs/file.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+#ifndef OPENMW_COMPONENTS_VFS_FILE_H
+#define OPENMW_COMPONENTS_VFS_FILE_H
+
+#include <filesystem>
+
+#include <components/files/istreamptr.hpp>
+
+namespace VFS
+{
+    class File
+    {
+    public:
+        virtual ~File() = default;
+
+        virtual Files::IStreamPtr open() = 0;
+
+        virtual std::filesystem::path getPath() = 0;
+    };
+}
+
+#endif
diff --git a/components/vfs/filemap.hpp b/components/vfs/filemap.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1b7d390d88
--- /dev/null
+++ b/components/vfs/filemap.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+#ifndef OPENMW_COMPONENTS_VFS_FILEMAP_H
+#define OPENMW_COMPONENTS_VFS_FILEMAP_H
+
+#include <map>
+#include <string>
+
+namespace VFS
+{
+    class File;
+
+    namespace Path
+    {
+        class Normalized;
+    }
+
+    using FileMap = std::map<Path::Normalized, File*, std::less<>>;
+}
+
+#endif
diff --git a/components/vfs/filesystemarchive.hpp b/components/vfs/filesystemarchive.hpp
index e31ef9bd30..00fe5ba971 100644
--- a/components/vfs/filesystemarchive.hpp
+++ b/components/vfs/filesystemarchive.hpp
@@ -2,8 +2,9 @@
 #define OPENMW_COMPONENTS_RESOURCE_FILESYSTEMARCHIVE_H
 
 #include "archive.hpp"
-#include <filesystem>
+#include "file.hpp"
 
+#include <filesystem>
 #include <string>
 
 namespace VFS
diff --git a/components/vfs/manager.cpp b/components/vfs/manager.cpp
index cc231847f5..d312ce9d84 100644
--- a/components/vfs/manager.cpp
+++ b/components/vfs/manager.cpp
@@ -5,12 +5,19 @@
 
 #include <components/files/conversion.hpp>
 #include <components/misc/strings/lower.hpp>
+#include <components/vfs/recursivedirectoryiterator.hpp>
 
 #include "archive.hpp"
+#include "file.hpp"
 #include "pathutil.hpp"
+#include "recursivedirectoryiterator.hpp"
 
 namespace VFS
 {
+    Manager::Manager() = default;
+
+    Manager::~Manager() = default;
+
     void Manager::reset()
     {
         mIndex.clear();
@@ -70,13 +77,13 @@ namespace VFS
         return found->second->getPath();
     }
 
-    Manager::RecursiveDirectoryRange Manager::getRecursiveDirectoryIterator(std::string_view path) const
+    RecursiveDirectoryRange Manager::getRecursiveDirectoryIterator(std::string_view path) const
     {
         if (path.empty())
             return { mIndex.begin(), mIndex.end() };
         std::string normalized = Path::normalizeFilename(path);
         const auto it = mIndex.lower_bound(normalized);
-        if (it == mIndex.end() || !it->first.starts_with(normalized))
+        if (it == mIndex.end() || !it->first.view().starts_with(normalized))
             return { it, it };
         ++normalized.back();
         return { it, mIndex.lower_bound(normalized) };
diff --git a/components/vfs/manager.hpp b/components/vfs/manager.hpp
index 76405aae2c..05990a8607 100644
--- a/components/vfs/manager.hpp
+++ b/components/vfs/manager.hpp
@@ -4,32 +4,17 @@
 #include <components/files/istreamptr.hpp>
 
 #include <filesystem>
-#include <map>
 #include <memory>
 #include <string>
+#include <string_view>
 #include <vector>
 
-#include "archive.hpp"
+#include "filemap.hpp"
 
 namespace VFS
 {
-
-    template <typename Iterator>
-    class IteratorPair
-    {
-    public:
-        IteratorPair(Iterator first, Iterator last)
-            : mFirst(first)
-            , mLast(last)
-        {
-        }
-        Iterator begin() const { return mFirst; }
-        Iterator end() const { return mLast; }
-
-    private:
-        Iterator mFirst;
-        Iterator mLast;
-    };
+    class Archive;
+    class RecursiveDirectoryRange;
 
     /// @brief The main class responsible for loading files from a virtual file system.
     /// @par Various archive types (e.g. directories on the filesystem, or compressed archives)
@@ -38,29 +23,11 @@ namespace VFS
     /// @par Most of the methods in this class are considered thread-safe, see each method documentation for details.
     class Manager
     {
-        class RecursiveDirectoryIterator
-        {
-        public:
-            RecursiveDirectoryIterator(FileMap::const_iterator it)
-                : mIt(it)
-            {
-            }
-            const std::string& operator*() const { return mIt->first; }
-            const std::string* operator->() const { return &mIt->first; }
-            bool operator!=(const RecursiveDirectoryIterator& other) { return mIt != other.mIt; }
-            RecursiveDirectoryIterator& operator++()
-            {
-                ++mIt;
-                return *this;
-            }
-
-        private:
-            FileMap::const_iterator mIt;
-        };
-
-        using RecursiveDirectoryRange = IteratorPair<RecursiveDirectoryIterator>;
-
     public:
+        Manager();
+
+        ~Manager();
+
         // Empty the file index and unregister archives.
         void reset();
 
diff --git a/components/vfs/pathutil.hpp b/components/vfs/pathutil.hpp
index 724b406f1d..9bcc263842 100644
--- a/components/vfs/pathutil.hpp
+++ b/components/vfs/pathutil.hpp
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 #include <components/misc/strings/lower.hpp>
 
 #include <algorithm>
+#include <ostream>
 #include <string>
 #include <string_view>
 
@@ -51,6 +52,73 @@ namespace VFS::Path
 
         bool operator()(std::string_view left, std::string_view right) const { return pathLess(left, right); }
     };
+
+    class Normalized
+    {
+    public:
+        Normalized() = default;
+
+        Normalized(std::string_view value)
+            : mValue(normalizeFilename(value))
+        {
+        }
+
+        Normalized(const char* value)
+            : Normalized(std::string_view(value))
+        {
+        }
+
+        Normalized(const std::string& value)
+            : Normalized(std::string_view(value))
+        {
+        }
+
+        explicit Normalized(std::string&& value)
+            : mValue(std::move(value))
+        {
+            normalizeFilenameInPlace(mValue);
+        }
+
+        const std::string& value() const& { return mValue; }
+
+        std::string value() && { return std::move(mValue); }
+
+        std::string_view view() const { return mValue; }
+
+        operator std::string_view() const { return mValue; }
+
+        operator const std::string&() const { return mValue; }
+
+        friend bool operator==(const Normalized& lhs, const Normalized& rhs) = default;
+
+        template <class T>
+        friend bool operator==(const Normalized& lhs, const T& rhs)
+        {
+            return lhs.mValue == rhs;
+        }
+
+        friend bool operator<(const Normalized& lhs, const Normalized& rhs) { return lhs.mValue < rhs.mValue; }
+
+        template <class T>
+        friend bool operator<(const Normalized& lhs, const T& rhs)
+        {
+            return lhs.mValue < rhs;
+        }
+
+        template <class T>
+        friend bool operator<(const T& lhs, const Normalized& rhs)
+        {
+            return lhs < rhs.mValue;
+        }
+
+        friend std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& stream, const Normalized& value)
+        {
+            return stream << value.mValue;
+        }
+
+    private:
+        std::string mValue;
+    };
 }
 
 #endif
diff --git a/components/vfs/recursivedirectoryiterator.hpp b/components/vfs/recursivedirectoryiterator.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..39fb26e873
--- /dev/null
+++ b/components/vfs/recursivedirectoryiterator.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+#ifndef OPENMW_COMPONENTS_VFS_RECURSIVEDIRECTORYITERATOR_H
+#define OPENMW_COMPONENTS_VFS_RECURSIVEDIRECTORYITERATOR_H
+
+#include <string>
+
+#include "filemap.hpp"
+#include "pathutil.hpp"
+
+namespace VFS
+{
+    class RecursiveDirectoryIterator
+    {
+    public:
+        RecursiveDirectoryIterator(FileMap::const_iterator it)
+            : mIt(it)
+        {
+        }
+
+        const std::string& operator*() const { return mIt->first.value(); }
+
+        const std::string* operator->() const { return &mIt->first.value(); }
+
+        RecursiveDirectoryIterator& operator++()
+        {
+            ++mIt;
+            return *this;
+        }
+
+        friend bool operator==(const RecursiveDirectoryIterator& lhs, const RecursiveDirectoryIterator& rhs) = default;
+
+    private:
+        FileMap::const_iterator mIt;
+    };
+
+    class RecursiveDirectoryRange
+    {
+    public:
+        RecursiveDirectoryRange(RecursiveDirectoryIterator first, RecursiveDirectoryIterator last)
+            : mBegin(first)
+            , mEnd(last)
+        {
+        }
+
+        RecursiveDirectoryIterator begin() const { return mBegin; }
+
+        RecursiveDirectoryIterator end() const { return mEnd; }
+
+    private:
+        RecursiveDirectoryIterator mBegin;
+        RecursiveDirectoryIterator mEnd;
+    };
+}
+
+#endif