diff --git a/cmd/wmii/utf.c b/cmd/wmii/utf.c
index ca30be16..456b03b7 100644
--- a/cmd/wmii/utf.c
+++ b/cmd/wmii/utf.c
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 #include "dat.h"
 #include <errno.h>
 #include <iconv.h>
+#include <langinfo.h>
 #include <string.h>
 #include "fns.h"
 
@@ -11,8 +12,11 @@ toutf8n(char *str, size_t nstr) {
 	char *buf, *pos;
 	size_t nbuf, bsize;
 
-	if(cd == nil)
-		cd = iconv_open("UTF-8", "");
+	if(cd == nil) {
+		cd = iconv_open("UTF-8", nl_langinfo(CODESET));
+		if(cd == (iconv_t)-1)
+			fatal("Can't convert from native codeset to UTF-8");
+	}
 	iconv(cd, nil, nil, nil, nil);
 
 	bsize = nstr * 1.25 + 4;