diff --git a/bazarr/config.py b/bazarr/config.py
index 87e31b0db..8be7bd128 100644
--- a/bazarr/config.py
+++ b/bazarr/config.py
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ defaults = {
         'page_size': '25',
         'minimum_score_movie': '70',
         'use_embedded_subs': 'True',
+        'utf8_encode': 'True',
         'ignore_pgs_subs': 'False',
         'adaptive_searching': 'False',
         'enabled_providers': '',
diff --git a/bazarr/get_subtitle.py b/bazarr/get_subtitle.py
index 0a1605479..a642f539b 100644
--- a/bazarr/get_subtitle.py
+++ b/bazarr/get_subtitle.py
@@ -103,6 +103,11 @@ def download_subtitle(path, language, hi, providers, providers_auth, sceneName,
     # fixme: supply all missing languages, not only one, to hit providers only once who support multiple languages in
     #  one query
 
+    if settings.general.getboolean('utf8_encode'):
+        os.environ["SZ_KEEP_ENCODING"] = ""
+    else:
+        os.environ["SZ_KEEP_ENCODING"] = True
+
     logging.debug('BAZARR Searching subtitles for this file: ' + path)
     if hi == "True":
         hi = "force HI"
@@ -328,7 +333,12 @@ def manual_search(path, language, hi, providers, providers_auth, sceneName, titl
 
 def manual_download_subtitle(path, language, hi, subtitle, provider, providers_auth, sceneName, title, media_type):
     logging.debug('BAZARR Manually downloading subtitles for this file: ' + path)
-    
+
+    if settings.general.getboolean('utf8_encode'):
+        os.environ["SZ_KEEP_ENCODING"] = ""
+    else:
+        os.environ["SZ_KEEP_ENCODING"] = True
+
     subtitle = pickle.loads(codecs.decode(subtitle.encode(), "base64"))
     use_scenename = settings.general.getboolean('use_scenename')
     use_postprocessing = settings.general.getboolean('use_postprocessing')
diff --git a/bazarr/main.py b/bazarr/main.py
index 12bd58451..0998ccb86 100644
--- a/bazarr/main.py
+++ b/bazarr/main.py
@@ -1243,6 +1243,11 @@ def save_settings():
         settings_general_embedded = 'False'
     else:
         settings_general_embedded = 'True'
+    settings_general_utf8_encode = request.forms.get('settings_general_utf8_encode')
+    if settings_general_utf8_encode is None:
+        settings_general_utf8_encode = 'False'
+    else:
+        settings_general_utf8_encode = 'True'
     settings_general_ignore_pgs = request.forms.get('settings_general_ignore_pgs')
     if settings_general_ignore_pgs is None:
         settings_general_ignore_pgs = 'False'
@@ -1347,6 +1352,7 @@ def save_settings():
 
     settings.general.minimum_score_movie = text_type(settings_general_minimum_score_movies)
     settings.general.use_embedded_subs = text_type(settings_general_embedded)
+    settings.general.utf8_encode = text_type(settings_general_utf8_encode)
     settings.general.ignore_pgs_subs = text_type(settings_general_ignore_pgs)
     settings.general.adaptive_searching = text_type(settings_general_adaptive_searching)
     settings.general.multithreading = text_type(settings_general_multithreading)
diff --git a/views/settings_subtitles.tpl b/views/settings_subtitles.tpl
index e6fc91885..f04d98ff2 100644
--- a/views/settings_subtitles.tpl
+++ b/views/settings_subtitles.tpl
@@ -236,6 +236,25 @@
                                 </div>
                             </div>
                         </div>
+
+                        <div class="middle aligned row">
+                            <div class="right aligned four wide column">
+                                <label>Encode subtitles to UTF8</label>
+                            </div>
+                            <div class="one wide column">
+                                <div id="settings_utf8_encode" class="ui toggle checkbox" data-utf8encode={{ settings.general.getboolean('utf8_encode') }}>
+                                    <input name="settings_general_utf8_encode" type="checkbox">
+                                    <label></label>
+                                </div>
+                            </div>
+                            <div class="collapsed column">
+                                <div class="collapsed center aligned column">
+                                    <div class="ui basic icon" data-tooltip="Re-encode downloaded subtitles to UTF8. Should be left enabled in most case." data-inverted="">
+                                        <i class="help circle large icon"></i>
+                                    </div>
+                                </div>
+                            </div>
+                        </div>
                     </div>
                 </div>
 
@@ -539,6 +558,12 @@
                         $("#settings_multithreading").checkbox('uncheck');
                     }
 
+                    if ($('#settings_utf8_encode').data("utf8encode") === "True") {
+                        $("#settings_utf8_encode").checkbox('check');
+                    } else {
+                        $("#settings_utf8_encode").checkbox('uncheck');
+                    }
+
                     if (($('#settings_subfolder').val() !== "relative") && ($('#settings_subfolder').val() !== "absolute")) {
                         $('.subfolder').hide();
                     }