diff --git a/java/src/processing/mode/java/Compiler.java b/java/src/processing/mode/java/Compiler.java
index b68e6df73..cfe9eb97d 100644
--- a/java/src/processing/mode/java/Compiler.java
+++ b/java/src/processing/mode/java/Compiler.java
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ public class Compiler {
       //"-noExit",  // not necessary for ecj
       "-source", "1.7",
       "-target", "1.7",
+      "-encoding", "utf8",
       "-classpath", build.getClassPath(),
       "-nowarn", // we're not currently interested in warnings (works in ecj)
       "-d", build.getBinFolder().getAbsolutePath() // output the classes in the buildPath
diff --git a/java/src/processing/mode/java/JavaBuild.java b/java/src/processing/mode/java/JavaBuild.java
index 9b2f9c771..1001ad14b 100644
--- a/java/src/processing/mode/java/JavaBuild.java
+++ b/java/src/processing/mode/java/JavaBuild.java
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307  USA
 package processing.mode.java;
 
 import java.io.*;
+import java.nio.charset.StandardCharsets;
+import java.nio.file.Files;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Enumeration;
 import java.util.HashMap;
@@ -249,14 +251,15 @@ public class JavaBuild {
       outputFolder.mkdirs();
 //      Base.openFolder(outputFolder);
       final File java = new File(outputFolder, sketch.getName() + ".java");
-      final PrintWriter stream = new PrintWriter(new FileWriter(java));
+      BufferedWriter bw = Files.newBufferedWriter(java.toPath(), StandardCharsets.UTF_8);
+      final PrintWriter stream = new PrintWriter(bw);
       try {
         result = preprocessor.write(stream, bigCode.toString(), codeFolderPackages);
       } finally {
         stream.close();
       }
-    } catch (FileNotFoundException fnfe) {
-      fnfe.printStackTrace();
+    } catch (IOException e) {
+      e.printStackTrace();
       String msg = "Build folder disappeared or could not be written";
       throw new SketchException(msg);