diff --git a/src/conky.cc b/src/conky.cc
index e6eae18f..ce9ee7df 100644
--- a/src/conky.cc
+++ b/src/conky.cc
@@ -879,7 +879,7 @@ void generate_text_internal(char *p, int p_max_size, struct text_object root)
 	}
 #ifdef BUILD_X11
 	/* load any new fonts we may have had */
-	load_fonts();
+	load_fonts(utf8_mode.get(*state));
 #endif /* BUILD_X11 */
 #ifdef BUILD_ICONV
 	free(buff_in);
@@ -1366,8 +1366,13 @@ static void draw_string(const char *s)
 		} else
 #endif
 		{
-			XDrawString(display, window.drawable, window.gc, cur_x, cur_y, s,
-				strlen(s));
+			if (utf8_mode.get(*state)) {
+				Xutf8DrawString(display, window.drawable, fonts[selected_font].fontset, window.gc, cur_x, cur_y, s,
+					strlen(s));
+			} else {
+				XDrawString(display, window.drawable, window.gc, cur_x, cur_y, s,
+					strlen(s));
+			}
 		}
 		cur_x += width_of_s;
 	}
@@ -2514,7 +2519,7 @@ void clean_up_x11(void)
 			text_height + 2*border_total, 0);
 	}
 	destroy_window();
-	free_fonts();
+	free_fonts(utf8_mode.get(*state));
 	if(x11_stuff.region) {
 		XDestroyRegion(x11_stuff.region);
 		x11_stuff.region = NULL;
@@ -2628,7 +2633,7 @@ static void X11_create_window(void)
 {
 	if (out_to_x.get(*state)) {
 		setup_fonts();
-		load_fonts();
+		load_fonts(utf8_mode.get(*state));
 		update_text_area();	/* to position text/window on screen */
 
 #ifdef OWN_WINDOW
diff --git a/src/fonts.cc b/src/fonts.cc
index 4d325d06..8d4178b9 100644
--- a/src/fonts.cc
+++ b/src/fonts.cc
@@ -120,8 +120,7 @@ int add_font(const char *data_in)
 	return fonts.size()-1;
 }
 
-void free_fonts(void)
-{
+void free_fonts(bool utf8) {
 	if (not out_to_x.get(*state)) {
 		return;
 	}
@@ -141,6 +140,9 @@ void free_fonts(void)
 			if (fonts[i].font) {
 				XFreeFont(display, fonts[i].font);
 			}
+			if (utf8 && fonts[i].fontset) {
+				XFreeFontSet(display, fonts[i].fontset);
+			}
 		}
 	}
 	fonts.clear();
@@ -153,8 +155,7 @@ void free_fonts(void)
 #endif /* BUILD_XFT */
 }
 
-void load_fonts(void)
-{
+void load_fonts(bool utf8) {
 	if (not out_to_x.get(*state))
 		return;
 	for (size_t i = 0; i < fonts.size(); i++) {
@@ -179,6 +180,20 @@ void load_fonts(void)
 			continue;
 		}
 #endif
+		if(utf8 && fonts[i].fontset == NULL) {
+			char** missing;
+			int missingnum;
+			char* missingdrawn;
+			fonts[i].fontset = XCreateFontSet(display, fonts[i].name.c_str(), &missing, &missingnum, &missingdrawn);
+			XFreeStringList(missing);
+			if(fonts[i].fontset == NULL) {
+				NORM_ERR("can't load font '%s'", fonts[i].name.c_str());
+				fonts[i].fontset = XCreateFontSet(display, "fixed", &missing, &missingnum, &missingdrawn);
+				if(fonts[i].fontset == NULL) {
+					CRIT_ERR(NULL, NULL, "can't load font '%s'", "fixed");
+				}
+			}
+		}
 		/* load normal font */
 		if (!fonts[i].font && (fonts[i].font = XLoadQueryFont(display, fonts[i].name.c_str())) == NULL) {
 			NORM_ERR("can't load font '%s'", fonts[i].name.c_str());
diff --git a/src/fonts.h b/src/fonts.h
index 5ac3c4f8..bacdffa6 100644
--- a/src/fonts.h
+++ b/src/fonts.h
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ struct font_list {
 
 	std::string name;
 	XFontStruct *font;
+	XFontSet fontset;
 
 #ifdef BUILD_XFT
 	XftFont *xftfont;
@@ -51,7 +52,9 @@ struct font_list {
 #ifdef BUILD_XFT
 		  , xftfont(NULL), font_alpha(0xffff)
 #endif
-	{}
+	{
+		fontset = NULL;
+	}
 };
 
 #ifdef BUILD_XFT
@@ -81,8 +84,8 @@ extern int selected_font;
 void setup_fonts(void);
 void set_font(void);
 int add_font(const char *);
-void free_fonts(void);
-void load_fonts(void);
+void free_fonts(bool utf8);
+void load_fonts(bool utf8);
 
 class font_setting: public conky::simple_config_setting<std::string> {
 	typedef conky::simple_config_setting<std::string> Base;