diff --git a/po/Makevars b/po/Makevars
index 22a3fa9c88..7054a0ba88 100644
--- a/po/Makevars
+++ b/po/Makevars
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ subdir = po
 top_builddir = ..
 
 # These options get passed to xgettext.
-XGETTEXT_OPTIONS = --language=C++ --join-existing --keyword=_ --keyword=N_ --keyword=B_ --keyword=qt_
+XGETTEXT_OPTIONS = --from-code=UTF-8 --language=C++ --join-existing --keyword=_ --keyword=N_ --keyword=B_ --keyword=qt_
 
 # This is the copyright holder that gets inserted into the header of the
 # $(DOMAIN).pot file.  Set this to the copyright holder of the surrounding