diff --git a/autogen.sh b/autogen.sh
index 5a1be80..d6cbd45 100755
--- a/autogen.sh
+++ b/autogen.sh
@@ -28,4 +28,4 @@ if [ x"$1" = x-f ]
   else         am_opt='--copy'
 fi
 
-aclocal && autoheader && automake -a $am_opt && autoconf
+aclocal -I m4 && autoheader && automake -a $am_opt && autoconf
diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index 08f4ee8..51cf3ad 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -148,6 +148,6 @@ dnl Checks for typedefs, structures, and compiler characteristics.
 dnl Checks for library functions.
 AC_CHECK_FUNCS(getopt getopt_long setsid setpgid setpgrp putenv vsnprintf usleep getline)
 
-AC_TYPE_SIGNAL
+AM_LANGINFO_CODESET
 
 AC_OUTPUT(Makefile doc/Makefile src/Makefile contrib/Makefile)
diff --git a/m4/codeset.m4 b/m4/codeset.m4
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a53c042
--- /dev/null
+++ b/m4/codeset.m4
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+# codeset.m4 serial 4 (gettext-0.18)
+dnl Copyright (C) 2000-2002, 2006, 2008-2010 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
+dnl This file is free software; the Free Software Foundation
+dnl gives unlimited permission to copy and/or distribute it,
+dnl with or without modifications, as long as this notice is preserved.
+
+dnl From Bruno Haible.
+
+AC_DEFUN([AM_LANGINFO_CODESET],
+[
+  AC_CACHE_CHECK([for nl_langinfo and CODESET], [am_cv_langinfo_codeset],
+    [AC_TRY_LINK([#include <langinfo.h>],
+      [char* cs = nl_langinfo(CODESET); return !cs;],
+      [am_cv_langinfo_codeset=yes],
+      [am_cv_langinfo_codeset=no])
+    ])
+  if test $am_cv_langinfo_codeset = yes; then
+    AC_DEFINE([HAVE_LANGINFO_CODESET], [1],
+      [Define if you have <langinfo.h> and nl_langinfo(CODESET).])
+  fi
+])
diff --git a/src/data.h b/src/data.h
index 541ca9e..4251d3f 100644
--- a/src/data.h
+++ b/src/data.h
@@ -235,6 +235,9 @@ struct rp_defaults
 
   XFontSet font;
   char *font_string;
+#ifdef USE_XFT_FONT
+  int utf8_xft;
+#endif
 
   char *fgcolor_string;
   char *bgcolor_string;
diff --git a/src/globals.c b/src/globals.c
index 3029aef..7b679bf 100644
--- a/src/globals.c
+++ b/src/globals.c
@@ -289,15 +289,23 @@ rp_draw_string (rp_screen *s, Drawable d, int style, int x, int y, char *string,
                             DefaultColormap (dpy, s->screen_num));
       if (draw)
         {
-          XftDrawString8 (draw, style == STYLE_NORMAL ? &s->xft_fg_color:&s->xft_bg_color, s->xft_font, x, y, (FcChar8*) string, length);
+	  if (defaults.utf8_xft)
+	    XftDrawStringUtf8 (draw, style == STYLE_NORMAL ? &s->xft_fg_color:&s->xft_bg_color, s->xft_font, x, y, (FcChar8*) string, length);
+	  else
+	    XftDrawString8 (draw, style == STYLE_NORMAL ? &s->xft_fg_color:&s->xft_bg_color, s->xft_font, x, y, (FcChar8*) string, length);
           XftDrawDestroy (draw);
         }
       else
         PRINT_ERROR(("Failed to allocate XftDraw object\n"));
     }
   else
-#endif
-    XmbDrawString (dpy, d, defaults.font, style == STYLE_NORMAL ? s->normal_gc:s->inverse_gc, x, y, string, length);
+# ifdef X_HAVE_UTF8_STRING
+    if (defaults.utf8_xft)
+      Xutf8DrawString (dpy, d, defaults.font, style == STYLE_NORMAL ? s->normal_gc:s->inverse_gc, x, y, string, length);
+    else
+# endif /* X_HAVE_UTF8_STRING */
+#endif /* USE_XFT_FONT */
+      XmbDrawString (dpy, d, defaults.font, style == STYLE_NORMAL ? s->normal_gc:s->inverse_gc, x, y, string, length);
 }
 
 int
@@ -314,11 +322,19 @@ rp_text_width (rp_screen *s UNUSED, XFontSet font, char *string, int count)
   if (s->xft_font)
     {
       XGlyphInfo extents;
-      XftTextExtents8 (dpy, s->xft_font, (FcChar8*) string, count, &extents);
+      if (defaults.utf8_xft)
+        XftTextExtentsUtf8 (dpy, s->xft_font, (FcChar8*) string, count, &extents);
+      else
+        XftTextExtents8 (dpy, s->xft_font, (FcChar8*) string, count, &extents);
       return extents.xOff;
     }
   else
-#endif
-    return XmbTextEscapement (font, string, count);
+# ifdef X_HAVE_UTF8_STRING
+    if (defaults.utf8_xft)
+      return Xutf8TextEscapement (font, string, count);
+    else
+# endif /* X_HAVE_UTF8_STRING */
+#endif /* USE_XFT_FONT */
+      return XmbTextEscapement (font, string, count);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index 417fc1a..688a355 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -38,6 +38,10 @@
 
 #include "ratpoison.h"
 
+#ifdef HAVE_LANGINFO_CODESET
+# include <langinfo.h>
+#endif
+
 /* Several systems seem not to have WAIT_ANY defined, so define it if
    it isn't. */
 #ifndef WAIT_ANY
@@ -169,7 +173,7 @@ strtok_ws (char *s)
 
   if (s)
     pointer = s;
-  
+
   /* skip to first non-whitespace char. */
   while (*pointer && isspace (*pointer)) pointer++;
 
@@ -528,6 +532,9 @@ init_defaults (void)
 
 #ifdef USE_XFT_FONT
   defaults.font_string = xstrdup (DEFAULT_XFT_FONT);
+# ifdef HAVE_LANGINFO_CODESET
+  defaults.utf8_xft    = !strcmp (nl_langinfo (CODESET), "UTF-8");
+# endif /* default to 0 if nl_langinfo is unavailable */
 #else
   /* Attempt to load a font */
   defaults.font = load_query_font_set (dpy, DEFAULT_FONT);
diff --git a/src/manage.c b/src/manage.c
index f822c53..d9eb630 100644
--- a/src/manage.c
+++ b/src/manage.c
@@ -204,7 +204,12 @@ get_wmname (Window w)
   char** cl;
 
   if (XGetWMName(dpy, w, &text_prop) != 0) {
-    status = XmbTextPropertyToTextList(dpy, &text_prop, &cl, &n);
+#if defined (USE_XFT_FONT) && defined (X_HAVE_UTF8_STRING)
+    if (defaults.utf8_xft)
+      status = Xutf8TextPropertyToTextList (dpy, &text_prop, &cl, &n);
+    else
+#endif
+      status = XmbTextPropertyToTextList(dpy, &text_prop, &cl, &n);
     if (status == Success && cl && n > 0) {
       name = xstrdup(cl[0]);
       XFreeStringList(cl);