diff --git a/wallace/modules.py b/wallace/modules.py
--- a/wallace/modules.py
+++ b/wallace/modules.py
@@ -369,7 +369,7 @@
     log.debug(_("Accepting message in: %r") %(filepath), level=8)
 
     # parse message headers
-    message = Parser().parse(open(filepath, 'r'), True)
+    message = Parser().parse(open(filepath, 'r', encoding="utf8", errors="ignore"), True)
 
     messageid = message['message-id'] if 'message-id' in message else None
     sender = [formataddr(x) for x in getaddresses(message.get_all('X-Kolab-From', []))]