diff --git a/pykolab/cli/__init__.py b/pykolab/cli/__init__.py
index 56f121b..4843aba 100644
--- a/pykolab/cli/__init__.py
+++ b/pykolab/cli/__init__.py
@@ -1,72 +1,76 @@
 # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 # Copyright 2010-2013 Kolab Systems AG (http://www.kolabsys.com)
 #
 # Jeroen van Meeuwen (Kolab Systems) <vanmeeuwen a kolabsys.com>
 #
 # This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
 # it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
 # the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
 # (at your option) any later version.
 
 # This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
 # but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
 # MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
 # GNU General Public License for more details.
 
 # You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
 # along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 #
 
 import ldap
 import ldif
 import logging
 import traceback
 import shutil
 import sys
 import time
 import codecs
 import locale
 
 from ldap.modlist import addModlist
 
 import pykolab
 import pykolab.plugins
 
 from pykolab import utils
 from pykolab import conf
 from pykolab.constants import *
 from pykolab.translate import _
 
 log = pykolab.getLogger('pykolab.cli')
 conf = pykolab.getConf()
 
 class Cli(object):
     def __init__(self):
         import commands
         commands.__init__()
 
         to_execute = []
 
         arg_num = 0
         for arg in sys.argv[1:]:
             arg_num += 1
             if not arg.startswith('-') and len(sys.argv) >= arg_num:
                 if commands.commands.has_key(sys.argv[arg_num].replace('-','_')):
                     to_execute.append(sys.argv[arg_num].replace('-','_'))
                     
                 if commands.commands.has_key("%s_%s" % (
                         '_'.join(to_execute),sys.argv[arg_num].replace('-','_')
                     )):
 
                     to_execute.append(sys.argv[arg_num].replace('-','_'))
 
         for cmd_component in to_execute:
             sys.argv.pop(sys.argv.index(cmd_component.replace('_','-')))
 
+        # force default encoding to match the locale encoding (T249)
+        reload(sys)
+        sys.setdefaultencoding(locale.getpreferredencoding() or 'utf-8')
+
         # wrap sys.stdout in a locale-aware StreamWriter (#3983)
         sys.stdout = codecs.getwriter(locale.getpreferredencoding())(sys.stdout)
 
         commands.execute('_'.join(to_execute))
 
     def run(self):
         pass