diff --git a/apps/launcher/datafilespage.cpp b/apps/launcher/datafilespage.cpp
index 32bd9acb78..6b0539c1dd 100644
--- a/apps/launcher/datafilespage.cpp
+++ b/apps/launcher/datafilespage.cpp
@@ -418,6 +418,13 @@ bool DataFilesPage::setupDataFiles()
             return false;
     }
 
+    // Set the charset for reading the esm/esp files
+    QString encoding = QString::fromStdString(variables["encoding"].as<std::string>());
+    if (!encoding.isEmpty() && encoding != QLatin1String("win1252")) {
+        mMastersModel->setEncoding(encoding);
+        mPluginsModel->setEncoding(encoding);
+    }
+
     // Add the paths to the respective models
     for (Files::PathContainer::iterator it = mDataDirs.begin(); it != mDataDirs.end(); ++it) {
         QString path = QString::fromStdString(it->string());
diff --git a/apps/launcher/model/datafilesmodel.cpp b/apps/launcher/model/datafilesmodel.cpp
index 30453425b2..68f9336f21 100644
--- a/apps/launcher/model/datafilesmodel.cpp
+++ b/apps/launcher/model/datafilesmodel.cpp
@@ -13,12 +13,18 @@
 DataFilesModel::DataFilesModel(QObject *parent) :
     QAbstractTableModel(parent)
 {
+    mEncoding = QString("win1252");
 }
 
 DataFilesModel::~DataFilesModel()
 {
 }
 
+void DataFilesModel::setEncoding(const QString &encoding)
+{
+    mEncoding = encoding;
+}
+
 void DataFilesModel::setCheckState(const QModelIndex &index, Qt::CheckState state)
 {
     setData(index, state, Qt::CheckStateRole);
@@ -268,7 +274,7 @@ void DataFilesModel::addMasters(const QString &path)
 
         try {
             ESM::ESMReader fileReader;
-            fileReader.setEncoding(std::string("win1252"));
+            fileReader.setEncoding(mEncoding.toStdString());
             fileReader.open(dir.absoluteFilePath(path).toStdString());
 
             ESM::ESMReader::MasterList mlist = fileReader.getMasters();
@@ -328,7 +334,7 @@ void DataFilesModel::addPlugins(const QString &path)
 
         try {
             ESM::ESMReader fileReader;
-            fileReader.setEncoding(std::string("win1252"));
+            fileReader.setEncoding(mEncoding.toStdString());
             fileReader.open(dir.absoluteFilePath(path).toStdString());
 
             ESM::ESMReader::MasterList mlist = fileReader.getMasters();
diff --git a/apps/launcher/model/datafilesmodel.hpp b/apps/launcher/model/datafilesmodel.hpp
index d45788c3cb..29a770a862 100644
--- a/apps/launcher/model/datafilesmodel.hpp
+++ b/apps/launcher/model/datafilesmodel.hpp
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@ public:
     inline QModelIndex index(int row, int column, const QModelIndex &parent = QModelIndex()) const
        { return QAbstractTableModel::index(row, column, parent); }
 
+    void setEncoding(const QString &encoding);
+
     void addFile(EsmFile *file);
 
     void addMasters(const QString &path);
@@ -62,6 +64,8 @@ private:
     QHash<QString, QStringList> mDependencies;
     QHash<QString, Qt::CheckState> mCheckStates;
 
+    QString mEncoding;
+
 };
 
 #endif // DATAFILESMODEL_HPP