diff --git a/src/mcedit2/editorapp.py b/src/mcedit2/editorapp.py
index 53cf2a9..a06c80a 100644
--- a/src/mcedit2/editorapp.py
+++ b/src/mcedit2/editorapp.py
@@ -487,12 +487,18 @@ class MCEditApp(QtGui.QApplication):
 
         for filename in self.args.filename:
             try:
+                # we use `unicode` filenames, but argv is `str`
+                # should only get `str` on linux/osx - need to get wargv on windows
+                if isinstance(filename, str):
+                    filename = filename.decode(sys.getfilesystemencoding())
                 if os.path.exists(filename):
                     self.commandLineWorlds.append(filename)
                 else:
                     log.info("File not found: %s", filename)
             except EnvironmentError as e:
                 log.info("%r", e)
+            except UnicodeDecodeError as e:
+                log.info("%r", e)
 
     # --- Language Menu ---
 
diff --git a/src/mcedit2/main.py b/src/mcedit2/main.py
index b86e31b..782d8f0 100644
--- a/src/mcedit2/main.py
+++ b/src/mcedit2/main.py
@@ -187,6 +187,7 @@ def startup():
     
     from mcedit2 import support_modules
 
+    # TODO: get wchar_t argv from windows
     editorApp = MCEditApp(sys.argv)
     editorApp.startup()