diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 936c7e5..ef2b421 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ name = "solstice"
 version = "0.1.0"
 dependencies = [
  "byteorder 0.4.2 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
+ "encoding 0.2.32 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
  "env_logger 0.3.2 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
  "log 0.3.5 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
  "mio 0.5.0 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
@@ -59,6 +60,63 @@ dependencies = [
  "url 0.5.5 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "encoding"
+version = "0.2.32"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+dependencies = [
+ "encoding-index-japanese 1.20141219.5 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
+ "encoding-index-korean 1.20141219.5 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
+ "encoding-index-simpchinese 1.20141219.5 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
+ "encoding-index-singlebyte 1.20141219.5 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
+ "encoding-index-tradchinese 1.20141219.5 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "encoding-index-japanese"
+version = "1.20141219.5"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+dependencies = [
+ "encoding_index_tests 0.1.4 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "encoding-index-korean"
+version = "1.20141219.5"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+dependencies = [
+ "encoding_index_tests 0.1.4 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "encoding-index-simpchinese"
+version = "1.20141219.5"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+dependencies = [
+ "encoding_index_tests 0.1.4 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "encoding-index-singlebyte"
+version = "1.20141219.5"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+dependencies = [
+ "encoding_index_tests 0.1.4 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "encoding-index-tradchinese"
+version = "1.20141219.5"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+dependencies = [
+ "encoding_index_tests 0.1.4 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "encoding_index_tests"
+version = "0.1.4"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "env_logger"
 version = "0.3.2"
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index a446b26..a481329 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ authors = ["letitz"]
 
 [dependencies]
 byteorder = "^0.4.2"
+encoding = "^0.2"
 env_logger = "^0.3.2"
 log = "^0.3.5"
 mio = "^0.5"
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 997eb31..ee3b75b 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ mod user;
 extern crate byteorder;
 extern crate core;
 extern crate crypto;
+extern crate encoding;
 #[macro_use] extern crate log;
 extern crate env_logger;
 extern crate mio;
diff --git a/src/proto/packet.rs b/src/proto/packet.rs
index 00068b7..db7c52a 100644
--- a/src/proto/packet.rs
+++ b/src/proto/packet.rs
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ use std::iter::repeat;
 use std::io::{Read, Write};
 
 use byteorder::{ByteOrder, LittleEndian, ReadBytesExt, WriteBytesExt};
+use encoding::{Encoding, DecoderTrap, EncoderTrap};
+use encoding::all::ISO_8859_1;
 use mio::{
     Evented, EventLoop, EventSet, Handler, PollOpt, Token, TryRead, TryWrite
 };
@@ -42,8 +44,15 @@ impl Packet {
     // Writing convenience
 
     pub fn write_str(&mut self, string: &str) -> io::Result<usize> {
-        try!(self.write_uint(string.len() as u32));
-        let n = try!(self.write(string.as_bytes()));
+        let bytes = match ISO_8859_1.encode(string, EncoderTrap::Strict) {
+            Ok(bytes) => bytes,
+            Err(_) => {
+                let copy = string.to_string();
+                return Err(io::Error::new(io::ErrorKind::Other, copy))
+            }
+        };
+        try!(self.write_uint(bytes.len() as u32));
+        let n = try!(self.write(&bytes));
         Ok(n + U32_SIZE)
     }
 
@@ -68,8 +77,7 @@ impl Packet {
         let len = try!(self.read_uint()) as usize;
         let mut buffer = vec![0; len];
         try!(self.read(&mut buffer));
-        let result = String::from_utf8(buffer);
-        match result {
+        match ISO_8859_1.decode(&buffer, DecoderTrap::Strict) {
             Ok(string) => Ok(string),
             Err(e) => Err(io::Error::new(io::ErrorKind::Other, e.to_string())),
         }