diff --git a/e107_handlers/date_handler.php b/e107_handlers/date_handler.php
index 0f4365f61..c62e29b29 100644
--- a/e107_handlers/date_handler.php
+++ b/e107_handlers/date_handler.php
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ class convert
 			break;
 		}
 	
-		return strftime($mask, $datestamp);
+		return utf8_encode(strftime($mask, $datestamp));
 	}