diff --git a/src/main/java/com/cribbstechnologies/clients/mandrill/request/MandrillRESTRequest.java b/src/main/java/com/cribbstechnologies/clients/mandrill/request/MandrillRESTRequest.java
index 5ff8f36..4a5d164 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/cribbstechnologies/clients/mandrill/request/MandrillRESTRequest.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/cribbstechnologies/clients/mandrill/request/MandrillRESTRequest.java
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ private BaseMandrillResponse performPostRequest(BaseMandrillRequest request, Str
 			request.setKey(config.getApiKey());
 			HttpPost postRequest = new HttpPost(config.getServiceUrl() + serviceMethod);
 			String postData = getPostData(request);
-			StringEntity input = new StringEntity(postData);
+			StringEntity input = new StringEntity(postData, "UFT-8");
 			input.setContentType("application/json");
 			postRequest.setEntity(input);