diff --git a/asterisk/agi.py b/asterisk/agi.py
index 4880afa..a6c1013 100755
--- a/asterisk/agi.py
+++ b/asterisk/agi.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python2
+#! /usr/bin/env python
 # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+# vim:fenc=utf-8
 """
 .. module:: agi
    :synopsis: This module contains functions and classes to implment AGI scripts in python. 
@@ -26,6 +27,10 @@ import sys
 import pprint
 import re
 import signal
+import sys
+reload(sys)
+sys.setdefaultencoding("utf-8")
+
 
 DEFAULT_TIMEOUT = 2000  # 2sec timeout used as default for functions that take timeouts
 DEFAULT_RECORD = 20000  # 20sec record time