diff --git a/src/protocols/ssh/client.c b/src/protocols/ssh/client.c
index ea1d1493..f370b5d1 100644
--- a/src/protocols/ssh/client.c
+++ b/src/protocols/ssh/client.c
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@
 #include "ssh_client.h"
 #include "terminal.h"
 
+#include <langinfo.h>
+#include <locale.h>
 #include <pthread.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <string.h>
@@ -130,6 +132,11 @@ int guac_client_init(guac_client* client, int argc, char** argv) {
         return -1;
     }
 
+    /* Set locale and warn if not UTF-8 */
+    setlocale(LC_CTYPE, "");
+    if (strcmp(nl_langinfo(CODESET), "UTF-8") != 0)
+        guac_client_log_info(client, "Current locale does not use UTF-8. Some characters may not render correctly.");
+
     /* Read parameters */
     strcpy(client_data->hostname,  argv[IDX_HOSTNAME]);
     strcpy(client_data->username,  argv[IDX_USERNAME]);
diff --git a/src/protocols/telnet/client.c b/src/protocols/telnet/client.c
index fce5cb82..b76bf839 100644
--- a/src/protocols/telnet/client.c
+++ b/src/protocols/telnet/client.c
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@
 #include "telnet_client.h"
 #include "terminal.h"
 
+#include <langinfo.h>
+#include <locale.h>
 #include <pthread.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <string.h>
@@ -92,6 +94,11 @@ int guac_client_init(guac_client* client, int argc, char** argv) {
         return -1;
     }
 
+    /* Set locale and warn if not UTF-8 */
+    setlocale(LC_CTYPE, "");
+    if (strcmp(nl_langinfo(CODESET), "UTF-8") != 0)
+        guac_client_log_info(client, "Current locale does not use UTF-8. Some characters may not render correctly.");
+
     /* Read parameters */
     strcpy(client_data->hostname,  argv[IDX_HOSTNAME]);