diff --git a/java/Makefile.am b/java/Makefile.am
index 03e081275..3ce593bd3 100644
--- a/java/Makefile.am
+++ b/java/Makefile.am
@@ -52,7 +52,8 @@ CLEANFILES = doc-stamp $(builddir)/com/redhat/et/libguestfs/*.class com_redhat_e
 
 if HAVE_JAVA
 
-JAVAC_FLAGS = $(EXTRA_JAVAC_FLAGS)
+JAVAC_FLAGS = $(EXTRA_JAVAC_FLAGS) -encoding utf-8
+JAVADOC_FLAGS = -encoding utf-8
 
 # Java source.
 
diff --git a/java/examples/Makefile.am b/java/examples/Makefile.am
index 3ba251ee5..55f7b6371 100644
--- a/java/examples/Makefile.am
+++ b/java/examples/Makefile.am
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ if HAVE_JAVA
 
 noinst_SCRIPTS = CreateDisk.class InspectVM.class
 
-JAVAC_FLAGS = $(EXTRA_JAVAC_FLAGS)
+JAVAC_FLAGS = $(EXTRA_JAVAC_FLAGS) -encoding utf-8
 
 %.class: %.java
 	$(JAVAC) $(JAVAC_FLAGS) -classpath ../libguestfs-$(VERSION).jar $<