diff --git a/align/virt-alignment-scan.pod b/align/virt-alignment-scan.pod
index 1809c1463..8dba46183 100644
--- a/align/virt-alignment-scan.pod
+++ b/align/virt-alignment-scan.pod
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-=encoding utf8
-
 =head1 NAME
 
 virt-alignment-scan - Check alignment of virtual machine partitions
diff --git a/appliance/libguestfs-make-fixed-appliance.pod b/appliance/libguestfs-make-fixed-appliance.pod
index ab0b0c9f5..8022edf2e 100644
--- a/appliance/libguestfs-make-fixed-appliance.pod
+++ b/appliance/libguestfs-make-fixed-appliance.pod
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-=encoding utf8
-
 =head1 NAME
 
 libguestfs-make-fixed-appliance - Make a "fixed appliance" for libguestfs
diff --git a/builder/virt-builder.pod b/builder/virt-builder.pod
index d035c812e..7cf345c89 100644
--- a/builder/virt-builder.pod
+++ b/builder/virt-builder.pod
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-=encoding utf8
-
 =begin html
 
 <img src="virt-builder.svg" width="250"
diff --git a/builder/virt-index-validate.pod b/builder/virt-index-validate.pod
index 6b0370362..d48a93afa 100644
--- a/builder/virt-index-validate.pod
+++ b/builder/virt-index-validate.pod
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-=encoding utf8
-
 =head1 NAME
 
 virt-index-validate - Validate virt-builder index file
diff --git a/cat/virt-cat.pod b/cat/virt-cat.pod
index 304119989..cf6af4fb5 100644
--- a/cat/virt-cat.pod
+++ b/cat/virt-cat.pod
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-=encoding utf8
-
 =head1 NAME
 
 virt-cat - Display files in a virtual machine
diff --git a/cat/virt-filesystems.pod b/cat/virt-filesystems.pod
index 14b2dc0cf..fd345acb8 100644
--- a/cat/virt-filesystems.pod
+++ b/cat/virt-filesystems.pod
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-=encoding utf8
-
 =head1 NAME
 
 virt-filesystems - List filesystems, partitions, block devices, LVM in a virtual machine or disk image
diff --git a/cat/virt-ls.pod b/cat/virt-ls.pod
index 4324878a9..be955d3a5 100644
--- a/cat/virt-ls.pod
+++ b/cat/virt-ls.pod
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-=encoding utf8
-
 =head1 NAME
 
 virt-ls - List files in a virtual machine
diff --git a/daemon/guestfsd.pod b/daemon/guestfsd.pod
index 60651ff59..b68cb2019 100644
--- a/daemon/guestfsd.pod
+++ b/daemon/guestfsd.pod
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-=encoding utf8
-
 =head1 NAME
 
 guestfsd - guestfs daemon
diff --git a/df/virt-df.pod b/df/virt-df.pod
index 4c94af0e1..8c444670a 100644
--- a/df/virt-df.pod
+++ b/df/virt-df.pod
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-=encoding utf8
-
 =head1 NAME
 
 virt-df - Display free space on virtual filesystems
diff --git a/diff/virt-diff.pod b/diff/virt-diff.pod
index 9ec086fa4..92428298a 100644
--- a/diff/virt-diff.pod
+++ b/diff/virt-diff.pod
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-=encoding utf8
-
 =head1 NAME
 
 virt-diff - Differences between files in two virtual machines
diff --git a/edit/virt-edit.pod b/edit/virt-edit.pod
index 4730f50bf..4c5ae71dc 100644
--- a/edit/virt-edit.pod
+++ b/edit/virt-edit.pod
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-=encoding utf8
-
 =head1 NAME
 
 virt-edit - Edit a file in a virtual machine
diff --git a/erlang/examples/guestfs-erlang.pod b/erlang/examples/guestfs-erlang.pod
index ea5ba3faa..89cbda15b 100644
--- a/erlang/examples/guestfs-erlang.pod
+++ b/erlang/examples/guestfs-erlang.pod
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-=encoding utf8
-
 =head1 NAME
 
 guestfs-erlang - How to use libguestfs from Erlang
diff --git a/examples/guestfs-examples.pod b/examples/guestfs-examples.pod
index 2afb6ca5b..81601c59c 100644
--- a/examples/guestfs-examples.pod
+++ b/examples/guestfs-examples.pod
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-=encoding utf8
-
 =head1 NAME
 
 guestfs-examples - Examples of using libguestfs from C
diff --git a/examples/guestfs-faq.pod b/examples/guestfs-faq.pod
index ec4940986..5609d7c8e 100644
--- a/examples/guestfs-faq.pod
+++ b/examples/guestfs-faq.pod
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-=encoding utf8
-
 =head1 NAME
 
 guestfs-faq - libguestfs Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
diff --git a/examples/guestfs-performance.pod b/examples/guestfs-performance.pod
index 9f47e3ce7..8f395f6ad 100644
--- a/examples/guestfs-performance.pod
+++ b/examples/guestfs-performance.pod
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-=encoding utf8
-
 =head1 NAME
 
 guestfs-performance - engineering libguestfs for greatest performance
diff --git a/examples/guestfs-recipes.pod b/examples/guestfs-recipes.pod
index 3538e8a99..9bb6696a8 100644
--- a/examples/guestfs-recipes.pod
+++ b/examples/guestfs-recipes.pod
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-=encoding utf8
-
 =begin comment
 
 We break with tradition here and don't use ALL CAPS for the section
diff --git a/examples/guestfs-testing.pod b/examples/guestfs-testing.pod
index 237835bef..2186ed3c1 100644
--- a/examples/guestfs-testing.pod
+++ b/examples/guestfs-testing.pod
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-=encoding utf8
-
 =head1 NAME
 
 guestfs-testing - manual testing of libguestfs, you can help!
diff --git a/fish/guestfish.pod b/fish/guestfish.pod
index a0a884d7e..a53ef9276 100644
--- a/fish/guestfish.pod
+++ b/fish/guestfish.pod
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-=encoding utf8
-
 =head1 NAME
 
 guestfish - the guest filesystem shell
diff --git a/fish/libguestfs-tools.conf.pod b/fish/libguestfs-tools.conf.pod
index bba00e368..2f79fd6ae 100644
--- a/fish/libguestfs-tools.conf.pod
+++ b/fish/libguestfs-tools.conf.pod
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-=encoding utf8
-
 =head1 NAME
 
 libguestfs-tools.conf - configuration file for guestfish, guestmount, virt-rescue
diff --git a/fish/virt-copy-in.pod b/fish/virt-copy-in.pod
index f2223f203..3891ce543 100644
--- a/fish/virt-copy-in.pod
+++ b/fish/virt-copy-in.pod
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-=encoding utf8
-
 =head1 NAME
 
 virt-copy-in - Copy files and directories into a virtual machine disk image.
diff --git a/fish/virt-copy-out.pod b/fish/virt-copy-out.pod
index 1d99caa82..f3ad07cee 100644
--- a/fish/virt-copy-out.pod
+++ b/fish/virt-copy-out.pod
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-=encoding utf8
-
 =head1 NAME
 
 virt-copy-out - Copy files and directories out of a virtual machine disk image.
diff --git a/fish/virt-tar-in.pod b/fish/virt-tar-in.pod
index ef90f622c..9ccad1d0c 100644
--- a/fish/virt-tar-in.pod
+++ b/fish/virt-tar-in.pod
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-=encoding utf8
-
 =head1 NAME
 
 virt-tar-in - Unpack a tarball into a virtual machine disk image.
diff --git a/fish/virt-tar-out.pod b/fish/virt-tar-out.pod
index c64c5fc95..b455ca3a7 100644
--- a/fish/virt-tar-out.pod
+++ b/fish/virt-tar-out.pod
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-=encoding utf8
-
 =head1 NAME
 
 virt-tar-out - Pack a virtual machine disk image directory into a tarball.
diff --git a/format/virt-format.pod b/format/virt-format.pod
index ac2b8e6fd..caec41182 100644
--- a/format/virt-format.pod
+++ b/format/virt-format.pod
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-=encoding utf8
-
 =head1 NAME
 
 virt-format - Erase and make a blank disk
diff --git a/fuse/guestmount.pod b/fuse/guestmount.pod
index 6ebf51f09..05a3c1d13 100644
--- a/fuse/guestmount.pod
+++ b/fuse/guestmount.pod
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-=encoding utf8
-
 =head1 NAME
 
 guestmount - Mount a guest filesystem on the host using FUSE and libguestfs
diff --git a/fuse/guestunmount.pod b/fuse/guestunmount.pod
index 2038e77f1..72c5dc4e7 100644
--- a/fuse/guestunmount.pod
+++ b/fuse/guestunmount.pod
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-=encoding utf8
-
 =head1 NAME
 
 guestunmount - Unmount a guestmounted filesystem
diff --git a/golang/examples/guestfs-golang.pod b/golang/examples/guestfs-golang.pod
index d63486b92..c2de45ece 100644
--- a/golang/examples/guestfs-golang.pod
+++ b/golang/examples/guestfs-golang.pod
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-=encoding utf8
-
 =head1 NAME
 
 guestfs-golang - How to use libguestfs from Go
diff --git a/guestfs-release-notes.pod b/guestfs-release-notes.pod
index a15ed222e..d53120942 100644
--- a/guestfs-release-notes.pod
+++ b/guestfs-release-notes.pod
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-=encoding utf8
-
 =head1 NAME
 
 guestfs-release-notes - libguestfs Release Notes
diff --git a/inspector/virt-inspector.pod b/inspector/virt-inspector.pod
index 4578f4202..66ca27662 100644
--- a/inspector/virt-inspector.pod
+++ b/inspector/virt-inspector.pod
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-=encoding utf8
-
 =head1 NAME
 
 virt-inspector - Display operating system version and other information about a virtual machine
diff --git a/java/examples/guestfs-java.pod b/java/examples/guestfs-java.pod
index 10deebec2..5ea2e84fb 100644
--- a/java/examples/guestfs-java.pod
+++ b/java/examples/guestfs-java.pod
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-=encoding utf8
-
 =head1 NAME
 
 guestfs-java - How to use libguestfs from Java
diff --git a/lua/examples/guestfs-lua.pod b/lua/examples/guestfs-lua.pod
index cb93db6e8..36ea297ba 100644
--- a/lua/examples/guestfs-lua.pod
+++ b/lua/examples/guestfs-lua.pod
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-=encoding utf8
-
 =head1 NAME
 
 guestfs-lua - How to use libguestfs from Lua
diff --git a/make-fs/virt-make-fs.pod b/make-fs/virt-make-fs.pod
index 681790904..26b035052 100644
--- a/make-fs/virt-make-fs.pod
+++ b/make-fs/virt-make-fs.pod
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-=encoding utf8
-
 =head1 NAME
 
 virt-make-fs - Make a filesystem from a tar archive or files
diff --git a/ocaml/examples/guestfs-ocaml.pod b/ocaml/examples/guestfs-ocaml.pod
index 86becfd87..f185914bc 100644
--- a/ocaml/examples/guestfs-ocaml.pod
+++ b/ocaml/examples/guestfs-ocaml.pod
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-=encoding utf8
-
 =head1 NAME
 
 guestfs-ocaml - How to use libguestfs from OCaml
diff --git a/perl/examples/guestfs-perl.pod b/perl/examples/guestfs-perl.pod
index 0571bcd08..1042f6948 100644
--- a/perl/examples/guestfs-perl.pod
+++ b/perl/examples/guestfs-perl.pod
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-=encoding utf8
-
 =head1 NAME
 
 guestfs-perl - How to use libguestfs from Perl
diff --git a/podwrapper.pl.in b/podwrapper.pl.in
index 74432ad21..c2cb5e159 100755
--- a/podwrapper.pl.in
+++ b/podwrapper.pl.in
@@ -31,8 +31,6 @@ use File::Basename;
 # https://www.redhat.com/archives/libguestfs/2013-May/thread.html#00088
 eval { $Text::Wrap::huge = "overflow" };
 
-=encoding utf8
-
 =head1 NAME
 
 podwrapper.pl - Generate libguestfs documentation from POD input files
@@ -291,6 +289,12 @@ foreach (@verbatims) {
         if $content eq $oldcontent;
 }
 
+# There should be no =encoding line present in the content (we will add one).
+die "$progname: $input: =encoding must not be present in input\n"
+    if $content =~ /^=encoding/m;
+
+$content = "=encoding utf8\n\n$content";
+
 if ($strict_checks) {
     # Verify sections present / not present.
     die "$progname: $input: missing AUTHOR or AUTHORS section\n"
diff --git a/python/examples/guestfs-python.pod b/python/examples/guestfs-python.pod
index 710a673be..d1cb40f9f 100644
--- a/python/examples/guestfs-python.pod
+++ b/python/examples/guestfs-python.pod
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-=encoding utf8
-
 =head1 NAME
 
 guestfs-python - How to use libguestfs from Python
diff --git a/rescue/virt-rescue.pod b/rescue/virt-rescue.pod
index c295bda34..6e209d80f 100644
--- a/rescue/virt-rescue.pod
+++ b/rescue/virt-rescue.pod
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-=encoding utf8
-
 =head1 NAME
 
 virt-rescue - Run a rescue shell on a virtual machine
diff --git a/resize/virt-resize.pod b/resize/virt-resize.pod
index 0f4244845..0fd7e9eb5 100644
--- a/resize/virt-resize.pod
+++ b/resize/virt-resize.pod
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-=encoding utf8
-
 =head1 NAME
 
 virt-resize - Resize a virtual machine disk
diff --git a/ruby/examples/guestfs-ruby.pod b/ruby/examples/guestfs-ruby.pod
index df7f99aa0..5e4e1879a 100644
--- a/ruby/examples/guestfs-ruby.pod
+++ b/ruby/examples/guestfs-ruby.pod
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-=encoding utf8
-
 =head1 NAME
 
 guestfs-ruby - How to use libguestfs from Ruby
diff --git a/sparsify/virt-sparsify.pod b/sparsify/virt-sparsify.pod
index 59ef4f2e5..014c3d9e4 100644
--- a/sparsify/virt-sparsify.pod
+++ b/sparsify/virt-sparsify.pod
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-=encoding utf8
-
 =head1 NAME
 
 virt-sparsify - Make a virtual machine disk sparse
diff --git a/src/guestfs.pod b/src/guestfs.pod
index 1e6ec3f07..b3c32ebdd 100644
--- a/src/guestfs.pod
+++ b/src/guestfs.pod
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-=encoding utf8
-
 =head1 NAME
 
 guestfs - Library for accessing and modifying virtual machine images
diff --git a/sysprep/virt-sysprep.pod b/sysprep/virt-sysprep.pod
index 33ec62443..1eaecef2e 100644
--- a/sysprep/virt-sysprep.pod
+++ b/sysprep/virt-sysprep.pod
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-=encoding utf8
-
 =head1 NAME
 
 virt-sysprep - Reset, unconfigure or customize a virtual machine so clones can be made
diff --git a/test-tool/libguestfs-test-tool.pod b/test-tool/libguestfs-test-tool.pod
index 2ac299b82..116730c3f 100644
--- a/test-tool/libguestfs-test-tool.pod
+++ b/test-tool/libguestfs-test-tool.pod
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-=encoding utf8
-
 =head1 NAME
 
 libguestfs-test-tool - Diagnostics for libguestfs
diff --git a/tools/virt-list-filesystems b/tools/virt-list-filesystems
index 6e2cb83e3..3a179debd 100755
--- a/tools/virt-list-filesystems
+++ b/tools/virt-list-filesystems
@@ -24,8 +24,6 @@ use Pod::Usage;
 use Getopt::Long;
 use Locale::TextDomain 'libguestfs';
 
-=encoding utf8
-
 =head1 NAME
 
 virt-list-filesystems - List filesystems in a virtual machine or disk image
diff --git a/tools/virt-list-partitions b/tools/virt-list-partitions
index c26879182..2487b5697 100755
--- a/tools/virt-list-partitions
+++ b/tools/virt-list-partitions
@@ -24,8 +24,6 @@ use Pod::Usage;
 use Getopt::Long;
 use Locale::TextDomain 'libguestfs';
 
-=encoding utf8
-
 =head1 NAME
 
 virt-list-partitions - List partitions in a virtual machine or disk image
diff --git a/tools/virt-tar b/tools/virt-tar
index b13285d2b..41d875cc7 100755
--- a/tools/virt-tar
+++ b/tools/virt-tar
@@ -25,8 +25,6 @@ use Getopt::Long;
 use File::Basename;
 use Locale::TextDomain 'libguestfs';
 
-=encoding utf8
-
 =head1 NAME
 
 virt-tar - Extract or upload files to a virtual machine
diff --git a/tools/virt-win-reg b/tools/virt-win-reg
index bcd836c48..a47db9721 100755
--- a/tools/virt-win-reg
+++ b/tools/virt-win-reg
@@ -29,8 +29,6 @@ use File::Temp qw/tempdir/;
 use File::Basename;
 use Locale::TextDomain 'libguestfs';
 
-=encoding utf8
-
 =head1 NAME
 
 virt-win-reg - Export and merge Windows Registry entries from a Windows guest