diff --git a/invesalius/reader/dicom.py b/invesalius/reader/dicom.py
index f2ea447..b6109f7 100644
--- a/invesalius/reader/dicom.py
+++ b/invesalius/reader/dicom.py
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ import time
 #import gdcm
 #import vtkgdcm
 import sys
-
+import utils
 
 # In DICOM file format, if multiple values are present for the
 # "Window Center" (Level) and "Window Width", both attributes
@@ -1926,7 +1926,7 @@ class Image(object):
         self.number = parser.GetImageNumber()
         self.spacing = spacing = parser.GetPixelSpacing()
         self.orientation_label = parser.GetImageOrientationLabel()
-        self.file = parser.filename.encode('utf-8') #Necessary original is unicode
+        self.file = parser.filename.encode(utils.get_system_encoding()) 
         self.time = parser.GetImageTime()
         self.type = parser.GetImageType()
         self.size = (parser.GetDimensionX(), parser.GetDimensionY())
diff --git a/invesalius/reader/dicom_reader.py b/invesalius/reader/dicom_reader.py
index 55c9e3b..7b1d7ec 100644
--- a/invesalius/reader/dicom_reader.py
+++ b/invesalius/reader/dicom_reader.py
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ class LoadDicom(threading.Thread):
                 break
             
             reader = gdcm.Reader()
-            reader.SetFileName(filepath.encode('utf-8'))
+            reader.SetFileName(filepath.encode(utils.get_system_encoding()))
             
             if (reader.Read()):
                 file = reader.GetFile()
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ class LoadDicom(threading.Thread):
                 write_png.Write()
                 
                 # ----------   Refactory --------------------------------------
-                data_dict['invesalius'] = {'orientation_label' : GetImageOrientationLabel(filepath.encode('utf-8'))}
+                data_dict['invesalius'] = {'orientation_label' : GetImageOrientationLabel(filepath.encode(utils.get_system_encoding()))}
 
                 # -------------------------------------------------------------
                 dict_file[filepath] = data_dict
diff --git a/invesalius/utils.py b/invesalius/utils.py
index 506f113..baab670 100755
--- a/invesalius/utils.py
+++ b/invesalius/utils.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import platform
 import sigar
 import sys
 import re
+import locale
 
 def debug(error_str):
     """
@@ -252,5 +253,5 @@ def get_physical_memory():
     return int(mem.total())
 
 
-
-
+def get_system_encoding():
+	return locale.getdefaultlocale()[1]
--
libgit2 0.21.2