diff --git a/tools/makedep.c b/tools/makedep.c
index e5628712cc5..12095436ddb 100644
--- a/tools/makedep.c
+++ b/tools/makedep.c
@@ -2710,7 +2710,7 @@ static void output_source_rc( struct makefile *make, struct incl_file *source, c
     if (source->file->flags & FLAG_GENERATED) strarray_add( &make->clean_files, source->name );
     strarray_add( &make->res_files, strmake( "%s.res", obj ));
     output( "%s.res: %s\n", obj_dir_path( make, obj ), source->filename );
-    output( "\t%s -o $@", tools_path( make, "wrc" ) );
+    output( "\t%s -u -o $@", tools_path( make, "wrc" ) );
     if (make->is_win16) output_filename( "-m16" );
     else output_filenames( target_flags );
     output_filename( "--nostdinc" );
@@ -2735,7 +2735,7 @@ static void output_source_rc( struct makefile *make, struct incl_file *source, c
     {
         strarray_add( &make->clean_files, strmake( "%s.pot", obj ));
         output( "%s.pot: %s\n", obj_dir_path( make, obj ), source->filename );
-        output( "\t%s -O pot -o $@", tools_path( make, "wrc" ) );
+        output( "\t%s -u -O pot -o $@", tools_path( make, "wrc" ) );
         if (make->is_win16) output_filename( "-m16" );
         else output_filenames( target_flags );
         output_filename( "--nostdinc" );
@@ -3019,7 +3019,7 @@ static void output_source_spec( struct makefile *make, struct incl_file *source,
     strarray_add( &make->clean_files, dll_name );
     strarray_add( &make->res_files, strmake( "%s.res", obj ));
     output( "%s.res: %s\n", obj_dir_path( make, obj ), obj_dir_path( make, dll_name ));
-    output( "\techo \"%s.dll TESTDLL \\\"%s\\\"\" | %s -o $@\n", obj,
+    output( "\techo \"%s.dll TESTDLL \\\"%s\\\"\" | %s -u -o $@\n", obj,
             obj_dir_path( make, dll_name ), tools_path( make, "wrc" ));
 
     output( "%s:", obj_dir_path( make, dll_name ));
@@ -3492,7 +3492,7 @@ static void output_test_module( struct makefile *make )
         output( "all: %s/%s\n", top_obj_dir_path( make, "programs/winetest" ), testres );
     output( "%s/%s: %s%s\n", top_obj_dir_path( make, "programs/winetest" ), testres,
             obj_dir_path( make, stripped ), ext );
-    output( "\techo \"%s TESTRES \\\"%s%s\\\"\" | %s -o $@\n",
+    output( "\techo \"%s TESTRES \\\"%s%s\\\"\" | %s -u -o $@\n",
             testmodule, obj_dir_path( make, stripped ), ext, tools_path( make, "wrc" ));
 
     output_filenames_obj_dir( make, make->ok_files );
diff --git a/tools/wrc/parser.l b/tools/wrc/parser.l
index f456c626d16..d1e768f72c7 100644
--- a/tools/wrc/parser.l
+++ b/tools/wrc/parser.l
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ ws	[ \f\t\r]
 /* Always update the current character position within a line */
 #define YY_USER_ACTION	char_number+=yyleng; wanted_id = want_id; want_id = 0;
 
-#define YY_USER_INIT current_codepage = -1;
+#define YY_USER_INIT current_codepage = utf8_input ? CP_UTF8 : -1;
 
 static void addcchar(char c);
 static void addwchar(WCHAR s);
diff --git a/tools/wrc/wrc.c b/tools/wrc/wrc.c
index d171bfa2ef1..b4cb013f8e5 100644
--- a/tools/wrc/wrc.c
+++ b/tools/wrc/wrc.c
@@ -144,6 +144,8 @@ int preprocess_only = 0;
  */
 int no_preprocess = 0;
 
+int utf8_input = 0;
+
 int check_utf8 = 1;  /* whether to check for valid utf8 */
 
 static int pointer_size = sizeof(void *);
@@ -184,7 +186,7 @@ enum long_options_values
 };
 
 static const char short_options[] =
-	"b:D:Ef:F:hi:I:J:l:m:o:O:rU:v";
+	"b:D:Ef:F:hi:I:J:l:m:o:O:ruU:v";
 static const struct option long_options[] = {
 	{ "debug", 1, NULL, LONG_OPT_DEBUG },
 	{ "define", 1, NULL, 'D' },
@@ -203,6 +205,7 @@ static const struct option long_options[] = {
 	{ "preprocessor", 1, NULL, LONG_OPT_PREPROCESSOR },
 	{ "sysroot", 1, NULL, LONG_OPT_SYSROOT },
 	{ "target", 1, NULL, 'F' },
+	{ "utf8", 0, NULL, 'u' },
 	{ "undefine", 1, NULL, 'U' },
 	{ "use-temp-file", 0, NULL, LONG_OPT_TMPFILE },
 	{ "verbose", 0, NULL, 'v' },
@@ -503,6 +506,9 @@ int main(int argc,char *argv[])
 		case 'r':
 			/* ignored for compatibility with rc */
 			break;
+		case 'u':
+			utf8_input = 1;
+			break;
 		case 'U':
 			wpp_del_define(optarg);
 			break;
diff --git a/tools/wrc/wrc.h b/tools/wrc/wrc.h
index 77e3e6942ea..9664dd0392e 100644
--- a/tools/wrc/wrc.h
+++ b/tools/wrc/wrc.h
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ extern int pedantic;
 extern int byteorder;
 extern int preprocess_only;
 extern int no_preprocess;
+extern int utf8_input;
 extern int check_utf8;
 
 extern char *input_name;
diff --git a/tools/wrc/wrc.man.in b/tools/wrc/wrc.man.in
index 80fcd04c5bc..24dca049023 100644
--- a/tools/wrc/wrc.man.in
+++ b/tools/wrc/wrc.man.in
@@ -124,6 +124,9 @@ To disable preprocessing, use \fB--preprocessor=cat\fR.
 .I \fB\-\-sysroot=\fIdir\fR
 Prefix the standard include paths with \fIdir\fR.
 .TP
+.I \fB\-\-utf8\fR, \fB\-u\fR
+Set the default codepage of the input file to UTF-8.
+.TP
 .I \fB\-U\fR, \fB\-\-undefine\fR=\fIid\fR
 Undefine preprocessor identifier \fIid\fR.  Please note that only macros 
 defined up to this point are undefined by this command. However, these