diff --git a/plugins/huawei.c b/plugins/huawei.c
index 5030e002..d57e7955 100644
--- a/plugins/huawei.c
+++ b/plugins/huawei.c
@@ -554,6 +554,16 @@ static int huawei_enable(struct ofono_modem *modem)
 	g_at_chat_send(data->modem, "ATE0 +CMEE=1", NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL);
 	g_at_chat_send(data->pcui, "ATE0 +CMEE=1", NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL);
 
+	/*
+	 * Ensure that the modem is using GSM character set and not IRA,
+	 * otherwise weirdness with umlauts and other non-ASCII characters
+	 * can result
+	 */
+	g_at_chat_send(data->modem, "AT+CSCS=\"GSM\"", none_prefix,
+							NULL, NULL, NULL);
+	g_at_chat_send(data->pcui, "AT+CSCS=\"GSM\"", none_prefix,
+							NULL, NULL, NULL);
+
 	data->sim_state = SIM_STATE_NOT_EXISTENT;
 
 	/* Check for GSM capabilities */