diff --git a/wxPython/src/_core_ex.py b/wxPython/src/_core_ex.py
index 004dc12019..702e04f6ee 100644
--- a/wxPython/src/_core_ex.py
+++ b/wxPython/src/_core_ex.py
@@ -32,6 +32,16 @@ if RELEASE_VERSION != _core_.RELEASE_VERSION:
 
 #----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+# Set the default string conversion encoding from the locale
+import locale
+default = locale.getdefaultlocale()[1]
+if default:
+    wx.SetDefaultPyEncoding(default)
+del default
+del locale
+
+#----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
 class PyDeadObjectError(AttributeError):
     pass