diff --git a/main/src/com/google/refine/commands/recon/GuessTypesOfColumnCommand.java b/main/src/com/google/refine/commands/recon/GuessTypesOfColumnCommand.java
index 51ca4b85b..3d920d145 100644
--- a/main/src/com/google/refine/commands/recon/GuessTypesOfColumnCommand.java
+++ b/main/src/com/google/refine/commands/recon/GuessTypesOfColumnCommand.java
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ public class GuessTypesOfColumnCommand extends Command {
             URL url = new URL(serviceUrl);
             HttpURLConnection connection = (HttpURLConnection) url.openConnection();
             {
-                connection.setRequestProperty("Content-Type", "application/x-www-form-urlencoded");
+                connection.setRequestProperty("Content-Type", "application/x-www-form-urlencoded; charset=UTF-8");
                 connection.setConnectTimeout(30000);
                 connection.setDoOutput(true);
                 
diff --git a/main/src/com/google/refine/model/recon/StandardReconConfig.java b/main/src/com/google/refine/model/recon/StandardReconConfig.java
index 3a8e7d73c..d51c9d123 100644
--- a/main/src/com/google/refine/model/recon/StandardReconConfig.java
+++ b/main/src/com/google/refine/model/recon/StandardReconConfig.java
@@ -335,7 +335,7 @@ public class StandardReconConfig extends ReconConfig {
             URL url = new URL(service);
             HttpURLConnection connection = (HttpURLConnection) url.openConnection();
             {
-                connection.setRequestProperty("Content-Type", "application/x-www-form-urlencoded");
+                connection.setRequestProperty("Content-Type", "application/x-www-form-urlencoded; charset=UTF-8");
                 connection.setConnectTimeout(30000);
                 connection.setDoOutput(true);