diff --git a/src/unix/utilsunx.cpp b/src/unix/utilsunx.cpp
index b966409422..77b5a08103 100644
--- a/src/unix/utilsunx.cpp
+++ b/src/unix/utilsunx.cpp
@@ -1327,7 +1327,7 @@ bool wxGetEnv(const wxString& var, wxString *value)
 
     if ( value )
     {
-        *value = p;
+        *value = wxString::FromUTF8(p);
     }
 
     return true;