diff --git a/custom_components/qr_generator/image.py b/custom_components/qr_generator/image.py
index e35e9f0..a1c2d00 100644
--- a/custom_components/qr_generator/image.py
+++ b/custom_components/qr_generator/image.py
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ async def _refresh(self) -> None:
         _LOGGER.debug('Print "%s" with: %s', self.name, self.rendered_template.result())
 
         code = pyqrcode.create(
-            self.rendered_template.result(), error=self.error_correction
+            self.rendered_template.result(), error=self.error_correction, encoding='utf-8'
         )
 
         self.image = io.BytesIO()
diff --git a/tests/test_image.py b/tests/test_image.py
index 349ccaf..b21b918 100644
--- a/tests/test_image.py
+++ b/tests/test_image.py
@@ -42,11 +42,16 @@
     CONF_BACKGROUND_COLOR: DEFAULT_BACKGROUND_COLOR,
 }
 
+DUMMY_ENTRY_UTF8 = {
+        **DUMMY_ENTRY,
+        CONF_VALUE_TEMPLATE: "Utf8: ą, ę, ń"
+}
+
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
 async def test_image(hass: HomeAssistant) -> None:
     """Test the creation and values of the image."""
     config_entry: MockConfigEntry = MockConfigEntry(
-        domain=DOMAIN, title="NINA", data=DUMMY_ENTRY
+        domain=DOMAIN, title="QR", data=DUMMY_ENTRY
     )
 
     entity_registry: er = er.async_get(hass)
@@ -68,3 +73,21 @@ async def test_image(hass: HomeAssistant) -> None:
     assert state.attributes.get(ATTR_BACKGROUND_COLOR) == DEFAULT_BACKGROUND_COLOR
 
     assert entry.unique_id == f"{config_entry.entry_id}-qr-code"
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_support_utf8_chars(hass: HomeAssistant) -> None:
+    """Test if utf-8 chars are supported."""
+    config_entry: MockConfigEntry = MockConfigEntry(
+        domain=DOMAIN, title="QR", data=DUMMY_ENTRY_UTF8
+    )
+
+    config_entry.add_to_hass(hass)
+
+    await hass.config_entries.async_setup(config_entry.entry_id)
+    await hass.async_block_till_done()
+
+    assert config_entry.state == ConfigEntryState.LOADED
+
+    state = hass.states.get("image.test_qr_code")
+
+    assert state.attributes.get(ATTR_TEXT) == "Utf8: ą, ę, ń"