diff --git a/puppet/modules/postgresql/templates/postgresql.conf.erb b/puppet/modules/postgresql/templates/postgresql.conf.erb
index 98426af0..4c1cc5df 100644
--- a/puppet/modules/postgresql/templates/postgresql.conf.erb
+++ b/puppet/modules/postgresql/templates/postgresql.conf.erb
@@ -492,8 +492,7 @@ datestyle = 'iso, mdy'
 					# You can create your own file in
 					# share/timezonesets/.
 #extra_float_digits = 0			# min -15, max 3
-#client_encoding = sql_ascii		# actually, defaults to database
-					# encoding
+client_encoding = unicode		# actually, defaults to database encoding
 
 # These settings are initialized by initdb, but they can be changed.
 lc_messages = '<%= @locale %>'			# locale for system error message strings