diff --git a/drivers/char/vt.c b/drivers/char/vt.c
index 4818327..0edbbc3 100644
--- a/drivers/char/vt.c
+++ b/drivers/char/vt.c
@@ -157,6 +157,8 @@
 static void set_palette(struct vc_data *vc);
 
 static int printable;		/* Is console ready for printing? */
+static int default_utf8;
+module_param(default_utf8, int, S_IRUGO | S_IWUSR);
 
 /*
  * ignore_poke: don't unblank the screen when things are typed.  This is
@@ -1517,7 +1519,7 @@
 	vc->vc_charset		= 0;
 	vc->vc_need_wrap	= 0;
 	vc->vc_report_mouse	= 0;
-	vc->vc_utf		= 0;
+	vc->vc_utf              = default_utf8;
 	vc->vc_utf_count	= 0;
 
 	vc->vc_disp_ctrl	= 0;