diff --git a/filemanager/filemanager.py b/filemanager/filemanager.py
index 9fff1f51f..ab7541a9f 100644
--- a/filemanager/filemanager.py
+++ b/filemanager/filemanager.py
@@ -716,7 +716,9 @@ class FileManager:
                 if self.data['fileName'].find(pathCheck) == -1 or self.data['fileName'].find('..') > -1:
                     return self.ajaxPre(0, 'Not allowed.')
 
-                command = 'cat ' + self.returnPathEnclosed(self.data['fileName'])
+                # Ensure proper UTF-8 handling for file reading
+                # Use explicit UTF-8 locale for the cat command
+                command = 'LANG=C.UTF-8 LC_ALL=C.UTF-8 cat ' + self.returnPathEnclosed(self.data['fileName'])
                 finalData['fileContents'] = ProcessUtilities.outputExecutioner(command, website.externalApp)
             except:
                 pathCheck = '/'
@@ -724,12 +726,15 @@ class FileManager:
                 if self.data['fileName'].find(pathCheck) == -1 or self.data['fileName'].find('..') > -1:
                     return self.ajaxPre(0, 'Not allowed.')
 
-                command = 'cat ' + self.returnPathEnclosed(self.data['fileName'])
+                # Ensure proper UTF-8 handling for file reading
+                # Use explicit UTF-8 locale for the cat command
+                command = 'LANG=C.UTF-8 LC_ALL=C.UTF-8 cat ' + self.returnPathEnclosed(self.data['fileName'])
                 finalData['fileContents'] = ProcessUtilities.outputExecutioner(command)
 
 
-            json_data = json.dumps(finalData)
-            return HttpResponse(json_data)
+            # Ensure proper UTF-8 encoding in JSON response
+            json_data = json.dumps(finalData, ensure_ascii=False)
+            return HttpResponse(json_data, content_type='application/json; charset=utf-8')
 
         except BaseException as msg:
             return self.ajaxPre(0, str(msg))
diff --git a/plogical/processUtilities.py b/plogical/processUtilities.py
index 46cd51473..124c6b86f 100644
--- a/plogical/processUtilities.py
+++ b/plogical/processUtilities.py
@@ -324,10 +324,15 @@ class ProcessUtilities(multi.Thread):
                 if user!=None:
                     if not command.startswith('sudo'):
                         command = f'sudo -u {user} {command}'
+                # Ensure UTF-8 environment for proper character handling
+                env = os.environ.copy()
+                env['LC_ALL'] = 'en_US.UTF-8'
+                env['LANG'] = 'en_US.UTF-8'
+                
                 if shell == None or shell == True:
-                    p = subprocess.Popen(command, shell=True, stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.STDOUT)
+                    p = subprocess.Popen(command, shell=True, stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.STDOUT, env=env)
                 else:
-                    p = subprocess.Popen(shlex.split(command),  stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.STDOUT)
+                    p = subprocess.Popen(shlex.split(command),  stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.STDOUT, env=env)
 
                 if retRequired:
                     return 1, p.communicate()[0].decode("utf-8")