diff --git a/src/main/java/org/primeoservices/cfgateway/pulsar/PulsarConsumer.java b/src/main/java/org/primeoservices/cfgateway/pulsar/PulsarConsumer.java
index e183463..e5c60a0 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/primeoservices/cfgateway/pulsar/PulsarConsumer.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/primeoservices/cfgateway/pulsar/PulsarConsumer.java
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ public void received(final Consumer<byte[]> consumer, final Message<byte[]> mess
       final Map<String, Object> data = new HashMap<String, Object>();
       data.put("callback", new Callback(message.getMessageId()));
       data.put("properties", message.getProperties());
-      data.put("message", new String(message.getData()));
+      data.put("message", new String(message.getData(), ENCODING_CHARSET));
       this.getGateway().handleMessage(data);
     }
     catch (Throwable t)
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/primeoservices/cfgateway/pulsar/PulsarExchanger.java b/src/main/java/org/primeoservices/cfgateway/pulsar/PulsarExchanger.java
index a327899..c2cfca9 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/primeoservices/cfgateway/pulsar/PulsarExchanger.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/primeoservices/cfgateway/pulsar/PulsarExchanger.java
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@
  */
 package org.primeoservices.cfgateway.pulsar;
 
+import java.nio.charset.Charset;
+
 import org.apache.pulsar.client.api.PulsarClientException;
 
 /**
@@ -24,6 +26,8 @@
  */
 public abstract class PulsarExchanger
 {
+  protected static final Charset ENCODING_CHARSET = Charset.forName("UTF-8");
+
   private PulsarGateway gateway;
 
   private Logger log;
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/primeoservices/cfgateway/pulsar/PulsarProducer.java b/src/main/java/org/primeoservices/cfgateway/pulsar/PulsarProducer.java
index 70f1f37..9e84709 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/primeoservices/cfgateway/pulsar/PulsarProducer.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/primeoservices/cfgateway/pulsar/PulsarProducer.java
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ public void postMessage(final Map<?, ?> data) throws Exception
     final TypedMessageBuilder<byte[]> builder = this.producer.newMessage();
     final Object properties = data.get(PROPERTIES_KEY);
     PulsarUtils.setProperties(builder, (Map<?, ?>) properties);
-    builder.value(((String) message).getBytes());
+    builder.value(((String) message).getBytes(ENCODING_CHARSET));
     builder.send();
   }
 }