diff --git a/pyfpdb/Tables.py b/pyfpdb/Tables.py
index 9fdc8630..082bc171 100755
--- a/pyfpdb/Tables.py
+++ b/pyfpdb/Tables.py
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ if os.name == 'nt':
 
 #    FreePokerTools modules
 import Configuration
+from fpdb_simple import LOCALE_ENCODING
 
 #    Each TableWindow object must have the following attributes correctly populated:
 #    tw.name = the table name from the title bar, which must to match the table name
@@ -230,20 +231,13 @@ def discover_nt_by_name(c, tablename):
     """Finds poker client window with the given table name."""
     titles = {}
     win32gui.EnumWindows(win_enum_handler, titles)
-    
-    def getDefaultEncoding():
-        # FIXME: if somebody know better place fot this function - move it
-        # FIXME: it's better to use GetCPInfo for windows http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd318078(VS.85).aspx
-        # but i have no idea, how to call it
-        import locale
-        return locale.getpreferredencoding()
         
     for hwnd in titles:
         #print "Tables.py: tablename =", tablename, "title =", titles[hwnd]
         try:
             # maybe it's better to make global titles[hwnd] decoding?
             # this can blow up in XP on some windows, eg firefox displaying http://docs.python.org/tutorial/classes.html
-            if not tablename.lower() in titles[hwnd].decode(getDefaultEncoding()).lower(): continue
+            if not tablename.lower() in titles[hwnd].decode(LOCALE_ENCODING).lower(): continue
         except:
             continue
         if 'History for table:' in titles[hwnd]: continue # Everleaf Network HH viewer window
diff --git a/pyfpdb/fpdb_import.py b/pyfpdb/fpdb_import.py
index 6b4994b6..63928119 100644
--- a/pyfpdb/fpdb_import.py
+++ b/pyfpdb/fpdb_import.py
@@ -380,8 +380,9 @@ class Importer:
         conv = None
         (stored, duplicates, partial, errors, ttime) = (0, 0, 0, 0, 0)
 
+        file =  file.decode(fpdb_simple.LOCALE_ENCODING) 
+
         # Load filter, process file, pass returned filename to import_fpdb_file
-            
         if self.settings['threads'] > 0 and self.writeq != None:
             print "\nConverting " + file + " (" + str(q.qsize()) + ")"
         else:
diff --git a/pyfpdb/fpdb_simple.py b/pyfpdb/fpdb_simple.py
index c12d38ca..086f2bbb 100644
--- a/pyfpdb/fpdb_simple.py
+++ b/pyfpdb/fpdb_simple.py
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ MYSQL_INNODB    = 2
 PGSQL           = 3
 SQLITE          = 4
 
-(localename, encoding) = locale.getdefaultlocale()
+LOCALE_ENCODING = locale.getdefaultlocale()[1]
 
 class DuplicateError(Exception):
     def __init__(self, value):
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ class FpdbError(Exception):
         self.value = value
     def __str__(self):
         return repr(self.value)
- 
+
 #returns an array of the total money paid. intending to add rebuys/addons here
 def calcPayin(count, buyin, fee):
     return [buyin + fee for i in xrange(count)]
@@ -546,7 +546,7 @@ def parseActionType(line):
 #parses the ante out of the given line and checks which player paid it, updates antes accordingly.
 def parseAnteLine(line, isTourney, names, antes):
     for i, name in enumerate(names):
-        if line.startswith(name.encode(encoding)):
+        if line.startswith(name.encode(LOCALE_ENCODING)):
             pos = line.rfind("$") + 1
             if not isTourney:
                 antes[i] += float2int(line[pos:])
@@ -708,7 +708,7 @@ def parseHandStartTime(topline):
 def findName(line):
     pos1 = line.find(":") + 2
     pos2 = line.rfind("(") - 1
-    return unicode(line[pos1:pos2], encoding)
+    return unicode(line[pos1:pos2], LOCALE_ENCODING)
 
 def parseNames(lines):
     return [findName(line) for line in lines]
@@ -825,7 +825,7 @@ def parseTourneyNo(topline):
 def parseWinLine(line, names, winnings, isTourney):
     #print "parseWinLine: line:",line
     for i,n in enumerate(names):
-        n = n.encode(encoding)
+        n = n.encode(LOCALE_ENCODING)
         if line.startswith(n):
             if isTourney:
                 pos1 = line.rfind("collected ") + 10
@@ -1035,14 +1035,15 @@ def recognisePlayerIDs(db, names, site_id):
 def recognisePlayerNo(line, names, atype):
     #print "recogniseplayerno, names:",names
     for i in xrange(len(names)):
+        encodedName = names[i].encode(LOCALE_ENCODING)
         if (atype=="unbet"):
-            if (line.endswith(names[i].encode(encoding))):
+            if (line.endswith(encodedName)):
                 return (i)
         elif (line.startswith("Dealt to ")):
             #print "recognisePlayerNo, card precut, line:",line
             tmp=line[9:]
             #print "recognisePlayerNo, card postcut, tmp:",tmp
-            if (tmp.startswith(names[i].encode(encoding))):
+            if (tmp.startswith(encodedName)):
                 return (i)
         elif (line.startswith("Seat ")):
             if (line.startswith("Seat 10")):
@@ -1050,10 +1051,10 @@ def recognisePlayerNo(line, names, atype):
             else:
                 tmp=line[8:]
             
-            if (tmp.startswith(names[i].encode(encoding))):
+            if (tmp.startswith(encodedName)):
                 return (i)
         else:
-            if (line.startswith(names[i].encode(encoding))):
+            if (line.startswith(encodedName)):
                 return (i)
     #if we're here we mustve failed
     raise FpdbError ("failed to recognise player in: "+line+" atype:"+atype)