diff --git a/Mustache.php b/Mustache.php
index 578d060..d8d42f6 100644
--- a/Mustache.php
+++ b/Mustache.php
@@ -22,6 +22,9 @@ class Mustache {
 	protected $throwPartialExceptions  = false;
 	protected $throwVariableExceptions = false;
 
+	// Override charset passed to htmlentities() and htmlspecialchars(). Defaults to UTF-8.
+	protected $charset = 'UTF-8';
+	
 	protected $tagRegEx;
 
 	protected $template = '';
@@ -232,7 +235,7 @@ class Mustache {
 	 * @return string
 	 */
 	protected function renderEscaped($tag_name, &$context) {
-		return htmlentities($this->getVariable($tag_name, $context));
+		return htmlentities($this->getVariable($tag_name, $context), null, $this->charset);
 	}
 
 	/**