diff --git a/handlers/views_handler_filter_combine.inc b/handlers/views_handler_filter_combine.inc
index c1afcf5..713d8ec 100644
--- a/handlers/views_handler_filter_combine.inc
+++ b/handlers/views_handler_filter_combine.inc
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ class views_handler_filter_combine extends views_handler_filter_string {
         }
       }
       $expression = implode(', ', $separated_fields);
-      $expression = "CONCAT_WS(' ', $expression)";
+      $expression = "CONVERT(CONCAT_WS(' ', $expression) USING utf8)";
 
       $info = $this->operators();
       if (!empty($info[$this->operator]['method'])) {