diff --git a/kmmainwin.cpp b/kmmainwin.cpp
index 2c17e1fd7..1b729cb35 100644
--- a/kmmainwin.cpp
+++ b/kmmainwin.cpp
@@ -144,6 +144,9 @@ void KMMainWin::readPreConfig(void)
 
   config->setGroup("Geometry");
   mLongFolderList = config->readBoolEntry("longFolderList", false);
+
+  config->setGroup("General");
+  mEncodingStr = config->readEntry("encoding", "");
 }
 
 
@@ -294,6 +297,7 @@ void KMMainWin::writeConfig(void)
   config->writeEntry("Panners", s);
 
   config->setGroup("General");
+  config->writeEntry("encoding", mEncodingStr);
 }
 
 
@@ -413,11 +417,11 @@ void KMMainWin::activatePanners(void)
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 void KMMainWin::slotSetEncoding()
 {
-     QString enc = mEncoding->currentText();
+     mEncodingStr = mEncoding->currentText();
      if (mEncoding->currentItem() == 0) // Auto
        mCodec = 0;
      else
-       mCodec = KGlobal::charsets()->codecForName( enc );
+       mCodec = KGlobal::charsets()->codecForName( mEncodingStr );
      mMsgView->setCodec(mCodec);
      return;
 }
@@ -1373,6 +1377,8 @@ void KMMainWin::setupMenuBar()
   encodings.prepend( i18n( "Auto" ) );
   mEncoding->setItems( encodings );
   mEncoding->setCurrentItem(0);
+  if (encodings.findIndex( mEncodingStr ) != -1)
+      mEncoding->setCurrentItem(encodings.findIndex( mEncodingStr ));
 
   (void) new KAction( i18n("Edi&t..."), Key_T, this,
 		      SLOT(slotEditMsg()), actionCollection(), "edit" );
diff --git a/kmmainwin.h b/kmmainwin.h
index 081ccc466..36732aac2 100644
--- a/kmmainwin.h
+++ b/kmmainwin.h
@@ -191,8 +191,9 @@ protected:
   KMFolder     *mFolder;
   QTextCodec   *mCodec;
   QPopupMenu   *mViewMenu, *mBodyPartsMenu;
-    KSelectAction *mEncoding;
-    bool		mIntegrated;
+  KSelectAction *mEncoding;
+  QString	mEncodingStr;
+  bool		mIntegrated;
   bool          mSendOnCheck;
   bool          mBeepOnNew, mBoxOnNew, mExecOnNew;
   QString       mNewMailCmd;
diff --git a/kmreaderwin.cpp b/kmreaderwin.cpp
index c72700cc5..2db5bbb6a 100644
--- a/kmreaderwin.cpp
+++ b/kmreaderwin.cpp
@@ -197,6 +197,7 @@ void KMReaderWin::readColorConfig(void)
 void KMReaderWin::readConfig(void)
 {
   KConfig *config = kapp->config();
+  QString encoding;
 
   config->setGroup("Pixmaps");
   mBackingPixmapOn = FALSE;
@@ -210,7 +211,9 @@ void KMReaderWin::readConfig(void)
   mHeaderStyle = (HeaderStyle)config->readNumEntry("hdr-style", HdrFancy);
   mAttachmentStyle = (AttachmentStyle)config->readNumEntry("attmnt-style",
 							   SmartAttmnt);
-
+  encoding = config->readEntry("encoding", "iso8859-1" );
+  mCodec = QTextCodec::codecForName(encoding);
+  mAutoDetectEncoding = config->readBoolEntry("autodetect-encoding", true );
 
 #ifndef KRN
   int i, diff;
@@ -257,11 +260,16 @@ void KMReaderWin::readConfig(void)
 void KMReaderWin::writeConfig(bool aWithSync)
 {
   KConfig *config = kapp->config();
+  QString encoding = "";
+  if (mCodec)
+      encoding = mCodec->name();
 
   config->setGroup("Reader");
   config->writeEntry("attach-inline", mAtmInline);
   config->writeEntry("hdr-style", (int)mHeaderStyle);
   config->writeEntry("attmnt-style",(int)mAttachmentStyle);
+  config->writeEntry("encoding", encoding);
+  config->writeEntry("autodetect-encoding", mAutoDetectEncoding);
 
   if (aWithSync) config->sync();
 }
@@ -486,6 +494,7 @@ void KMReaderWin::parseMsg(void)
   QString type = mMsg->typeStr().lower();
 
   if (mAutoDetectEncoding) {
+    mCodec = 0;
     QString encoding;
     if (type.find("text/") != -1)
       encoding = mMsg->charset();