diff --git a/jabber/mailconnection.py b/jabber/mailconnection.py
index bc71ba9..c93bc0b 100644
--- a/jabber/mailconnection.py
+++ b/jabber/mailconnection.py
@@ -37,6 +37,8 @@ POP3_TIMEOUT = 10
 DO_NOTHING = 0
 DIGEST = 1
 RETRIEVE = 2
+default_encoding = "iso-8859-1"
+
 ## All MY* classes are implemented to add a timeout (settimeout)
 ## while connecting
 class MYIMAP4(imaplib.IMAP4):
@@ -192,41 +194,82 @@ class MailConnection(object):
                + str(self.online_action) + "#" + str(self.away_action) + "#" + \
                str(self.xa_action) + "#" + str(self.dnd_action) + "#" + str(self.offline_action) + "#" + str(self.interval) + "#" + str(self.live_email_only)
  
-    def get_decoded_part(self, part):
+    def get_decoded_part(self, part, charset_hint):
         content_charset = part.get_content_charset()
         if content_charset:
-            return part.get_payload(decode=True).decode(content_charset)
+            return unicode(part.get_payload(decode=True).decode(content_charset))
         else:
-            return part.get_payload(decode=True)
+            result = ""
+            try:
+                result = unicode(part.get_payload(decode=True))
+            except Exception, e:
+                try:
+                    result = unicode(part.get_payload(decode=True).decode("iso-8859-1"))
+                except Exception, e:
+                    try:
+                        result = unicode(part.get_payload(decode=True).decode(default_encoding))
+                    except Exception, e:
+                        if charset_hint is not None:
+                            try:
+                                result = unicode(part.get_payload(decode=True).decode(charset_hint))
+                            except Exception, e:
+                                print e
+            return result
             
     def format_message(self, email_msg, include_body = True):
         from_decoded = email.Header.decode_header(email_msg["From"])
+        charset_hint = None
         result = u"From : "
         for i in range(len(from_decoded)):
             if from_decoded[i][1]:
+                charset_hint = from_decoded[i][1]
                 result += unicode(from_decoded[i][0].decode(from_decoded[i][1]))
             else:
-                result += unicode(from_decoded[i][0])
+                try:
+                    result += unicode(from_decoded[i][0])
+                except Exception,e:
+                    try:
+                        result += unicode(from_decoded[i][0].decode("iso-8859-1"))
+                    except Exception, e:
+                        try:
+                            result += unicode(from_decoded[i][0].decode(default_encoding))
+                        except Exception, e:
+                            print e
         result += "\n"
 
         subject_decoded = email.Header.decode_header(email_msg["Subject"])
         result += u"Subject : "
         for i in range(len(subject_decoded)):
             if subject_decoded[i][1]:
+                charset_hint = subject_decoded[i][1]
                 result += unicode(subject_decoded[i][0].decode(subject_decoded[i][1]))
             else:
-                result += unicode(subject_decoded[i][0])
+                try:
+                    result += unicode(subject_decoded[i][0])
+                except Exception,e:
+                    try:
+                        result += unicode(subject_decoded[i][0].decode("iso-8859-1"))
+                    except Exception, e:
+                        try:
+                            result += unicode(subject_decoded[i][0].decode(default_encoding))
+                        except Exception, e:
+                            if charset_hint is not None:
+                                try:
+                                    result += unicode(subject_decoded[i][0].decode(charset_hint))
+                                except Exception, e:
+                                    print e
+                    
         result += u"\n\n"
 
         if include_body:
             action = {
-                "text/plain" : lambda part: self.get_decoded_part(part),
+                "text/plain" : lambda part: self.get_decoded_part(part, charset_hint),
                 "text/html" : lambda part: "\n<<<HTML part skipped>>>\n"
                 }
             for part in email_msg.walk():
                 content_type = part.get_content_type()
                 if action.has_key(content_type):
-                    result += unicode(action[content_type](part)) + u'\n'
+                    result += action[content_type](part) + u'\n'
         return result
 
     def format_message_summary(self, email_msg):
diff --git a/jmc.py b/jmc.py
index ea9bd6f..3346daf 100755
--- a/jmc.py
+++ b/jmc.py
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import sys
 import os.path
 import logging
 
+from jabber import mailconnection
 from jabber.component import MailComponent, ComponentFatalError
 from jabber.config import Config
 
@@ -46,6 +47,7 @@ def main(config_file = "jmc.xml", isDebug = 0):
 		str(sys.exc_value)
             sys.exit(1)
 
+        mailconnection.default_encoding = config.get_content("config/mail_default_encoding")
         print "creating component..."
         mailcomp = MailComponent(config)
 
diff --git a/jmc.xml b/jmc.xml
index ed3c278..7a3f58d 100644
--- a/jmc.xml
+++ b/jmc.xml
@@ -16,4 +16,5 @@
   <spooldir>/var/spool/jabber</spooldir>
   <!-- default check interval in minutes -->
   <check_interval>5</check_interval>
+  <mail_default_encoding>iso-8859-1</mail_default_encoding>
 </config>
diff --git a/run_test.py b/run_test.py
index 19e1486..163f26f 100644
--- a/run_test.py
+++ b/run_test.py
@@ -70,9 +70,9 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
                                     storage_suite, \
                                     dbmstorage_suite, \
                                     sqlitestorage_suite))
-    #    test_support.run_suite(mail_connection_suite)
-    #    test_support.run_suite(pop3_connection_suite)
-    #    test_support.run_suite(imap_connection_suite)
+    #test_support.run_suite(mail_connection_suite)
+    #test_support.run_suite(pop3_connection_suite)
+    #test_support.run_suite(imap_connection_suite)
     #test_support.run_suite(mc_factory_suite)
     #test_support.run_suite(component_suite)
     #test_support.run_suite(component2_suite)
diff --git a/tests/email_generator.py b/tests/email_generator.py
index 3312bb9..0af84dc 100644
--- a/tests/email_generator.py
+++ b/tests/email_generator.py
@@ -32,6 +32,9 @@ def _create_multipart(encoded):
         part2 = MIMEText("Encoded multipart2 with 'iso-8859-15' charset (éàê)", \
                          _charset = "iso-8859-15")
         msg.attach(part2)
+        part3 = MIMEText("Encoded multipart3 with no charset (éàê)", \
+                         _charset = "")
+        msg.attach(part3)
     else:
         part1 = MIMEText("Not encoded multipart1")
         msg.attach(part1)
diff --git a/tests/jmc-test.xml b/tests/jmc-test.xml
index f09380f..875c883 100644
--- a/tests/jmc-test.xml
+++ b/tests/jmc-test.xml
@@ -15,4 +15,5 @@
   <storage>SQLite</storage>
   <spooldir>.</spooldir>
   <check_interval>5</check_interval> <!-- in minutes -->
+  <mail_default_encoding>iso-8859-15</mail_default_encoding>
 </config>
diff --git a/tests/test_mailconnection.py b/tests/test_mailconnection.py
index 49b0b8a..63d0e44 100644
--- a/tests/test_mailconnection.py
+++ b/tests/test_mailconnection.py
@@ -48,12 +48,12 @@ class MailConnection_TestCase(unittest.TestCase):
 
     test_get_decoded_part_not_encoded = \
         make_test((False, False, False), \
-                  lambda self, email: self.connection.get_decoded_part(email), \
+                  lambda self, email: self.connection.get_decoded_part(email, None), \
                   u"Not encoded single part")
 
     test_get_decoded_part_encoded = \
         make_test((True, False, False), \
-                  lambda self, email: self.connection.get_decoded_part(email), \
+                  lambda self, email: self.connection.get_decoded_part(email, None), \
                   u"Encoded single part with 'iso-8859-15' charset (éàê)")
 
     test_format_message_summary_not_encoded = \
@@ -104,7 +104,8 @@ class MailConnection_TestCase(unittest.TestCase):
                   lambda self, email: self.connection.format_message(email), \
                   u"From : encoded from (éàê)\nSubject : encoded subject (éà" + \
                   u"ê)\n\nutf-8 multipart1 with no charset (éàê)" + \
-                  u"\nEncoded multipart2 with 'iso-8859-15' charset (éàê)\n")
+                  u"\nEncoded multipart2 with 'iso-8859-15' charset (éàê)\n" + \
+                  u"Encoded multipart3 with no charset (éàê)\n")
 
 
 class POP3Connection_TestCase(unittest.TestCase):