diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 7cfd69e..4fdb3fa 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+2002-04-15  Gregory John Casamento <greg_casamento@yahoo.com>
+	* configure.in: Added check to determine if libXft contains
+	XftDrawStringUtf8 which is used to draw unicode strings.  
+
 2002-04-15  Adam Fedor  <fedor@gnu.org>
 
 	* Source/x11/XGServerWindow.m ([XGServer
diff --git a/Source/xlib/XftFontInfo.m b/Source/xlib/XftFontInfo.m
index 89989a3..94e5e82 100644
--- a/Source/xlib/XftFontInfo.m
+++ b/Source/xlib/XftFontInfo.m
@@ -259,6 +259,7 @@ static NSMutableDictionary	*_globalFontDictionary = nil;
       XDestroyRegion(xregion);
     }
 
+#ifdef HAVE_UTF8
   /* do it */
   if (NSUTF8StringEncoding == mostCompatibleStringEncoding)
     {
@@ -266,6 +267,7 @@ static NSMutableDictionary	*_globalFontDictionary = nil;
                         xp.x, xp.y, (XftChar8 *)s, length);
     }
   else
+#endif
     {
       XftDrawString8(xftdraw, &xftcolor, font_info, 
                    xp.x, xp.y, (XftChar8*)s, length);
@@ -279,6 +281,7 @@ static NSMutableDictionary	*_globalFontDictionary = nil;
 {
   XGlyphInfo extents;
 
+#ifdef HAVE_UTF8
   if (mostCompatibleStringEncoding == NSUTF8StringEncoding)
     XftTextExtentsUtf8([XGServer currentXDisplay],
                        font_info,
@@ -286,6 +289,7 @@ static NSMutableDictionary	*_globalFontDictionary = nil;
                        len,
                        &extents);
   else
+#endif
     XftTextExtents8([XGServer currentXDisplay],
                     font_info,
                     (XftChar8*)s, 
diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 98026a7..819a23b 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -2170,7 +2170,7 @@ EOF
 fi
 
 #--------------------------------------------------------------------
-# Extended font support
+# Extended font support & UTF8 support
 #--------------------------------------------------------------------
 WITH_XFT=no
 save_header=${CPPFLAGS}
@@ -2258,6 +2258,53 @@ if test "$have_xft" = yes -a "$ac_cv_header_X11_Xft_Xft_h" = yes; then
 #define HAVE_XFT 1
 EOF
 
+  echo $ac_n "checking for XftDrawStringUtf8 in -lXft""... $ac_c" 1>&6
+echo "configure:2263: checking for XftDrawStringUtf8 in -lXft" >&5
+ac_lib_var=`echo Xft'_'XftDrawStringUtf8 | sed 'y%./+-%__p_%'`
+if eval "test \"`echo '$''{'ac_cv_lib_$ac_lib_var'+set}'`\" = set"; then
+  echo $ac_n "(cached) $ac_c" 1>&6
+else
+  ac_save_LIBS="$LIBS"
+LIBS="-lXft  $LIBS"
+cat > conftest.$ac_ext <<EOF
+#line 2271 "configure"
+#include "confdefs.h"
+/* Override any gcc2 internal prototype to avoid an error.  */
+/* We use char because int might match the return type of a gcc2
+    builtin and then its argument prototype would still apply.  */
+char XftDrawStringUtf8();
+
+int main() {
+XftDrawStringUtf8()
+; return 0; }
+EOF
+if { (eval echo configure:2282: \"$ac_link\") 1>&5; (eval $ac_link) 2>&5; } && test -s conftest${ac_exeext}; then
+  rm -rf conftest*
+  eval "ac_cv_lib_$ac_lib_var=yes"
+else
+  echo "configure: failed program was:" >&5
+  cat conftest.$ac_ext >&5
+  rm -rf conftest*
+  eval "ac_cv_lib_$ac_lib_var=no"
+fi
+rm -f conftest*
+LIBS="$ac_save_LIBS"
+
+fi
+if eval "test \"`echo '$ac_cv_lib_'$ac_lib_var`\" = yes"; then
+  echo "$ac_t""yes" 1>&6
+  have_utf8=yes
+else
+  echo "$ac_t""no" 1>&6
+have_utf8=no
+fi
+
+  if test "$have_utf8" = yes; then
+    cat >> confdefs.h <<\EOF
+#define HAVE_UTF8 1
+EOF
+
+  fi
 fi
 CPPFLAGS="${save_header}"
 LIBS="${save_libs}"
@@ -2322,7 +2369,7 @@ if test $gs_cv_have_wraster = no -o $set_x_paths = yes; then
 CPPFLAGS="${with_jpeg_library} ${with_jpeg_include} ${CPPFLAGS}"
 
 echo $ac_n "checking for jpeg_destroy_decompress in -ljpeg""... $ac_c" 1>&6
-echo "configure:2326: checking for jpeg_destroy_decompress in -ljpeg" >&5
+echo "configure:2373: checking for jpeg_destroy_decompress in -ljpeg" >&5
 ac_lib_var=`echo jpeg'_'jpeg_destroy_decompress | sed 'y%./+-%__p_%'`
 if eval "test \"`echo '$''{'ac_cv_lib_$ac_lib_var'+set}'`\" = set"; then
   echo $ac_n "(cached) $ac_c" 1>&6
@@ -2330,7 +2377,7 @@ else
   ac_save_LIBS="$LIBS"
 LIBS="-ljpeg  $LIBS"
 cat > conftest.$ac_ext <<EOF
-#line 2334 "configure"
+#line 2381 "configure"
 #include "confdefs.h"
 /* Override any gcc2 internal prototype to avoid an error.  */
 /* We use char because int might match the return type of a gcc2
@@ -2341,7 +2388,7 @@ int main() {
 jpeg_destroy_decompress()
 ; return 0; }
 EOF
-if { (eval echo configure:2345: \"$ac_link\") 1>&5; (eval $ac_link) 2>&5; } && test -s conftest${ac_exeext}; then
+if { (eval echo configure:2392: \"$ac_link\") 1>&5; (eval $ac_link) 2>&5; } && test -s conftest${ac_exeext}; then
   rm -rf conftest*
   eval "ac_cv_lib_$ac_lib_var=yes"
 else
@@ -2364,9 +2411,9 @@ fi
 
 if test "$jpeg_ok" = yes; then
   echo $ac_n "checking for jpeglib.h""... $ac_c" 1>&6
-echo "configure:2368: checking for jpeglib.h" >&5
+echo "configure:2415: checking for jpeglib.h" >&5
   cat > conftest.$ac_ext <<EOF
-#line 2370 "configure"
+#line 2417 "configure"
 #include "confdefs.h"
 #include <stdio.h>
               #undef PACKAGE
@@ -2375,7 +2422,7 @@ echo "configure:2368: checking for jpeglib.h" >&5
               #include <jpeglib.h>
 EOF
 ac_try="$ac_cpp conftest.$ac_ext >/dev/null 2>conftest.out"
-{ (eval echo configure:2379: \"$ac_try\") 1>&5; (eval $ac_try) 2>&5; }
+{ (eval echo configure:2426: \"$ac_try\") 1>&5; (eval $ac_try) 2>&5; }
 ac_err=`grep -v '^ *+' conftest.out | grep -v "^conftest.${ac_ext}\$"`
 if test -z "$ac_err"; then
   rm -rf conftest*
@@ -2439,7 +2486,7 @@ if test $gs_cv_have_wraster = no -o $set_x_paths = yes; then
 tiff_check_lib_save_libs=${LIBS}
 CPPFLAGS="${with_tiff_library} ${JPEG_LIB} ${with_tiff_include} ${JPEG_INCLUDE} ${CPPFLAGS}"
 echo $ac_n "checking for main in -lz""... $ac_c" 1>&6
-echo "configure:2443: checking for main in -lz" >&5
+echo "configure:2490: checking for main in -lz" >&5
 ac_lib_var=`echo z'_'main | sed 'y%./+-%__p_%'`
 if eval "test \"`echo '$''{'ac_cv_lib_$ac_lib_var'+set}'`\" = set"; then
   echo $ac_n "(cached) $ac_c" 1>&6
@@ -2447,14 +2494,14 @@ else
   ac_save_LIBS="$LIBS"
 LIBS="-lz  $LIBS"
 cat > conftest.$ac_ext <<EOF
-#line 2451 "configure"
+#line 2498 "configure"
 #include "confdefs.h"
 
 int main() {
 main()
 ; return 0; }
 EOF
-if { (eval echo configure:2458: \"$ac_link\") 1>&5; (eval $ac_link) 2>&5; } && test -s conftest${ac_exeext}; then
+if { (eval echo configure:2505: \"$ac_link\") 1>&5; (eval $ac_link) 2>&5; } && test -s conftest${ac_exeext}; then
   rm -rf conftest*
   eval "ac_cv_lib_$ac_lib_var=yes"
 else
@@ -2477,17 +2524,17 @@ fi
 
 
 echo $ac_n "checking for -ltiff without -ljpeg nor -lz""... $ac_c" 1>&6
-echo "configure:2481: checking for -ltiff without -ljpeg nor -lz" >&5
+echo "configure:2528: checking for -ltiff without -ljpeg nor -lz" >&5
 LIBS="-ltiff -lm $LIBS"
 cat > conftest.$ac_ext <<EOF
-#line 2484 "configure"
+#line 2531 "configure"
 #include "confdefs.h"
 char TIFFReadScanline();
 int main() {
 TIFFReadScanline()
 ; return 0; }
 EOF
-if { (eval echo configure:2491: \"$ac_link\") 1>&5; (eval $ac_link) 2>&5; } && test -s conftest${ac_exeext}; then
+if { (eval echo configure:2538: \"$ac_link\") 1>&5; (eval $ac_link) 2>&5; } && test -s conftest${ac_exeext}; then
   rm -rf conftest*
   jpeg_notneeded=yes
 else
@@ -2506,17 +2553,17 @@ fi
 
 if test $HAVE_LIBZ = 1; then
   echo $ac_n "checking for -ltiff without -lz""... $ac_c" 1>&6
-echo "configure:2510: checking for -ltiff without -lz" >&5
+echo "configure:2557: checking for -ltiff without -lz" >&5
   LIBS="-ltiff $JPEG -lm $LIBS"
   cat > conftest.$ac_ext <<EOF
-#line 2513 "configure"
+#line 2560 "configure"
 #include "confdefs.h"
 char TIFFReadScanline();
 int main() {
 TIFFReadScanline()
 ; return 0; }
 EOF
-if { (eval echo configure:2520: \"$ac_link\") 1>&5; (eval $ac_link) 2>&5; } && test -s conftest${ac_exeext}; then
+if { (eval echo configure:2567: \"$ac_link\") 1>&5; (eval $ac_link) 2>&5; } && test -s conftest${ac_exeext}; then
   rm -rf conftest*
   libz_notneeded=yes
 else
@@ -2534,7 +2581,7 @@ rm -f conftest*
 fi
 
 echo $ac_n "checking for TIFFReadScanline in -ltiff""... $ac_c" 1>&6
-echo "configure:2538: checking for TIFFReadScanline in -ltiff" >&5
+echo "configure:2585: checking for TIFFReadScanline in -ltiff" >&5
 ac_lib_var=`echo tiff'_'TIFFReadScanline | sed 'y%./+-%__p_%'`
 if eval "test \"`echo '$''{'ac_cv_lib_$ac_lib_var'+set}'`\" = set"; then
   echo $ac_n "(cached) $ac_c" 1>&6
@@ -2542,7 +2589,7 @@ else
   ac_save_LIBS="$LIBS"
 LIBS="-ltiff $JPEG -lm $LIBS"
 cat > conftest.$ac_ext <<EOF
-#line 2546 "configure"
+#line 2593 "configure"
 #include "confdefs.h"
 /* Override any gcc2 internal prototype to avoid an error.  */
 /* We use char because int might match the return type of a gcc2
@@ -2553,7 +2600,7 @@ int main() {
 TIFFReadScanline()
 ; return 0; }
 EOF
-if { (eval echo configure:2557: \"$ac_link\") 1>&5; (eval $ac_link) 2>&5; } && test -s conftest${ac_exeext}; then
+if { (eval echo configure:2604: \"$ac_link\") 1>&5; (eval $ac_link) 2>&5; } && test -s conftest${ac_exeext}; then
   rm -rf conftest*
   eval "ac_cv_lib_$ac_lib_var=yes"
 else
@@ -2577,17 +2624,17 @@ fi
 if test "$tiff_ok" = yes; then
   ac_safe=`echo "tiffio.h" | sed 'y%./+-%__p_%'`
 echo $ac_n "checking for tiffio.h""... $ac_c" 1>&6
-echo "configure:2581: checking for tiffio.h" >&5
+echo "configure:2628: checking for tiffio.h" >&5
 if eval "test \"`echo '$''{'ac_cv_header_$ac_safe'+set}'`\" = set"; then
   echo $ac_n "(cached) $ac_c" 1>&6
 else
   cat > conftest.$ac_ext <<EOF
-#line 2586 "configure"
+#line 2633 "configure"
 #include "confdefs.h"
 #include <tiffio.h>
 EOF
 ac_try="$ac_cpp conftest.$ac_ext >/dev/null 2>conftest.out"
-{ (eval echo configure:2591: \"$ac_try\") 1>&5; (eval $ac_try) 2>&5; }
+{ (eval echo configure:2638: \"$ac_try\") 1>&5; (eval $ac_try) 2>&5; }
 ac_err=`grep -v '^ *+' conftest.out | grep -v "^conftest.${ac_ext}\$"`
 if test -z "$ac_err"; then
   rm -rf conftest*
@@ -2637,17 +2684,17 @@ save_CPPFLAGS=${CPPFLAGS}
 CPPFLAGS="$CPPFLAGS $GRAPHIC_CFLAGS"
 ac_safe=`echo "X11/extensions/XShm.h" | sed 'y%./+-%__p_%'`
 echo $ac_n "checking for X11/extensions/XShm.h""... $ac_c" 1>&6
-echo "configure:2641: checking for X11/extensions/XShm.h" >&5
+echo "configure:2688: checking for X11/extensions/XShm.h" >&5
 if eval "test \"`echo '$''{'ac_cv_header_$ac_safe'+set}'`\" = set"; then
   echo $ac_n "(cached) $ac_c" 1>&6
 else
   cat > conftest.$ac_ext <<EOF
-#line 2646 "configure"
+#line 2693 "configure"
 #include "confdefs.h"
 #include <X11/extensions/XShm.h>
 EOF
 ac_try="$ac_cpp conftest.$ac_ext >/dev/null 2>conftest.out"
-{ (eval echo configure:2651: \"$ac_try\") 1>&5; (eval $ac_try) 2>&5; }
+{ (eval echo configure:2698: \"$ac_try\") 1>&5; (eval $ac_try) 2>&5; }
 ac_err=`grep -v '^ *+' conftest.out | grep -v "^conftest.${ac_ext}\$"`
 if test -z "$ac_err"; then
   rm -rf conftest*
@@ -2741,7 +2788,7 @@ fi
 
 
 echo $ac_n "checking Backend Server""... $ac_c" 1>&6
-echo "configure:2745: checking Backend Server" >&5
+echo "configure:2792: checking Backend Server" >&5
 if test "x$enable_win32" = "xyes"; then
   BUILD_WIN32=yes
   
@@ -2764,7 +2811,7 @@ EOF
 fi
 
 echo $ac_n "checking Backend Graphics""... $ac_c" 1>&6
-echo "configure:2768: checking Backend Graphics" >&5
+echo "configure:2815: checking Backend Graphics" >&5
 if test "x$enable_winlib" = "xyes"; then
   BUILD_WINLIB=yes
   
@@ -2807,7 +2854,7 @@ if test "${with_name+set}" = set; then
 fi
 
 echo $ac_n "checking Backend name""... $ac_c" 1>&6
-echo "configure:2811: checking Backend name" >&5
+echo "configure:2858: checking Backend name" >&5
 if test "x$with_name" = "x"; then
  BACKEND_NAME=back
 else
diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index 61827de..fd45502 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ if test "x$enable_xim" = "xyes"; then
 fi
 
 #--------------------------------------------------------------------
-# Extended font support
+# Extended font support & UTF8 support
 #--------------------------------------------------------------------
 WITH_XFT=no
 save_header=${CPPFLAGS}
@@ -198,6 +198,10 @@ if test "$have_xft" = yes -a "$ac_cv_header_X11_Xft_Xft_h" = yes; then
   GRAPHIC_LIBS="-lXft ${GRAPHIC_LIBS}"
   WITH_XFT=yes
   AC_DEFINE(HAVE_XFT)
+  AC_CHECK_LIB(Xft, XftDrawStringUtf8, have_utf8=yes, have_utf8=no)
+  if test "$have_utf8" = yes; then
+    AC_DEFINE(HAVE_UTF8)
+  fi
 fi
 CPPFLAGS="${save_header}"
 LIBS="${save_libs}"