Index: src/main/groovy/servlet/AbstractHttpServlet.java
===================================================================
--- src/main/groovy/servlet/AbstractHttpServlet.java	(revision 11562)
+++ src/main/groovy/servlet/AbstractHttpServlet.java	(working copy)
@@ -133,6 +133,9 @@
      */
     protected boolean verbose;
 
+
+    protected String encoding = "UTF-8";    
+
     /**
      * Mirrors the static value of the reflection flag in MetaClass.
      * See AbstractHttpServlet#logGROOVY861
@@ -309,6 +312,10 @@
             this.verbose = Boolean.valueOf(value).booleanValue();
         }
 
+        value = config.getInitParameter("encoding");
+        if (value != null) {
+            this.encoding = value;
+        }
         /*
          * And now the real init work...
          */