diff --git a/autoload/ale.vim b/autoload/ale.vim
index d1c1112a54..a9a4cf48b8 100644
--- a/autoload/ale.vim
+++ b/autoload/ale.vim
@@ -275,7 +275,20 @@ function! ale#GetLocItemMessage(item, format_string) abort
     " Windows may insert carriage return line endings (^M), strip these characters.
     let l:msg = substitute(l:msg, '\r', '', 'g')
 
+    if has('win32')
+        let l:to = &encoding
+
+        if l:to is# 'utf-8'
+
+            let l:res = iconv(l:msg, 'default', l:to)
+            if l:res isnot# '' && stridx(l:res, '?') == -1
+                let l:msg=l:res
+            endif
+        endif
+    endif
+
     return l:msg
+
 endfunction
 
 " Given a buffer and a linter or fixer name, return an Array of two-item