diff --git a/src/lib/Bcfg2/Server/Plugins/SSLCA.py b/src/lib/Bcfg2/Server/Plugins/SSLCA.py
index a33b2f4484..3fbd4c1563 100644
--- a/src/lib/Bcfg2/Server/Plugins/SSLCA.py
+++ b/src/lib/Bcfg2/Server/Plugins/SSLCA.py
@@ -197,7 +197,8 @@ def build_req_config(self, metadata):
                 'distinguished_name': 'req_distinguished_name',
                 'req_extensions': 'v3_req',
                 'x509_extensions': 'v3_req',
-                'prompt': 'no'
+                'prompt': 'no',
+                'string_mask': 'utf8only'
             },
             'req_distinguished_name': {},
             'v3_req': {