diff --git a/packages/pug-load/index.js b/packages/pug-load/index.js
index 9b12d3472..1fb206cd9 100644
--- a/packages/pug-load/index.js
+++ b/packages/pug-load/index.js
@@ -66,7 +66,12 @@ load.resolve = function resolve(filename, source, options) {
   return filename;
 };
 load.read = function read(filename, options) {
-  return fs.readFileSync(filename, 'utf8');
+  if (options && options.skipEncoding && options.skipEncoding(filename, options)) {
+    return fs.readFileSync(filename);
+  }
+  else {
+    return fs.readFileSync(filename, 'utf8');
+  }
 };
 
 load.validateOptions = function validateOptions(options) {
diff --git a/packages/pug/lib/index.js b/packages/pug/lib/index.js
index e76487d2c..878b4b610 100644
--- a/packages/pug/lib/index.js
+++ b/packages/pug/lib/index.js
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ function compileBody(str, options){
   var ast = load.string(str, {
     filename: options.filename,
     basedir: options.basedir,
+    skipEncoding: options.skipEncoding,
     lex: function (str, options) {
       var lexOptions = {};
       Object.keys(options).forEach(function (key) {
@@ -243,6 +244,7 @@ exports.compile = function(str, options){
     compileDebug: options.compileDebug !== false,
     filename: options.filename,
     basedir: options.basedir,
+    skipEncoding: options.skipEncoding,
     pretty: options.pretty,
     doctype: options.doctype,
     inlineRuntimeFunctions: options.inlineRuntimeFunctions,