diff --git a/roles/saltmaster/service/files/rc.patch b/roles/saltmaster/service/files/rc.patch
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/roles/saltmaster/service/files/rc.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+diff --git a/salt_master b/salt_master
+old mode 100755
+new mode 100644
+index 44eff5b..4d8d2ef
+--- a/salt_master
++++ b/salt_master
+@@ -38,5 +38,7 @@ pidfile=${salt_master_pidfile}
+ 
+ export PATH="${salt_master_paths}"
+ export PYTHON_EGG_CACHE="${salt_master_eggcache}"
++export LANG=en_US.UTF-8
++export MM_CHARSET=UTF-8
+ 
+ run_rc_command "$1"
diff --git a/roles/saltmaster/service/init.sls b/roles/saltmaster/service/init.sls
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/roles/saltmaster/service/init.sls
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+#   -------------------------------------------------------------
+#   Salt — Service
+#   - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
+#   Project:        Nasqueron
+#   Created:        2018-10-16
+#   License:        Trivial work, not eligible to copyright
+#   -------------------------------------------------------------
+
+{% from "map.jinja" import dirs, services with context %}
+
+#   -------------------------------------------------------------
+#   rc :: ensure master runs in UTF-8
+#   - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
+
+{% if services['manager'] == "rc" %}
+
+{{ dirs.etc }}/rc.d/salt_master:
+  file.patch:
+    - source: salt://roles/saltmaster/service/files/rc.patch
+    - hash: 08559af1d8b2d24f762085421a563602
+
+{% endif %}