diff --git a/features/core.feature b/features/core.feature
index 466a1851..b56c2f4a 100644
--- a/features/core.feature
+++ b/features/core.feature
@@ -19,3 +19,11 @@ Feature: Basic reading and writing to a journal
         Then the output should contain "Entry added"
         When we run "jrnl -n 1"
         Then the output should contain "2013-07-23 09:00 A cold and stormy day."
+
+    Scenario: Emoji support
+        Given we use the config "basic.json"
+        When we run "jrnl 23 july 2013: 🌞 sunny day. Saw an 🐘"
+        Then the output should contain "Entry added"
+        When we run "jrnl -n 1"
+        Then the output should contain "🌞"
+        and the output should contain "🐘"
diff --git a/jrnl/jrnl.py b/jrnl/jrnl.py
index e1fa134f..45df7a9c 100755
--- a/jrnl/jrnl.py
+++ b/jrnl/jrnl.py
@@ -171,8 +171,9 @@ def cli(manual_args=None):
     # Writing mode
     if mode_compose:
         raw = " ".join(args.text).strip()
-        unicode_raw = raw.decode(sys.getfilesystemencoding())
-        entry = journal.new_entry(unicode_raw, args.date)
+        if type(raw) is not unicode:
+            raw = raw.decode(sys.getfilesystemencoding())
+        entry = journal.new_entry(raw, args.date)
         entry.starred = args.star
         print("[Entry added to {0} journal]".format(journal_name))
         journal.write()