diff --git a/net/znc/Config.in b/net/znc/Config.in
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..519de557f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/net/znc/Config.in
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+#
+# Copyright (C) 2010-2016 OpenWrt.org
+#
+# This is free software, licensed under the GNU General Public License v2.
+# See /LICENSE for more information.
+#
+
+menu "Configuration"
+  depends on PACKAGE_znc
+
+config ZNC_ICU
+  bool
+  prompt "Enable ICU character encoding support."
+  help
+    Allows configuration of the charset used between clients and ZNC, and
+    between ZNC and the IRC server".
+
+endmenu
diff --git a/net/znc/Makefile b/net/znc/Makefile
index b32665b47..47ef2c903 100644
--- a/net/znc/Makefile
+++ b/net/znc/Makefile
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ include $(TOPDIR)/rules.mk
 
 PKG_NAME:=znc
 PKG_VERSION:=1.6.3
-PKG_RELEASE:=1
+PKG_RELEASE:=2
 
 PKG_SOURCE:=$(PKG_NAME)-$(PKG_VERSION).tar.gz
 PKG_SOURCE_URL:=http://znc.in/releases \
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ PKG_LICENSE_FILES:=LICENSE
 PKG_USE_MIPS16:=0
 PKG_BUILD_PARALLEL:=1
 
+PKG_CONFIG_DEPENDS := CONFIG_ZNC_ICU
 
 define Package/znc/default
   SUBMENU:=Instant Messaging
@@ -34,7 +35,7 @@ endef
 
 define Package/znc
   $(Package/znc/default)
-  DEPENDS:=+libopenssl +libpthread +libstdcpp
+  DEPENDS:=+libopenssl +libpthread +libstdcpp +ZNC_ICU:icu
   MENU:=1
 endef
 
@@ -44,6 +45,10 @@ define Package/znc/description
 	bouncing, and c++ module support to name a few.
 endef
 
+define Package/znc/config
+	source "$(SOURCE)/Config.in"
+endef
+
 define Package/znc/conffiles
 /etc/config/znc
 endef
@@ -266,7 +271,7 @@ $(eval $(call webskin,dark-clouds))
 $(eval $(call webskin,forest))
 $(eval $(call webskin,ice))
 
-PKG_CONFIG_DEPENDS := $(patsubst %,CONFIG_PACKAGE_%,$(ZNC_MODULES))
+PKG_CONFIG_DEPENDS += $(patsubst %,CONFIG_PACKAGE_%,$(ZNC_MODULES))
 
 include $(INCLUDE_DIR)/package.mk
 
@@ -277,7 +282,7 @@ CONFIGURE_VARS += \
 	LIBS="-lstdc++ -lm -lssl -lcrypto $(LIBGCC_S) -lc"
 
 CONFIGURE_ARGS += \
-	--disable-charset \
+	$(if $(CONFIG_ZNC_ICU), --enable-charset, --disable-charset) \
 	--disable-cyrus \
 	--disable-debug \
 	--enable-largefile \