diff --git a/main.js b/main.js
index d4b92de3..e4c994ce 100644
--- a/main.js
+++ b/main.js
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@
 		
 		sourceFiles = jsdoc.src.getFilePaths(opts._);
 	
-		jsdoc.parser.parseFiles(sourceFiles);
+		jsdoc.parser.parseFiles(sourceFiles, opts.encoding);
 		
 		if (opts.validate) {
 			var jsonSchema  = require('sitepen/jsonSchema');
diff --git a/modules/common/fs.js b/modules/common/fs.js
index 588a8a9b..236e8100 100644
--- a/modules/common/fs.js
+++ b/modules/common/fs.js
@@ -6,31 +6,37 @@
 
 (function() {
 	var slash = java.lang.System.getProperty('file.separator') || '/',
-		File = Packages.java.io.File,
+		File = java.io.File,
 		defaultEncoding = java.lang.System.getProperty('file.encoding');
 	
-	exports.read = function(path, options) {
+	exports.read = function(path, encoding) {
 		var options = options || {},
-			encoding = options.encoding || defaultEncoding;
-
-		return readFile(path, encoding);
+			encoding = encoding || defaultEncoding,
+			input;
+print('encoding is '+encoding);
+		input = new java.util.Scanner(
+			new File(path),
+			encoding
+		).useDelimiter("\\Z");
+		
+		return String( input.next() );
 	}
 	
-	exports.write = function(path, content, options) {
+	exports.write = function(path, content, encoding) {
 		var options = options || {},
-			encoding = options.encoding || defaultEncoding,
-			out;
+			encoding = encoding || defaultEncoding,
+			output;
 		
-		out = new Packages.java.io.PrintWriter(
-			new Packages.java.io.OutputStreamWriter(
-				new Packages.java.io.FileOutputStream(path),
+		output = new java.io.PrintWriter(
+			new java.io.OutputStreamWriter(
+				new java.io.FileOutputStream(path),
 				encoding
 			)
 		);
 		
-		out.write(content);
-		out.flush();
-		out.close();
+		output.write(content);
+		output.flush();
+		output.close();
 	}
 	
 	/**
diff --git a/modules/jsdoc/opts.js b/modules/jsdoc/opts.js
index 18b65c53..9a1f850c 100644
--- a/modules/jsdoc/opts.js
+++ b/modules/jsdoc/opts.js
@@ -18,9 +18,10 @@
 			destination: 'jsdoc.xml'
 		};
 	
-	argsParser.addOption('t', 'template',    true,  'The name of the template to use.');
+	argsParser.addOption('t', 'template',    true,  'The name of the template to use. Default: the "default" template');
+	argsParser.addOption('e', 'encoding',    true,  'Assume this encoding when reading all source files. Default: your system default encoding');
 	argsParser.addOption('T', 'test',        false, 'Run unit tests and quit.');
-	argsParser.addOption('d', 'destination', true,  'The path to output folder.');
+	argsParser.addOption('d', 'destination', true,  'The path to output folder. Default: ./jsdocs');
 	argsParser.addOption('h', 'help',        false, 'Print help message and quit.');
 	argsParser.addOption('V', 'validate',    false, 'Validate the results produced by parsing the source code.');
 	
diff --git a/modules/jsdoc/parser.js b/modules/jsdoc/parser.js
index 395f60c3..0e900f30 100644
--- a/modules/jsdoc/parser.js
+++ b/modules/jsdoc/parser.js
@@ -125,17 +125,17 @@
 	
 	/**
 	 */
-	exports.parseFiles = function(sourceFiles) {
+	exports.parseFiles = function(sourceFiles, encoding) {
 		var ast = getParser(),
 			fs = require('common/fs'),
 			source = '';
 		
 		for (i = 0, leni = sourceFiles.length; i < leni; i++) {
 			try {
-				source = fs.read(sourceFiles[i]);
+				source = fs.read(sourceFiles[i], encoding);
 			}
 			catch(e) {
-				print('ERROR: ' + e);
+				print('FILE READ ERROR: ' + e);
 				continue;
 			}