diff --git a/api_test.go b/api_test.go
index 76c3b348..3db3a4d4 100644
--- a/api_test.go
+++ b/api_test.go
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ func TestCheckAPI(t *testing.T) {
 
 	checkResponse(t, "issuing api base check", resp, http.StatusOK)
 	checkHeaders(t, resp, http.Header{
-		"Content-Type":   []string{"application/json"},
+		"Content-Type":   []string{"application/json; charset=utf-8"},
 		"Content-Length": []string{"2"},
 	})
 
@@ -221,7 +221,7 @@ func TestManifestAPI(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// TODO(stevvooe): Shoot. The error setup is not working out. The content-
 	// type headers are being set after writing the status code.
-	// if resp.Header.Get("Content-Type") != "application/json" {
+	// if resp.Header.Get("Content-Type") != "application/json; charset=utf-8" {
 	// 	t.Fatalf("unexpected content type: %v != 'application/json'",
 	// 		resp.Header.Get("Content-Type"))
 	// }
diff --git a/app.go b/app.go
index d8276cec..13781b78 100644
--- a/app.go
+++ b/app.go
@@ -215,7 +215,7 @@ func (app *App) authorized(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, context *Cont
 			// under which name is not set and we still allow access is when the
 			// base route is accessed. This section prevents us from making that
 			// mistake elsewhere in the code, allowing any operation to proceed.
-			w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
+			w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json; charset=utf-8")
 			w.WriteHeader(http.StatusForbidden)
 
 			var errs v2.Errors
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@ func (app *App) authorized(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, context *Cont
 	if err := app.accessController.Authorized(r, accessRecords...); err != nil {
 		switch err := err.(type) {
 		case auth.Challenge:
-			w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
+			w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json; charset=utf-8")
 			err.ServeHTTP(w, r)
 
 			var errs v2.Errors
@@ -253,7 +253,7 @@ func (app *App) authorized(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, context *Cont
 func apiBase(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	const emptyJSON = "{}"
 	// Provide a simple /v2/ 200 OK response with empty json response.
-	w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
+	w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json; charset=utf-8")
 	w.Header().Set("Content-Length", fmt.Sprint(len(emptyJSON)))
 
 	fmt.Fprint(w, emptyJSON)
diff --git a/app_test.go b/app_test.go
index d3d6d979..4d9535f7 100644
--- a/app_test.go
+++ b/app_test.go
@@ -173,8 +173,8 @@ func TestNewApp(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("unexpected status code during request: %v", err)
 	}
 
-	if req.Header.Get("Content-Type") != "application/json" {
-		t.Fatalf("unexpected content-type: %v != %v", req.Header.Get("Content-Type"), "application/json")
+	if req.Header.Get("Content-Type") != "application/json; charset=utf-8" {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected content-type: %v != %v", req.Header.Get("Content-Type"), "application/json; charset=utf-8")
 	}
 
 	expectedAuthHeader := "Bearer realm=\"realm-test\",service=\"service-test\""
diff --git a/helpers.go b/helpers.go
index 6fce84a2..6bcb4ae8 100644
--- a/helpers.go
+++ b/helpers.go
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import (
 // 'application/json'. If a different status code is required, call
 // ResponseWriter.WriteHeader before this function.
 func serveJSON(w http.ResponseWriter, v interface{}) error {
-	w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
+	w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json; charset=utf-8")
 	enc := json.NewEncoder(w)
 
 	if err := enc.Encode(v); err != nil {
diff --git a/images.go b/images.go
index 6a972109..dbe1c3ae 100644
--- a/images.go
+++ b/images.go
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ func (imh *imageManifestHandler) GetImageManifest(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http
 		return
 	}
 
-	w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
+	w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json; charset=utf-8")
 	w.Header().Set("Content-Length", fmt.Sprint(len(manifest.Raw)))
 	w.Write(manifest.Raw)
 }
diff --git a/tags.go b/tags.go
index 458e6d1a..18f6add2 100644
--- a/tags.go
+++ b/tags.go
@@ -47,6 +47,8 @@ func (th *tagsHandler) GetTags(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		return
 	}
 
+	w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json; charset=utf-8")
+
 	enc := json.NewEncoder(w)
 	if err := enc.Encode(tagsAPIResponse{
 		Name: th.Name,