diff --git a/nodes/core/core/75-exec.js b/nodes/core/core/75-exec.js
index a56c3f15b..ba8849973 100644
--- a/nodes/core/core/75-exec.js
+++ b/nodes/core/core/75-exec.js
@@ -67,7 +67,8 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
                 var cl = node.cmd+" "+msg.payload+" "+node.append;
                 if (RED.settings.verbose) { node.log(cl); }
                 var child = exec(cl, {encoding: 'binary'}, function (error, stdout, stderr) {
-                    msg.payload = stdout;
+                    msg.payload = new Buffer(stdout);
+                    if (isUtf8(msg.payload)) { msg.payload = msg.payload.toString(); }
                     var msg2 = {payload:stderr};
                     var msg3 = null;
                     //console.log('[exec] stdout: ' + stdout);