diff --git a/dlls/client.cpp b/dlls/client.cpp
index 1e7dab72..80b16945 100644
--- a/dlls/client.cpp
+++ b/dlls/client.cpp
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ extern int gmsgSayText;
 extern int gmsgBhopcap;
 
 extern cvar_t allow_spectators;
+extern cvar_t multibyte_only;
 
 extern int g_teamplay;
 
@@ -287,6 +288,10 @@ decodeFinishedMaybeCESU8:
 bool Q_UnicodeValidate( const char *pUTF8 )
 {
 	bool bError = false;
+
+	if( !multibyte_only.value )
+		return true;
+
 	while( *pUTF8 )
 	{
 		unsigned int uVal;
diff --git a/dlls/game.cpp b/dlls/game.cpp
index 4354a63d..284e5a9d 100644
--- a/dlls/game.cpp
+++ b/dlls/game.cpp
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ cvar_t allowmonsters	= { "mp_allowmonsters","0", FCVAR_SERVER };
 cvar_t bhopcap		= { "mp_bhopcap", "1", FCVAR_SERVER };
 
 cvar_t allow_spectators = { "allow_spectators", "0", FCVAR_SERVER };	// 0 prevents players from being spectators
+cvar_t multibyte_only = { "mp_multibyte_only", "0", FCVAR_SERVER };
 
 cvar_t mp_chattime	= { "mp_chattime","10", FCVAR_SERVER };
 
@@ -480,6 +481,7 @@ void GameDLLInit( void )
 	CVAR_REGISTER( &defaultteam );
 	CVAR_REGISTER( &allowmonsters );
 	CVAR_REGISTER( &bhopcap );
+	CVAR_REGISTER( &multibyte_only );
 
 	CVAR_REGISTER( &mp_chattime );