diff --git a/shadowsocks/utils.py b/shadowsocks/utils.py
index 492f357..0b7b068 100644
--- a/shadowsocks/utils.py
+++ b/shadowsocks/utils.py
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ def get_config(is_local):
             logging.info('loading config from %s' % config_path)
             with open(config_path, 'rb') as f:
                 try:
-                    config = json.load(f)
+                    config = json.load(f, object_hook=_decode_dict)
                 except ValueError as e:
                     logging.error('found an error in config.json: %s',
                                   e.message)
@@ -210,4 +210,32 @@ optional arguments:
   -v                    verbose mode
 
 Online help: <https://github.com/clowwindy/shadowsocks>
-'''
\ No newline at end of file
+'''
+
+
+def _decode_list(data):
+    rv = []
+    for item in data:
+        if isinstance(item, unicode):
+            item = item.encode('utf-8')
+        elif isinstance(item, list):
+            item = _decode_list(item)
+        elif isinstance(item, dict):
+            item = _decode_dict(item)
+        rv.append(item)
+    return rv
+
+
+def _decode_dict(data):
+    rv = {}
+    for key, value in data.iteritems():
+        if isinstance(key, unicode):
+            key = key.encode('utf-8')
+        if isinstance(value, unicode):
+            value = value.encode('utf-8')
+        elif isinstance(value, list):
+            value = _decode_list(value)
+        elif isinstance(value, dict):
+            value = _decode_dict(value)
+        rv[key] = value
+    return rv
\ No newline at end of file