diff --git a/lib/Validations.php b/lib/Validations.php
index 64a58cfa5..fb8e43074 100644
--- a/lib/Validations.php
+++ b/lib/Validations.php
@@ -45,6 +45,8 @@ class Validations
 	private $options = array();
 	private $validators = array();
 	private $record;
+    // TODO add ability to set charset
+    private $charset = 'UTF-8';
 
 	private static $VALIDATION_FUNCTIONS = array(
 		'validates_presence_of',
@@ -517,11 +519,18 @@ public function validates_length_of($attrs)
 						$message = $options['message'];
 					else
 						$message = $options[$messageOptions[$range_option]];
-					
+
 
 					$message = str_replace('%d', $option, $message);
 					$attribute_value = $this->model->$attribute;
-					$len = strlen($attribute_value);
+
+                    //TODO add exception if charset wrong
+                    if (@mb_check_encoding($attribute_value, $this->charset)) {
+                        $len = mb_strlen($attribute_value, $this->charset);
+                    } else {
+                        $len = strlen($attribute_value);
+                    }
+
 					$value = (int)$attr[$range_option];
 
 					if ('maximum' == $range_option && $len > $value)
diff --git a/test/ValidatesLengthOfTest.php b/test/ValidatesLengthOfTest.php
index bd93a1d80..ce21c89c9 100644
--- a/test/ValidatesLengthOfTest.php
+++ b/test/ValidatesLengthOfTest.php
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ public function set_up($connection_name=null)
 		parent::set_up($connection_name);
 		BookLength::$validates_length_of[0] = array('name', 'allow_blank' => false, 'allow_null' => false);
 	}
-	
+
 	public function test_within()
 	{
 		BookLength::$validates_length_of[0]['within'] = array(1, 5);
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ public function test_within_custom_error_message()
 		$book->is_valid();
 		$this->assert_equals(array('Name is not between 2 and 5 characters'),$book->errors->full_messages());
 	}
-	
+
 	public function test_valid_in()
 	{
 		BookLength::$validates_length_of[0]['in'] = array(1, 5);
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ public function test_invalid_null_within()
 		$this->assert_true($book->errors->is_invalid('name'));
 		$this->assert_equals('is too short (minimum is 1 characters)', $book->errors->on('name'));
 	}
-	
+
 	public function test_invalid_null_minimum()
 	{
 		BookLength::$validates_length_of[0]['minimum'] = 1;
@@ -145,9 +145,9 @@ public function test_invalid_null_minimum()
 		$book->save();
 		$this->assert_true($book->errors->is_invalid('name'));
 		$this->assert_equals('is too short (minimum is 1 characters)', $book->errors->on('name'));
-		
+
 	}
-	
+
 	public function test_valid_null_maximum()
 	{
 		BookLength::$validates_length_of[0]['maximum'] = 1;
@@ -327,7 +327,23 @@ public function test_validates_length_of_minimum()
 		$book->is_valid();
 		$this->assert_equals(array("Name is too short (minimum is 2 characters)"),$book->errors->full_messages());
 	}
-	
+
+    public function test_validates_length_of_maximum_with_UTF()
+    {
+        BookLength::$validates_length_of[0] = array('name', 'maximum' => 5);
+        $book = new BookLength(array('name' => 'привет'));
+        $book->is_valid();
+        $this->assert_equals(array("Name is too long (maximum is 5 characters)"),$book->errors->full_messages());
+    }
+
+    public function test_validates_length_of_minimum_with_UTF()
+    {
+        BookLength::$validates_length_of[0] = array('name', 'minimum' => 3);
+        $book = new BookLength(array('name' => 'ай'));
+        $book->is_valid();
+        $this->assert_equals(array("Name is too short (minimum is 3 characters)"),$book->errors->full_messages());
+    }
+
 	public function test_validates_length_of_min_max_custom_message()
 	{
 		BookLength::$validates_length_of[0] = array('name', 'maximum' => 10, 'message' => 'is far too long');
@@ -340,7 +356,7 @@ public function test_validates_length_of_min_max_custom_message()
 		$book->is_valid();
 		$this->assert_equals(array("Name is far too short"),$book->errors->full_messages());
 	}
-	
+
 	public function test_validates_length_of_min_max_custom_message_overridden()
 	{
 		BookLength::$validates_length_of[0] = array('name', 'minimum' => 10, 'too_short' => 'is too short', 'message' => 'is custom message');