diff --git a/doc/src/sgml/install-win32.sgml b/doc/src/sgml/install-win32.sgml
index 16dfdbdc8f6..21b3daad4e3 100644
--- a/doc/src/sgml/install-win32.sgml
+++ b/doc/src/sgml/install-win32.sgml
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 <!--
-$Header: /cvsroot/pgsql/doc/src/sgml/install-win32.sgml,v 1.12 2003/09/29 18:18:35 momjian Exp $
+$Header: /cvsroot/pgsql/doc/src/sgml/install-win32.sgml,v 1.13 2003/09/29 18:21:33 momjian Exp $
 -->
 
 <chapter id="install-win32">
@@ -107,6 +107,33 @@ $Header: /cvsroot/pgsql/doc/src/sgml/install-win32.sgml,v 1.12 2003/09/29 18:18:
   C++, just right-click on the project and choose to add it.)
  </para>
 
+ <para>
+  <application>psql</application> is compiled as a "console application". As
+  the win32 console windows use a different encoding than the rest of the
+  system, you must take special care when using 8-bit characaters (eg. german
+  Umlauts) at the <application>psql</application> prompt. When
+  <application>psql</application> detects a problematic console codepage, it
+  will warn you at startup. To change the console codepage, two things are
+  neccessary:
+
+  <variablelist>
+   <varlistentry>
+    <listitem>
+      Set the codepage with <userinput>cmd.exe /c chcp 1252</userinput>
+	  (1252 is the german value, replace it with your value). If you are using
+	  cygwin, you can put this command in <filename>/etc/profile</filename>.
+    </listitem>
+   </varlistentry>
+   <varlistentry>
+    <listitem>
+      Set the console font to "Lucida Console", because the raster font
+	  does not work with the ANSI codepage.
+    </listitem>
+   </varlistentry>
+  </variablelist>
+
+ </para>
+
 </chapter>
 
 <!-- Keep this comment at the end of the file
diff --git a/src/bin/psql/startup.c b/src/bin/psql/startup.c
index afee6d62a53..1aee5bc8a9a 100644
--- a/src/bin/psql/startup.c
+++ b/src/bin/psql/startup.c
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
  *
  * Copyright (c) 2000-2003, PostgreSQL Global Development Group
  *
- * $Header: /cvsroot/pgsql/src/bin/psql/startup.c,v 1.79 2003/08/07 21:11:58 tgl Exp $
+ * $Header: /cvsroot/pgsql/src/bin/psql/startup.c,v 1.80 2003/09/29 18:21:33 momjian Exp $
  */
 #include "postgres_fe.h"
 
@@ -80,6 +80,10 @@ static void showVersion(void);
 static void printSSLInfo(void);
 #endif
 
+#ifdef WIN32
+static void
+			checkWin32Codepage(void);
+#endif
 
 /*
  *
@@ -269,6 +273,9 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 				   pset.progname, PG_VERSION);
 #ifdef USE_SSL
 			printSSLInfo();
+#endif
+#ifdef WIN32
+			checkWin32Codepage();
 #endif
 		}
 
@@ -621,3 +628,27 @@ printSSLInfo(void)
 }
 
 #endif
+
+
+
+/*
+ * checkWin32Codepage
+ *
+ * Prints a warning when win32 console codepage differs from Windows codepage
+ */
+#ifdef WIN32
+static void
+checkWin32Codepage(void)
+{
+	unsigned int wincp, concp;
+
+	wincp = GetACP();
+	concp = GetConsoleCP();
+	if (wincp != concp) {
+	  printf("Warning: Console codepage (%u) differs from windows codepage (%u)\n"
+			 "         8-bit characters will not work correctly. See PostgreSQL\n"
+			 "         documentation \"Installation on Windows\" for details.\n\n",
+			 concp, wincp);
+	}
+}
+#endif