diff --git a/lib/App/Netdisco/JobQueue/PostgreSQL.pm b/lib/App/Netdisco/JobQueue/PostgreSQL.pm
index d0c0626a..33d4b83a 100644
--- a/lib/App/Netdisco/JobQueue/PostgreSQL.pm
+++ b/lib/App/Netdisco/JobQueue/PostgreSQL.pm
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ use App::Netdisco::Util::Device
 use App::Netdisco::Backend::Job;
 
 use Module::Load ();
+use JSON::PP ();
 use Try::Tiny;
 
 use base 'Exporter';
@@ -356,8 +357,9 @@ sub jq_insert {
 
           die 'failed to find row for custom field update' unless $row;
 
+          my $coder = JSON::PP->new->utf8(0)->allow_nonref(1)->allow_unknown(1);
+          $spec->{subaction} = $coder->encode( $spec->{extra} || $spec->{subaction} );
           $spec->{action} =~ s/^cf_//;
-          $spec->{subaction} = to_json( $spec->{extra} || $spec->{subaction} );
           $row->make_column_dirty('custom_fields');
           $row->update({
             custom_fields => \['jsonb_set(custom_fields, ?, ?)'
diff --git a/lib/App/Netdisco/Worker/Plugin/Discover/Properties.pm b/lib/App/Netdisco/Worker/Plugin/Discover/Properties.pm
index 40a76b71..61898428 100644
--- a/lib/App/Netdisco/Worker/Plugin/Discover/Properties.pm
+++ b/lib/App/Netdisco/Worker/Plugin/Discover/Properties.pm
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ use Dancer::Plugin::DBIC 'schema';
 use Scope::Guard 'guard';
 use NetAddr::IP::Lite ':lower';
 use Storable 'dclone';
+use JSON::PP ();
 use Encode;
 
 register_worker({ phase => 'early', driver => 'snmp' }, sub {
@@ -78,8 +79,10 @@ register_worker({ phase => 'early', driver => 'snmp' }, sub {
 
   # for existing device, filter custom_fields
   if ($device->in_storage) {
+      my $coder = JSON::PP->new->utf8(0)->allow_nonref(1)->allow_unknown(1);
+
       # get the custom_fields
-      my $fields = from_json ($device->custom_fields || '{}');
+      my $fields = $coder->decode(Encode::encode('UTF-8',$device->custom_fields) || '{}');
       my %ok_fields = map {$_ => 1}
                       grep {defined}
                       map {$_->{name}}
@@ -88,10 +91,11 @@ register_worker({ phase => 'early', driver => 'snmp' }, sub {
       # filter custom_fields for current valid fields
       foreach my $field (keys %$fields) {
           delete $fields->{$field} unless exists $ok_fields{$field};
+          $fields->{$field} = Encode::decode('UTF-8', $fields->{$field});
       }
 
       # set new custom_fields
-      $device->set_column( custom_fields => to_json $fields );
+      $device->set_column( custom_fields => $coder->encode($fields) );
   }
 
   # support for Hooks
@@ -383,8 +387,10 @@ register_worker({ phase => 'early', driver => 'snmp' }, sub {
   vars->{'hook_data'}->{'ports'} = [values %deviceports];
 
   schema('netdisco')->resultset('DevicePort')->txn_do_locked(sub {
+    my $coder = JSON::PP->new->utf8(0)->allow_nonref(1)->allow_unknown(1);
+
     # backup the custom_fields
-    my %fields = map  {($_->{port} => from_json ($_->{custom_fields} || '{}'))}
+    my %fields = map  {($_->{port} => $coder->decode(Encode::encode('UTF-8',$_->{custom_fields} || '{}')))}
                  grep {exists $deviceports{$_->{port}}}
                       $device->ports
                              ->search(undef, {columns => [qw/port custom_fields/]})
@@ -399,10 +405,11 @@ register_worker({ phase => 'early', driver => 'snmp' }, sub {
     foreach my $port (keys %fields) {
         foreach my $field (keys %{ $fields{$port} }) {
             delete $fields{$port}->{$field} unless exists $ok_fields{$field};
+            $fields{$port}->{$field} = Encode::decode('UTF-8', $fields{$port}->{$field});
         }
 
         # set new custom_fields
-        $deviceports{$port}->{custom_fields} = to_json $fields{$port};
+        $deviceports{$port}->{custom_fields} = $coder->encode($fields{$port});
     }
 
     my $gone = $device->ports->delete({keep_nodes => 1});