diff --git a/src/parsecode.c b/src/parsecode.c
index 1b21c42..96f000f 100644
--- a/src/parsecode.c
+++ b/src/parsecode.c
@@ -695,7 +695,6 @@ int action_parent_config(pass_to_bison *bison_args, bxstr_t *filepath)
 int action_add_design(pass_to_bison *bison_args, char *design_primary_name, char *name_at_end)
 {
     design_t *tmp;
-    char *p;
 
     #ifdef PARSER_DEBUG
         fprintf(stderr, "--------- ADDING DESIGN \"%s\".\n", design_primary_name);
@@ -714,15 +713,6 @@ int action_add_design(pass_to_bison *bison_args, char *design_primary_name, char
         return RC_ERROR;
     }
 
-    p = design_primary_name;
-    while (*p) {
-        if (*p < 32 || *p > 126) {  /* CHECK this check may be unnecessary due to lexer's ASCII_ID */
-            yyerror(bison_args, "box design name must consist of printable standard ASCII characters.");
-            return RC_ERROR;
-        }
-        ++p;
-    }
-
     bison_args->num_mandatory = 0;
     bison_args->time_for_se_check = 0;
     bison_args->num_shapespec = 0;
diff --git a/src/parser.y b/src/parser.y
index 6fa8aff..73718d2 100644
--- a/src/parser.y
+++ b/src/parser.y
@@ -222,7 +222,14 @@ alias: ASCII_ID
 
 alias_list: alias | alias_list ',' alias;
 
-design_id: ASCII_ID | ASCII_ID ',' alias_list;
+design_id: ASCII_ID | ASCII_ID ',' alias_list
+
+| WORD
+    {
+        yyerror(bison_args, "box design name must consist of printable standard ASCII characters.");
+        YYERROR;
+    }
+;
 
 design: YBOX design_id
     {
diff --git a/test/174_non_ascii_design_name.cfg b/test/174_non_ascii_design_name.cfg
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b261a73
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/174_non_ascii_design_name.cfg
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+
+BOX käse
+
+sample
+    cheese
+ends
+
+shapes {
+     w ("cheese")
+}
+
+elastic (
+	w
+)
+
+padding {
+	left 1
+}
+
+END käse
diff --git a/test/174_non_ascii_design_name.txt b/test/174_non_ascii_design_name.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..480877e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/174_non_ascii_design_name.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+:ARGS
+-f 174_non_ascii_design_name.cfg
+:INPUT
+foo
+:OUTPUT-FILTER
+:EXPECTED-ERROR 1
+boxes: 174_non_ascii_design_name.cfg: line 2: box design name must consist of printable standard ASCII characters.
+boxes: 174_non_ascii_design_name.cfg: line 2: skipping to next design
+boxes: no valid data in config file -- 174_non_ascii_design_name.cfg
+boxes: no valid designs found
+:EOF