diff --git a/phpgwapi/inc/xajax.inc.php b/phpgwapi/inc/xajax.inc.php
index 602a049302..bfff81b8ad 100644
--- a/phpgwapi/inc/xajax.inc.php
+++ b/phpgwapi/inc/xajax.inc.php
@@ -41,14 +41,17 @@
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 */
 
-/**
- * Define XAJAX_DEFAULT_CHAR_ENCODING that is used by both
- * the xajax and xajaxResponse classes
- */
-if (!defined ('XAJAX_DEFAULT_CHAR_ENCODING'))
-{
-	define ('XAJAX_DEFAULT_CHAR_ENCODING', 'utf-8' );
-}
+// RalfBecker: We can't allow to define the charset "now", as the eGW header is not yet included
+// and we dont know the charset at this moment. It will be set in xajax.php after the header include!
+// Please note: The use of this constant is also removed from the constructor further down!
+///**
+// * Define XAJAX_DEFAULT_CHAR_ENCODING that is used by both
+// * the xajax and xajaxResponse classes
+// */
+//if (!defined ('XAJAX_DEFAULT_CHAR_ENCODING'))
+//{
+//	define ('XAJAX_DEFAULT_CHAR_ENCODING', 'utf-8' );
+//}
 
 require_once(dirname(__FILE__)."/xajaxResponse.inc.php");
 
@@ -169,7 +172,9 @@ class xajax
 	 * @param string  defaults to XAJAX_DEFAULT_CHAR_ENCODING defined above
 	 * @param boolean defaults to false
 	 */
-	function xajax($sRequestURI="",$sWrapperPrefix="xajax_",$sEncoding=XAJAX_DEFAULT_CHAR_ENCODING,$bDebug=false)
+// RalfBecker: using the not yet defined constant XAJAX_DEFAULT_CHAR_ENCODING, results in a warning, which messes up the xml
+//	function xajax($sRequestURI="",$sWrapperPrefix="xajax_",$sEncoding=XAJAX_DEFAULT_CHAR_ENCODING,$bDebug=false)
+	function xajax($sRequestURI="",$sWrapperPrefix="xajax_",$sEncoding='utf-8',$bDebug=false)
 	{
 		$this->aFunctions = array();
 		$this->aObjects = array();
@@ -1236,4 +1241,4 @@ function xajaxErrorHandler($errno, $errstr, $errfile, $errline)
 	$GLOBALS['xajaxErrorHandlerText'] .= "\n----\n[$errTypeStr] $errstr\nerror in line $errline of file $errfile";
 }
 
-?>
\ No newline at end of file
+?>
diff --git a/xajax.php b/xajax.php
index 24e9f6615b..44c83bd6ac 100644
--- a/xajax.php
+++ b/xajax.php
@@ -21,6 +21,10 @@
 	 */
 	function xajax_redirect(&$anon_account)
 	{
+		// now the header is included, we can set the charset
+		$GLOBALS['xajax']->setCharEncoding($GLOBALS['egw']->translation->charset());
+		define('XAJAX_DEFAULT_CHAR_ENCODING',$GLOBALS['egw']->translation->charset());
+
 		$response =& new xajaxResponse();
 		$response->addScript("location.href='".$GLOBALS['egw_info']['server']['webserver_url'].'/login.php?cd=10'."';");
 
@@ -71,6 +75,7 @@
 
 		// now the header is included, we can set the charset
 		$GLOBALS['xajax']->setCharEncoding($GLOBALS['egw']->translation->charset());
+		define('XAJAX_DEFAULT_CHAR_ENCODING',$GLOBALS['egw']->translation->charset());
 
 		$ajaxClass =& CreateObject($appName.'.'.$className);
 		$argList = $GLOBALS['egw']->translation->convert($argList, 'utf-8');