diff --git a/common/ini-file.cpp b/common/ini-file.cpp
index 1bf0a0eec6cc..987a200bd4a9 100644
--- a/common/ini-file.cpp
+++ b/common/ini-file.cpp
@@ -28,7 +28,9 @@
 
 namespace Common {
 
-bool INIFile::isValidName(const String &name) {
+bool INIFile::isValidName(const String &name, bool allowNonEnglishCharacters) {
+	if (allowNonEnglishCharacters)
+		return true;
 	const char *p = name.c_str();
 	while (*p && (isAlnum(*p) || *p == '-' || *p == '_' || *p == '.' || *p == ' '))
 		p++;
@@ -36,6 +38,7 @@ bool INIFile::isValidName(const String &name) {
 }
 
 INIFile::INIFile() {
+	_allowNonEnglishCharacters = false;
 }
 
 INIFile::~INIFile() {
@@ -108,7 +111,7 @@ bool INIFile::loadFromStream(SeekableReadStream &stream) {
 			// is, verify that it only consists of alphanumerics,
 			// periods, dashes and underscores). Mohawk Living Books games
 			// can have periods in their section names.
-			while (*p && (isAlnum(*p) || *p == '-' || *p == '_' || *p == '.' || *p == ' '))
+			while (*p && ((_allowNonEnglishCharacters && *p != ']') || isAlnum(*p) || *p == '-' || *p == '_' || *p == '.' || *p == ' '))
 				p++;
 
 			if (*p == '\0')
@@ -125,7 +128,7 @@ bool INIFile::loadFromStream(SeekableReadStream &stream) {
 			section.comment = comment;
 			comment.clear();
 
-			assert(isValidName(section.name));
+			assert(isValidName(section.name, _allowNonEnglishCharacters));
 		} else {
 			// This line should be a line with a 'key=value' pair, or an empty one.
 
@@ -160,7 +163,7 @@ bool INIFile::loadFromStream(SeekableReadStream &stream) {
 			kv.comment = comment;
 			comment.clear();
 
-			assert(isValidName(kv.key));
+			assert(isValidName(kv.key, _allowNonEnglishCharacters));
 
 			section.keys.push_back(kv);
 		}
@@ -237,7 +240,7 @@ void INIFile::addSection(const String &section) {
 }
 
 void INIFile::removeSection(const String &section) {
-	assert(isValidName(section));
+	assert(isValidName(section, _allowNonEnglishCharacters));
 	for (List<Section>::iterator i = _sections.begin(); i != _sections.end(); ++i) {
 		if (section.equalsIgnoreCase(i->name)) {
 			_sections.erase(i);
@@ -247,14 +250,14 @@ void INIFile::removeSection(const String &section) {
 }
 
 bool INIFile::hasSection(const String &section) const {
-	assert(isValidName(section));
+	assert(isValidName(section, _allowNonEnglishCharacters));
 	const Section *s = getSection(section);
 	return s != nullptr;
 }
 
 void INIFile::renameSection(const String &oldName, const String &newName) {
-	assert(isValidName(oldName));
-	assert(isValidName(newName));
+	assert(isValidName(oldName, _allowNonEnglishCharacters));
+	assert(isValidName(newName, _allowNonEnglishCharacters));
 
 	Section *os = getSection(oldName);
 	const Section *ns = getSection(newName);
@@ -275,8 +278,8 @@ void INIFile::renameSection(const String &oldName, const String &newName) {
 
 
 bool INIFile::hasKey(const String &key, const String &section) const {
-	assert(isValidName(key));
-	assert(isValidName(section));
+	assert(isValidName(key, _allowNonEnglishCharacters));
+	assert(isValidName(section, _allowNonEnglishCharacters));
 
 	const Section *s = getSection(section);
 	if (!s)
@@ -285,8 +288,8 @@ bool INIFile::hasKey(const String &key, const String &section) const {
 }
 
 void INIFile::removeKey(const String &key, const String &section) {
-	assert(isValidName(key));
-	assert(isValidName(section));
+	assert(isValidName(key, _allowNonEnglishCharacters));
+	assert(isValidName(section, _allowNonEnglishCharacters));
 
 	Section *s = getSection(section);
 	if (s)
@@ -294,8 +297,8 @@ void INIFile::removeKey(const String &key, const String &section) {
 }
 
 bool INIFile::getKey(const String &key, const String &section, String &value) const {
-	assert(isValidName(key));
-	assert(isValidName(section));
+	assert(isValidName(key, _allowNonEnglishCharacters));
+	assert(isValidName(section, _allowNonEnglishCharacters));
 
 	const Section *s = getSection(section);
 	if (!s)
@@ -308,8 +311,8 @@ bool INIFile::getKey(const String &key, const String &section, String &value) co
 }
 
 void INIFile::setKey(const String &key, const String &section, const String &value) {
-	assert(isValidName(key));
-	assert(isValidName(section));
+	assert(isValidName(key, _allowNonEnglishCharacters));
+	assert(isValidName(section, _allowNonEnglishCharacters));
 	// TODO: Verify that value is valid, too. In particular, it shouldn't
 	// contain CR or LF...
 
@@ -389,4 +392,8 @@ void INIFile::Section::removeKey(const String &key) {
 	}
 }
 
+void INIFile::allowNonEnglishCharacters() {
+	_allowNonEnglishCharacters = true;
+}
+
 } // End of namespace Common
diff --git a/common/ini-file.h b/common/ini-file.h
index f27a8b94256c..23ecd863d44d 100644
--- a/common/ini-file.h
+++ b/common/ini-file.h
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ class INIFile {
 	 * underscores. In particular, white space and "#", "=", "[", "]"
 	 * are not valid!
 	 */
-	static bool isValidName(const String &name);
+	static bool isValidName(const String &name, bool allowNonEnglishCharacters);
 
 	/** Reset everything stored in this ini file. */
 	void	clear();
@@ -115,8 +115,11 @@ class INIFile {
 
 	void listKeyValues(StringMap &kv);
 
+	void allowNonEnglishCharacters();
+
 private:
 	SectionList _sections;
+	bool _allowNonEnglishCharacters;
 
 	Section *getSection(const String &section);
 	const Section *getSection(const String &section) const;