diff --git a/Rakefile b/Rakefile
index 654f919..68fe575 100644
--- a/Rakefile
+++ b/Rakefile
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ require File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__), 'lib', 'net', 'ntlm')
 
 #PKG_NAME = 'rubyntlm'
 PKG_NAME = 'pyu-ntlm-http'
-PKG_VERSION = "0.1.3.1"
+PKG_VERSION = "0.1.3.2"
 
 task :default => [:test]
 
diff --git a/lib/net/ntlm.rb b/lib/net/ntlm.rb
index ed8b9ef..ee366c6 100644
--- a/lib/net/ntlm.rb
+++ b/lib/net/ntlm.rb
@@ -100,8 +100,12 @@ def decode_utf16le(str)
       end
 
       def encode_utf16le(str)
-        # Kconv on JRUBY outputs a BOM... so strip that
-        swap16(Kconv.kconv(str, Kconv::UTF16, Kconv::ASCII).gsub(/^\376\377/,''))
+        if str.respond_to?(:encode) # ruby 1.9 / jruby --1.9
+          str.encode("UTF-16LE").force_encoding("ASCII-8BIT")
+        else
+          # Kconv on JRUBY outputs a BOM... so strip that
+          swap16(Kconv.kconv(str, Kconv::UTF16, Kconv::ASCII).gsub(/^\376\377/,''))
+        end
       end
     
       def pack_int64le(val)