diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 73ec4d7e0..15ee308c4 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ Library Documentation")
 
 ## Prerequisites
 
-* PHP >= 5.2.1
+* PHP >= 5.2.3
 * The PHP JSON extension
 
 ## Reporting Issues
diff --git a/Services/Twilio/Twiml.php b/Services/Twilio/Twiml.php
index e8c7605cd..98ae77826 100644
--- a/Services/Twilio/Twiml.php
+++ b/Services/Twilio/Twiml.php
@@ -92,15 +92,13 @@ public function __call($verb, array $args)
          * want to break their existing code by turning their &'s into 
          * &
          *
-         * So we end up with the following matrix:
+         * We also want to use numeric entities, not named entities so that we
+         * are fully compatible with XML
          *
-         * We want & to turn into & before passing to addChild
-         * We want & to stay as & before passing to addChild
-         *
-         * The following line accomplishes the desired behavior.
+         * The following lines accomplishes the desired behavior.
          */
-        $normalized = htmlentities($noun, null, null, false);
-        //then escape it again
+        $decoded = html_entity_decode($noun, ENT_COMPAT, 'UTF-8');
+        $normalized = htmlspecialchars($decoded, ENT_COMPAT, 'UTF-8', false);
         $child = empty($noun)
             ? $this->element->addChild(ucfirst($verb))
             : $this->element->addChild(ucfirst($verb), $normalized);
diff --git a/tests/TwimlTest.php b/tests/TwimlTest.php
index 81f502dc4..d606bf706 100644
--- a/tests/TwimlTest.php
+++ b/tests/TwimlTest.php
@@ -47,6 +47,30 @@ public function testSayConvienceMethod() {
         $this->assertXmlStringEqualsXmlString($expected, $r);
     }
     
+    public function testSayUTF8() {
+        $r = new Services_Twilio_Twiml();
+        $r->say("é tü & må");
+        $expected = '<Response><Say>'
+            . '&#xE9; t&#xFC; &amp; m&#xE5;</Say></Response>';
+        $this->assertXmlStringEqualsXmlString($expected, $r);
+    }
+    
+    public function testSayNamedEntities() {
+        $r = new Services_Twilio_Twiml();
+        $r->say("&eacute; t&uuml; &amp; m&aring;");
+        $expected = '<Response><Say>'
+            . '&#xE9; t&#xFC; &amp; m&#xE5;</Say></Response>';
+        $this->assertXmlStringEqualsXmlString($expected, $r);
+    }
+    
+    public function testSayNumericEntities() {
+        $r = new Services_Twilio_Twiml();
+        $r->say("&#xE9; t&#xFC; &amp; m&#xE5;");
+        $expected = '<Response><Say>'
+            . '&#xE9; t&#xFC; &amp; m&#xE5;</Say></Response>';
+        $this->assertXmlStringEqualsXmlString($expected, $r);
+    }
+    
     public function testPlayBasic() {   
         $r = new Services_Twilio_Twiml();
         $r->play("hello-monkey.mp3");