diff --git a/swift/proxy/controllers/obj.py b/swift/proxy/controllers/obj.py
index 306f8cb304..36c32b5bec 100644
--- a/swift/proxy/controllers/obj.py
+++ b/swift/proxy/controllers/obj.py
@@ -520,6 +520,7 @@ class ObjectController(Controller):
                 'X-Copy-From' not in req.headers and \
                 self.app.allow_static_large_object:
             resp.content_type = 'application/json'
+            resp.charset = 'utf-8'
 
         if config_true_value(resp.headers.get('x-static-large-object')) and \
                 req.params.get('multipart-manifest') != 'get' and \
diff --git a/test/unit/proxy/test_server.py b/test/unit/proxy/test_server.py
index de0f1dc350..b684911093 100644
--- a/test/unit/proxy/test_server.py
+++ b/test/unit/proxy/test_server.py
@@ -1274,6 +1274,7 @@ class TestObjectController(unittest.TestCase):
             self.assertEqual(resp.status_int, 200)
             self.assertEqual(resp.body, json_listing)
             self.assertEqual(resp.content_type, 'application/json')
+            self.assertEqual(resp.charset.lower(), 'utf-8')
 
             self.assertEqual(
                 requested,