diff --git a/hledger-chart/Hledger/Chart/Main.hs b/hledger-chart/Hledger/Chart/Main.hs
index c7fde445b..71a4a3980 100644
--- a/hledger-chart/Hledger/Chart/Main.hs
+++ b/hledger-chart/Hledger/Chart/Main.hs
@@ -17,15 +17,13 @@ import Data.List
 import Safe (readDef)
 import System.Console.GetOpt
 import System.Exit (exitFailure)
-#if __GLASGOW_HASKELL__ <= 610
-import Prelude hiding (putStr, putStrLn)
-import System.IO.UTF8 (putStr, putStrLn)
-#endif
 
 import Hledger.Cli.Options
 import Hledger.Cli.Utils (withJournalDo)
 import Hledger.Cli.Version (progversionstr, binaryfilename)
 import Hledger.Data
+import Prelude hiding (putStr, putStrLn)
+import Hledger.Data.UTF8 (putStr, putStrLn)
 
 
 progname_chart = progname_cli ++ "-chart"
diff --git a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Data.hs b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Data.hs
index 54e8cbf3d..3b5161554 100644
--- a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Data.hs
+++ b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Data.hs
@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@
 
 The Hledger.Data library allows parsing and querying of C++ ledger-style
 journal files.  It generally provides a compatible subset of C++ ledger's
-functionality.  This package re-exports all the Hledger.Data.* modules.
+functionality.  This package re-exports all the Hledger.Data.* modules
+(except UTF8, which requires an explicit import.)
 
 -}
 
diff --git a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Data/Utils.hs b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Data/Utils.hs
index d4b3364d2..473ff916d 100644
--- a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Data/Utils.hs
+++ b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Data/Utils.hs
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ module Data.Time.Calendar,
 module Data.Time.LocalTime,
 module Debug.Trace,
 module Hledger.Data.Utils,
+-- module Hledger.Data.UTF8,
 module Text.Printf,
 module Text.RegexPR,
 module Test.HUnit,
@@ -36,10 +37,9 @@ import Data.Time.Clock
 import Data.Time.Calendar
 import Data.Time.LocalTime
 import Debug.Trace
-#if __GLASGOW_HASKELL__ <= 610
-import Prelude hiding (readFile,putStr,print)
-import System.IO.UTF8
-#endif
+-- needs to be done in each module I think
+-- import Prelude hiding (readFile,writeFile,getContents,putStr,putStrLn)
+-- import Hledger.Data.UTF8
 import Test.HUnit
 import Text.Printf
 import Text.RegexPR
diff --git a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read.hs b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read.hs
index a87e34cba..f557a95e0 100644
--- a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read.hs
+++ b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read.hs
@@ -16,13 +16,6 @@ module Hledger.Read (
        myTimelog,
 )
 where
-import Hledger.Data.Dates (getCurrentDay)
-import Hledger.Data.Types (Journal(..), Reader(..))
-import Hledger.Data.Journal (nullctx)
-import Hledger.Data.Utils
-import Hledger.Read.JournalReader as JournalReader
-import Hledger.Read.TimelogReader as TimelogReader
-
 import Control.Monad.Error
 import Data.Either (partitionEithers)
 import Safe (headDef)
@@ -30,12 +23,15 @@ import System.Directory (doesFileExist, getHomeDirectory)
 import System.Environment (getEnv)
 import System.FilePath ((</>))
 import System.IO (IOMode(..), withFile, stderr)
-#if __GLASGOW_HASKELL__ <= 610
+
+import Hledger.Data.Dates (getCurrentDay)
+import Hledger.Data.Types (Journal(..), Reader(..))
+import Hledger.Data.Journal (nullctx)
+import Hledger.Data.Utils
 import Prelude hiding (getContents)
-import System.IO.UTF8 (getContents, hGetContents)
-#else
-import System.IO (hGetContents)
-#endif
+import Hledger.Data.UTF8 (getContents, hGetContents)
+import Hledger.Read.JournalReader as JournalReader
+import Hledger.Read.TimelogReader as TimelogReader
 
 
 journalenvvar           = "LEDGER_FILE"
diff --git a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read/JournalReader.hs b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read/JournalReader.hs
index 7fc077d98..880f781b9 100644
--- a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read/JournalReader.hs
+++ b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read/JournalReader.hs
@@ -121,12 +121,10 @@ import Control.Monad.Error (ErrorT(..), throwError, catchError)
 import Data.List.Split (wordsBy)
 import Safe (headDef)
 import Text.ParserCombinators.Parsec hiding (parse)
-#if __GLASGOW_HASKELL__ <= 610
-import Prelude hiding (readFile, putStr, putStrLn, print, getContents)
-import System.IO.UTF8
-#endif
 
 import Hledger.Data
+import Prelude hiding (readFile)
+import Hledger.Data.UTF8 (readFile)
 import Hledger.Read.Utils
 
 
diff --git a/hledger-lib/hledger-lib.cabal b/hledger-lib/hledger-lib.cabal
index 06ec919a6..36ee0f2e3 100644
--- a/hledger-lib/hledger-lib.cabal
+++ b/hledger-lib/hledger-lib.cabal
@@ -42,12 +42,14 @@ library
                   Hledger.Data.TimeLog
                   Hledger.Data.Types
                   Hledger.Data.Utils
+                  Hledger.Data.UTF8
                   Hledger.Read
                   Hledger.Read.Utils
                   Hledger.Read.JournalReader
                   Hledger.Read.TimelogReader
   Build-Depends:
                   base >= 3 && < 5
+                 ,bytestring
                  ,containers
                  ,directory
                  ,filepath
diff --git a/hledger-vty/Hledger/Vty/Main.hs b/hledger-vty/Hledger/Vty/Main.hs
index 058228df0..a04e77d77 100644
--- a/hledger-vty/Hledger/Vty/Main.hs
+++ b/hledger-vty/Hledger/Vty/Main.hs
@@ -7,10 +7,6 @@ Released under GPL version 3 or later.
 
 module Hledger.Vty.Main where
 
-#if __GLASGOW_HASKELL__ <= 610
-import Prelude hiding (putStr, putStrLn)
-import System.IO.UTF8 (putStr, putStrLn)
-#endif
 import Graphics.Vty
 import Safe (headDef)
 import System.Console.GetOpt
@@ -22,6 +18,8 @@ import Hledger.Cli.Register
 import Hledger.Cli.Utils (withJournalDo)
 import Hledger.Cli.Version (progversionstr, binaryfilename)
 import Hledger.Data
+import Prelude hiding (putStr, putStrLn)
+import Hledger.Data.UTF8 (putStr, putStrLn)
 
 
 progname_vty = progname_cli ++ "-vty"
diff --git a/hledger-web/Hledger/Web/Main.hs b/hledger-web/Hledger/Web/Main.hs
index 5c7fd528a..64c5393c2 100644
--- a/hledger-web/Hledger/Web/Main.hs
+++ b/hledger-web/Hledger/Web/Main.hs
@@ -7,10 +7,6 @@ Released under GPL version 3 or later.
 
 module Hledger.Web.Main where
 
-#if __GLASGOW_HASKELL__ <= 610
-import Prelude hiding (putStr, putStrLn)
-import System.IO.UTF8 (putStr, putStrLn)
-#endif
 import Control.Concurrent (forkIO, threadDelay)
 import Network.Wai.Handler.SimpleServer (run)
 import System.Exit (exitFailure)
@@ -23,6 +19,8 @@ import Hledger.Cli.Options
 import Hledger.Cli.Utils (withJournalDo, openBrowserOn)
 import Hledger.Cli.Version (progversionstr, binaryfilename)
 import Hledger.Data
+import Prelude hiding (putStr, putStrLn)
+import Hledger.Data.UTF8 (putStr, putStrLn)
 import Hledger.Web.App (App(..), withApp)
 import Hledger.Web.Files (createFilesIfMissing)
 import Hledger.Web.Settings (browserstartdelay, defhost, defport, datadir)
diff --git a/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Add.hs b/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Add.hs
index dfc6bf8ad..b45562572 100644
--- a/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Add.hs
+++ b/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Add.hs
@@ -15,13 +15,10 @@ import Hledger.Data
 import Hledger.Read.JournalReader (someamount)
 import Hledger.Cli.Options
 import Hledger.Cli.Register (registerReport, registerReportAsText)
-#if __GLASGOW_HASKELL__ <= 610
-import Prelude hiding (putStr, putStrLn, getLine, appendFile)
-import System.IO.UTF8
-import System.IO ( stderr )
-#else
+import Prelude hiding (putStr, putStrLn, appendFile)
+import Hledger.Data.UTF8 (putStr, putStrLn, appendFile)
+
 import System.IO ( stderr, hPutStrLn, hPutStr )
-#endif
 import System.IO.Error
 import Text.ParserCombinators.Parsec
 import Hledger.Cli.Utils (readJournalWithOpts)
diff --git a/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Balance.hs b/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Balance.hs
index 194ae9676..72897debc 100644
--- a/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Balance.hs
+++ b/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Balance.hs
@@ -111,10 +111,8 @@ import Hledger.Data.AccountName
 import Hledger.Data.Posting
 import Hledger.Data.Ledger
 import Hledger.Cli.Options
-#if __GLASGOW_HASKELL__ <= 610
-import Prelude hiding ( putStr )
-import System.IO.UTF8
-#endif
+import Prelude hiding (putStr)
+import Hledger.Data.UTF8 (putStr)
 
 
 -- | A balance report is a chart of accounts with balances, and their grand total.
diff --git a/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Histogram.hs b/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Histogram.hs
index 376d10641..9acc3d84d 100644
--- a/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Histogram.hs
+++ b/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Histogram.hs
@@ -9,10 +9,8 @@ module Hledger.Cli.Histogram
 where
 import Hledger.Data
 import Hledger.Cli.Options
-#if __GLASGOW_HASKELL__ <= 610
-import Prelude hiding ( putStr )
-import System.IO.UTF8
-#endif
+import Prelude hiding (putStr)
+import Hledger.Data.UTF8 (putStr)
 
 
 barchar = '*'
diff --git a/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Main.hs b/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Main.hs
index c63b01b34..1bfb6a2b0 100644
--- a/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Main.hs
+++ b/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Main.hs
@@ -39,11 +39,8 @@ See "Hledger.Data.Ledger" for more examples.
 
 module Hledger.Cli.Main where
 
-#if __GLASGOW_HASKELL__ <= 610
 import Prelude hiding (putStr, putStrLn)
-import System.IO.UTF8
-#endif
-
+import Hledger.Data.UTF8 (putStr, putStrLn)
 import Hledger.Data
 import Hledger.Cli.Commands
 import Hledger.Cli.Options
diff --git a/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Print.hs b/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Print.hs
index a91e08ba7..db9a2782d 100644
--- a/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Print.hs
+++ b/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Print.hs
@@ -12,12 +12,10 @@ module Hledger.Cli.Print (
  ,journalReport
  ,showTransactions
 ) where
-import Hledger.Data
 import Hledger.Cli.Options
-#if __GLASGOW_HASKELL__ <= 610
-import Prelude hiding ( putStr )
-import System.IO.UTF8
-#endif
+import Hledger.Data
+import Prelude hiding (putStr)
+import Hledger.Data.UTF8 (putStr)
 
 
 -- | A "journal report" is just a list of transactions.
diff --git a/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Register.hs b/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Register.hs
index 3338f7265..9d93451a9 100644
--- a/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Register.hs
+++ b/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Register.hs
@@ -16,14 +16,13 @@ module Hledger.Cli.Register (
 ) where
 
 import Safe (headMay, lastMay)
-import Hledger.Data
-import Hledger.Cli.Options
-#if __GLASGOW_HASKELL__ <= 610
-import Prelude hiding ( putStr )
-import System.IO.UTF8
-#endif
 import Text.ParserCombinators.Parsec
 
+import Hledger.Cli.Options
+import Hledger.Data
+import Prelude hiding (putStr)
+import Hledger.Data.UTF8 (putStr)
+
 
 -- | A register report is a list of postings to an account or set of
 -- accounts, with a running total. Postings may be actual postings, or
diff --git a/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Stats.hs b/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Stats.hs
index 57638ec95..082fa681d 100644
--- a/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Stats.hs
+++ b/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Stats.hs
@@ -7,13 +7,12 @@ Print some statistics for the journal.
 
 module Hledger.Cli.Stats
 where
-import Hledger.Data
-import Hledger.Cli.Options
 import qualified Data.Map as Map
-#if __GLASGOW_HASKELL__ <= 610
-import Prelude hiding ( putStr )
-import System.IO.UTF8
-#endif
+
+import Hledger.Cli.Options
+import Hledger.Data
+import Prelude hiding (putStr)
+import Hledger.Data.UTF8 (putStr)
 
 
 -- like Register.summarisePostings