diff --git a/Hledger/Cli/Commands/Chart.hs b/Hledger/Cli/Commands/Chart.hs
index 12521181e..40b193b0f 100644
--- a/Hledger/Cli/Commands/Chart.hs
+++ b/Hledger/Cli/Commands/Chart.hs
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ getOption opts opt def =
 parseSize :: String -> (Int,Int)
 parseSize str = (read w, read h)
     where
-    x = fromMaybe (error "Size should be in WIDTHxHEIGHT format") $ findIndex (=='x') str
+    x = fromMaybe (error' "Size should be in WIDTHxHEIGHT format") $ findIndex (=='x') str
     (w,_:h) = splitAt x str
 
 -- | Generate pie chart
diff --git a/Hledger/Cli/Commands/Convert.hs b/Hledger/Cli/Commands/Convert.hs
index ba83bfa9b..d9e9978b5 100644
--- a/Hledger/Cli/Commands/Convert.hs
+++ b/Hledger/Cli/Commands/Convert.hs
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ module Hledger.Cli.Commands.Convert where
 import Hledger.Cli.Options (Opt(Debug))
 import Hledger.Cli.Version (versionstr)
 import Hledger.Data.Types (Journal,AccountName,Transaction(..),Posting(..),PostingType(..))
-import Hledger.Data.Utils (strip, spacenonewline, restofline, parseWithCtx, assertParse, assertParseEqual)
+import Hledger.Data.Utils (strip, spacenonewline, restofline, parseWithCtx, assertParse, assertParseEqual, error')
 import Hledger.Read.Common (emptyCtx)
 import Hledger.Read.Journal (someamount,ledgeraccountname)
 import Hledger.Data.Amount (nullmixedamt)
@@ -71,11 +71,11 @@ type CsvRecord = [String]
 -- using/creating a .rules file.
 convert :: [Opt] -> [String] -> Journal -> IO ()
 convert opts args _ = do
-  when (null args) $ error "please specify a csv data file."
+  when (null args) $ error' "please specify a csv data file."
   let csvfile = head args
   csvparse <- parseCSVFromFile csvfile
   let records = case csvparse of
-                  Left e -> error $ show e
+                  Left e -> error' $ show e
                   Right rs -> reverse $ filter (/= [""]) rs
   let debug = Debug `elem` opts
       rulesfile = rulesFileFor csvfile
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ convert opts args _ = do
                   writeFile rulesfile initialRulesFileContent
    else
       hPrintf stderr "using conversion rules file %s\n" rulesfile
-  rules <- liftM (either (error.show) id) $ parseCsvRulesFile rulesfile
+  rules <- liftM (either (error'.show) id) $ parseCsvRulesFile rulesfile
   when debug $ hPrintf stderr "rules: %s\n" (show rules)
   let requiredfields = max 2 (maxFieldIndex rules + 1)
       badrecords = take 1 $ filter ((< requiredfields).length) records
diff --git a/Hledger/Cli/Commands/Vty.hs b/Hledger/Cli/Commands/Vty.hs
index 53923e867..17f2773e9 100644
--- a/Hledger/Cli/Commands/Vty.hs
+++ b/Hledger/Cli/Commands/Vty.hs
@@ -117,13 +117,13 @@ scrollY = sy . loc
 posY a = scrollY a + cursorY a
 
 setCursorY, setScrollY, setPosY :: Int -> AppState -> AppState
-setCursorY _ AppState{alocs=[]} = error "shouldn't happen" -- silence warnings
+setCursorY _ AppState{alocs=[]} = error' "shouldn't happen" -- silence warnings
 setCursorY y a@AppState{alocs=(l:locs)} = a{alocs=(l':locs)} where l' = setLocCursorY y l
 
-setScrollY _ AppState{alocs=[]} = error "shouldn't happen" -- silence warnings
+setScrollY _ AppState{alocs=[]} = error' "shouldn't happen" -- silence warnings
 setScrollY y a@AppState{alocs=(l:locs)} = a{alocs=(l':locs)} where l' = setLocScrollY y l
 
-setPosY _ AppState{alocs=[]}    = error "shouldn't happen" -- silence warnings
+setPosY _ AppState{alocs=[]}    = error' "shouldn't happen" -- silence warnings
 setPosY y a@AppState{alocs=(l:locs)} = a{alocs=(l':locs)}
     where 
       l' = setLocScrollY sy $ setLocCursorY cy l
diff --git a/Hledger/Cli/Commands/Web.hs b/Hledger/Cli/Commands/Web.hs
index 998dbb1d4..2234fc4aa 100644
--- a/Hledger/Cli/Commands/Web.hs
+++ b/Hledger/Cli/Commands/Web.hs
@@ -725,7 +725,7 @@ hdstringlist :: [String] -> HamletData HledgerWebAppRoute
 hdstringlist ss = HDList [ [([], hdstring s)] | s <- ss ]
 
 instance Failure HamletException Handler
-    where failure = error . show
+    where failure = error' . show
 
 renderHamletFile :: FilePath -> HamletMap HledgerWebAppRoute -> Handler Html
 renderHamletFile hfile hmap = do
diff --git a/Hledger/Cli/Options.hs b/Hledger/Cli/Options.hs
index a1e055efa..f1050eafa 100644
--- a/Hledger/Cli/Options.hs
+++ b/Hledger/Cli/Options.hs
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ parseArguments = do
   case (as,es) of
     (cmd:args,[])   -> return (os'',cmd,args)
     ([],[])         -> return (os'',"",[])
-    (_,errs)        -> ioError (userError (concat errs ++ help1))
+    (_,errs)        -> ioError (userError' (concat errs ++ help1))
 
 -- | Convert any fuzzy dates within these option values to explicit ones,
 -- based on today's date.
diff --git a/Hledger/Cli/Tests.hs b/Hledger/Cli/Tests.hs
index 7e9d73a46..24f62b2bb 100644
--- a/Hledger/Cli/Tests.hs
+++ b/Hledger/Cli/Tests.hs
@@ -61,8 +61,8 @@ tests = TestList [
    tests_Hledger_Commands,
 
    "account directive" ~:
-   let sameParse str1 str2 = do j1 <- readJournal Nothing str1 >>= either error return
-                                j2 <- readJournal Nothing str2 >>= either error return
+   let sameParse str1 str2 = do j1 <- readJournal Nothing str1 >>= either error' return
+                                j2 <- readJournal Nothing str2 >>= either error' return
                                 j1 `is` j2{filereadtime=filereadtime j1, jtext=jtext j1}
    in TestList
    [
@@ -243,7 +243,7 @@ tests = TestList [
              ,"2008/1/1 test           "
              ,"  a:b          10h @ $50"
              ,"  c:d                   "
-             ]) >>= either error return
+             ]) >>= either error' return
       let j' = journalCanonicaliseAmounts $ journalConvertAmountsToCost j -- enable cost basis adjustment
       balanceReportAsText [] (balanceReport [] nullfilterspec j') `is`
        unlines
@@ -292,7 +292,7 @@ tests = TestList [
                      (Mixed [dollars (-1)])
                      (case e of
                         Right e' -> (pamount $ last $ tpostings e')
-                        Left _ -> error "should not happen")
+                        Left _ -> error' "should not happen")
 
   ,"journalCanonicaliseAmounts" ~:
    "use the greatest precision" ~:
@@ -385,7 +385,7 @@ tests = TestList [
     "assets:bank" `isSubAccountNameOf` "my assets" `is` False
 
   ,"default year" ~: do
-    rl <- readJournal Nothing defaultyear_journal_str >>= either error return
+    rl <- readJournal Nothing defaultyear_journal_str >>= either error' return
     tdate (head $ jtxns rl) `is` fromGregorian 2009 1 1
     return ()
 
diff --git a/Hledger/Cli/Utils.hs b/Hledger/Cli/Utils.hs
index 0e54b6f63..ae54be5a2 100644
--- a/Hledger/Cli/Utils.hs
+++ b/Hledger/Cli/Utils.hs
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ withJournalDo opts args _ cmd = do
   -- We kludgily read the file before parsing to grab the full text, unless
   -- it's stdin, or it doesn't exist and we are adding. We read it strictly
   -- to let the add command work.
-  journalFilePathFromOpts opts >>= readJournalFile Nothing >>= either error runcmd
+  journalFilePathFromOpts opts >>= readJournalFile Nothing >>= either (error'.trace "BBB") runcmd
     where
       costify = (if CostBasis `elem` opts then journalConvertAmountsToCost else id)
       runcmd = cmd opts args . costify
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ withJournalDo opts args _ cmd = do
 -- | Get a journal from the given string and options, or throw an error.
 readJournalWithOpts :: [Opt] -> String -> IO Journal
 readJournalWithOpts opts s = do
-  j <- readJournal Nothing s >>= either error return
+  j <- readJournal Nothing s >>= either error' return
   return $ (if cost then journalConvertAmountsToCost else id) j
     where cost = CostBasis `elem` opts
 
diff --git a/Hledger/Cli/Version.hs b/Hledger/Cli/Version.hs
index fd29170d9..420565471 100644
--- a/Hledger/Cli/Version.hs
+++ b/Hledger/Cli/Version.hs
@@ -41,8 +41,8 @@ binaryfilename = prettify $ splitAtElement '.' buildversion :: String
                   prettify (major:minor:bugfix:[]) = prettify [major,minor,bugfix,"0"]
                   prettify (major:minor:[])        = prettify [major,minor,"0","0"]
                   prettify (major:[])              = prettify [major,"0","0","0"]
-                  prettify []                      = error "VERSION is empty, please fix"
-                  prettify _                       = error "VERSION has too many components, please fix"
+                  prettify []                      = error' "VERSION is empty, please fix"
+                  prettify _                       = error' "VERSION has too many components, please fix"
 
 versionstr    = prettify $ splitAtElement '.' buildversion :: String
                 where
diff --git a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Data/Amount.hs b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Data/Amount.hs
index 22c12a57c..adfd26e6d 100644
--- a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Data/Amount.hs
+++ b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Data/Amount.hs
@@ -64,9 +64,9 @@ instance Num MixedAmount where
     fromInteger i = Mixed [Amount (comm "") (fromInteger i) Nothing]
     negate (Mixed as) = Mixed $ map negateAmountPreservingPrice as
     (+) (Mixed as) (Mixed bs) = normaliseMixedAmount $ Mixed $ as ++ bs
-    (*)    = error "programming error, mixed amounts do not support multiplication"
-    abs    = error "programming error, mixed amounts do not support abs"
-    signum = error "programming error, mixed amounts do not support signum"
+    (*)    = error' "programming error, mixed amounts do not support multiplication"
+    abs    = error' "programming error, mixed amounts do not support abs"
+    signum = error' "programming error, mixed amounts do not support signum"
 
 instance Ord MixedAmount where
     compare (Mixed as) (Mixed bs) = compare as bs
diff --git a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Data/Commodity.hs b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Data/Commodity.hs
index 1959eb866..dd989e7c0 100644
--- a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Data/Commodity.hs
+++ b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Data/Commodity.hs
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ defaultcommodities = [dollar,  euro,  pound, hour, unknown]
 -- | Look up one of the hard-coded default commodities. For use in tests.
 comm :: String -> Commodity
 comm sym = fromMaybe 
-              (error "commodity lookup failed") 
+              (error' "commodity lookup failed") 
               $ find (\(Commodity{symbol=s}) -> s==sym) defaultcommodities
 
 -- | Find the conversion rate between two commodities. Currently returns 1.
diff --git a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Data/Dates.hs b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Data/Dates.hs
index 28cb9b4f6..6b44b9dcb 100644
--- a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Data/Dates.hs
+++ b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Data/Dates.hs
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ splitspan start next span@(DateSpan (Just b) (Just e))
                         : splitspan' start next (DateSpan (Just n) (Just e))
           where s = start b
                 n = next s
-      splitspan' _ _ _ = error "won't happen, avoids warnings"
+      splitspan' _ _ _ = error' "won't happen, avoids warnings"
 
 -- | Count the days in a DateSpan, or if it is open-ended return Nothing.
 daysInSpan :: DateSpan -> Maybe Integer
@@ -234,12 +234,12 @@ parsedateM s = firstJust [
 
 -- | Parse a date-time string to a time type, or raise an error.
 parsedatetime :: String -> LocalTime
-parsedatetime s = fromMaybe (error $ "could not parse timestamp \"" ++ s ++ "\"")
+parsedatetime s = fromMaybe (error' $ "could not parse timestamp \"" ++ s ++ "\"")
                             (parsedatetimeM s)
 
 -- | Parse a date string to a time type, or raise an error.
 parsedate :: String -> Day
-parsedate s =  fromMaybe (error $ "could not parse date \"" ++ s ++ "\"")
+parsedate s =  fromMaybe (error' $ "could not parse date \"" ++ s ++ "\"")
                          (parsedateM s)
 
 -- | Parse a time string to a time type using the provided pattern, or
diff --git a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Data/TimeLog.hs b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Data/TimeLog.hs
index d89fa31b9..e359c1cb9 100644
--- a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Data/TimeLog.hs
+++ b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Data/TimeLog.hs
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ entryFromTimeLogInOut :: TimeLogEntry -> TimeLogEntry -> Transaction
 entryFromTimeLogInOut i o
     | otime >= itime = t
     | otherwise = 
-        error $ "clock-out time less than clock-in time in:\n" ++ showTransaction t
+        error' $ "clock-out time less than clock-in time in:\n" ++ showTransaction t
     where
       t = Transaction {
             tdate         = idate,
diff --git a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Data/Utils.hs b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Data/Utils.hs
index f5e231103..691c61a54 100644
--- a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Data/Utils.hs
+++ b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Data/Utils.hs
@@ -175,6 +175,14 @@ toPlatformString = case os of
                      "darwin" -> UTF8.encodeString
                      _ -> id
 
+-- | A version of error that's better at displaying unicode.
+error' :: String -> a
+error' = error . toPlatformString
+
+-- | A version of userError that's better at displaying unicode.
+userError' :: String -> IOError
+userError' = userError . toPlatformString
+
 -- math
 
 difforzero :: (Num a, Ord a) => a -> a -> a
@@ -281,7 +289,7 @@ parseWithCtx ctx p = runParser p ctx ""
 fromparse :: Either ParseError a -> a
 fromparse = either parseerror id
 
-parseerror e = error $ showParseError e
+parseerror e = error' $ showParseError e
 
 showParseError e = "parse error at " ++ show e
 
diff --git a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read.hs b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read.hs
index f3e2c159b..0e5f87c07 100644
--- a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read.hs
+++ b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read.hs
@@ -129,11 +129,11 @@ myTimelogPath =
 
 -- | Read the user's default journal file, or give an error.
 myJournal :: IO Journal
-myJournal = myJournalPath >>= readJournalFile Nothing >>= either error return
+myJournal = myJournalPath >>= readJournalFile Nothing >>= either error' return
 
 -- | Read the user's default timelog file, or give an error.
 myTimelog :: IO Journal
-myTimelog = myTimelogPath >>= readJournalFile Nothing >>= either error return
+myTimelog = myTimelogPath >>= readJournalFile Nothing >>= either error' return
 
 tests_Hledger_Read = TestList
   [
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ tests_Hledger_Read = TestList
    "journalFile" ~: do
     assertBool "journalFile should parse an empty file" (isRight $ parseWithCtx emptyCtx Journal.journalFile "")
     jE <- readJournal Nothing "" -- don't know how to get it from journalFile
-    either error (assertBool "journalFile parsing an empty file should give an empty journal" . null . jtxns) jE
+    either error' (assertBool "journalFile parsing an empty file should give an empty journal" . null . jtxns) jE
 
   ,Journal.tests_Journal
   ,Timelog.tests_Timelog
diff --git a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read/Common.hs b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read/Common.hs
index 45754d215..59b0e7d08 100644
--- a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read/Common.hs
+++ b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read/Common.hs
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ parseJournalWith p f s = do
   tl <- liftIO getCurrentLocalTime
   case runParser p emptyCtx f s of
     Right updates -> liftM (journalFinalise tc tl f s) $ updates `ap` return nulljournal
-    Left err      -> throwError $ show err -- XXX raises an uncaught exception if we have a parsec user error, eg from many ?
+    Left err      -> throwError $ show err
 
 -- | Some state kept while parsing a journal file.
 data JournalContext = Ctx {