diff --git a/st.c b/st.c
index 2594c65..66570a0 100644
--- a/st.c
+++ b/st.c
@@ -137,6 +137,7 @@ enum term_mode {
 	MODE_MOUSEMANY   = 1 << 18,
 	MODE_BRCKTPASTE  = 1 << 19,
 	MODE_PRINT       = 1 << 20,
+	MODE_UTF8        = 1 << 21,
 	MODE_MOUSE       = MODE_MOUSEBTN|MODE_MOUSEMOTION|MODE_MOUSEX10\
 	                  |MODE_MOUSEMANY,
 };
@@ -560,6 +561,8 @@ typedef struct {
 static Fontcache frc[16];
 static int frclen = 0;
 
+#include "sixel.c"
+
 ssize_t
 xwrite(int fd, const char *s, size_t len)
 {
@@ -1481,15 +1484,22 @@ ttyread(void)
 	/* process every complete utf8 char */
 	buflen += ret;
 	ptr = buf;
-	while ((charsize = utf8decode(ptr, &unicodep, buflen))) {
-		tputc(unicodep);
-		ptr += charsize;
-		buflen -= charsize;
+	if (term.mode & MODE_UTF8) {
+		while ((charsize = utf8decode(ptr, &unicodep, buflen))) {
+			if (sixel_mode)
+				tputsixelc(unicodep);
+			else
+				tputc(unicodep);
+			ptr += charsize;
+			buflen -= charsize;
+		}
+		/* keep any uncomplete utf8 char for the next call */
+		memmove(buf, ptr, buflen);
+	} else {
+		while (buflen-- > 0)
+			tputc(*ptr++ & 0xFF);
 	}
 
-	/* keep any uncomplete utf8 char for the next call */
-	memmove(buf, ptr, buflen);
-
 	return ret;
 }
 
@@ -1656,7 +1666,7 @@ treset(void)
 		term.tabs[i] = 1;
 	term.top = 0;
 	term.bot = term.row - 1;
-	term.mode = MODE_WRAP;
+	term.mode = MODE_WRAP|MODE_UTF8;
 	memset(term.trantbl, CS_USA, sizeof(term.trantbl));
 	term.charset = 0;
 
@@ -2929,11 +2939,13 @@ tputc(Rune u)
 	int width, len;
 	Glyph *gp;
 
-	control = ISCONTROL(u);
-	len = utf8encode(u, c);
-	if (!control && (width = wcwidth(u)) == -1) {
-		memcpy(c, "\357\277\275", 4); /* UTF_INVALID */
-		width = 1;
+	if (term.mode & UTF8) {
+		control = ISCONTROL(u);
+		len = utf8encode(u, c);
+		if (!control && (width = wcwidth(u)) == -1) {
+			memcpy(c, "\357\277\275", 4); /* UTF_INVALID */
+			width = 1;
+		}
 	}
 
 	if (IS_SET(MODE_PRINT))
@@ -2950,6 +2962,8 @@ tputc(Rune u)
 		   ISCONTROLC1(u)) {
 			term.esc &= ~(ESC_START|ESC_STR);
 			term.esc |= ESC_STR_END;
+		} else if (sixel_mode) {
+			tpuc_sixel();
 		} else if (strescseq.len + len < sizeof(strescseq.buf) - 1) {
 			memmove(&strescseq.buf[strescseq.len], c, len);
 			strescseq.len += len;