diff --git a/ecl/hql/hqlgram.hpp b/ecl/hql/hqlgram.hpp
index a1540c66aa1..594e44153b2 100644
--- a/ecl/hql/hqlgram.hpp
+++ b/ecl/hql/hqlgram.hpp
@@ -555,6 +555,7 @@ class HqlGram : implements IErrorReceiver, public CInterface
     void ensureString(attribute &a);
     void ensureTypeCanBeIndexed(attribute &a);
     void ensureUnicode(attribute &a);
+    void ensureUTF8(attribute &a);
     void ensureData(attribute &a);
     void ensureTransformTypeMatch(attribute & tattr, IHqlExpression * ds);
     bool checkTransformTypeMatch(const attribute & errpos, IHqlExpression * ds, IHqlExpression * transform);
diff --git a/ecl/hql/hqlgram.y b/ecl/hql/hqlgram.y
index b93fff16262..7990376f49c 100644
--- a/ecl/hql/hqlgram.y
+++ b/ecl/hql/hqlgram.y
@@ -6442,7 +6442,9 @@ primexpr1
                         {
                             parser->normalizeExpression($3, type_stringorunicode, false);
                             parser->checkRegex($3);
-                            if(isUnicodeType($3.queryExprType()))
+                            if(isUTF8Type($3.queryExprType()))
+                                parser->normalizeExpression($5, type_utf8, false);
+                            else if(isUnicodeType($3.queryExprType()))
                                 parser->normalizeExpression($5, type_unicode, false);
                             else
                                 parser->normalizeExpression($5, type_string, false);
@@ -6453,7 +6455,12 @@ primexpr1
                             parser->normalizeExpression($3, type_stringorunicode, false);
                             parser->checkRegex($3);
                             Owned<ITypeInfo> subType;
-                            if(isUnicodeType($3.queryExprType()))
+                            if(isUTF8Type($3.queryExprType()))
+                            {
+                                parser->normalizeExpression($5, type_utf8, false);
+                                subType.setown(makeUtf8Type(UNKNOWN_LENGTH, 0));
+                            }
+                            else if(isUnicodeType($3.queryExprType()))
                             {
                                 parser->normalizeExpression($5, type_unicode, false);
                                 subType.setown(makeUnicodeType(UNKNOWN_LENGTH, 0));
@@ -6471,7 +6478,12 @@ primexpr1
                             parser->normalizeExpression($3, type_stringorunicode, false);
                             parser->checkRegex($3);
                             Owned<ITypeInfo> retType;
-                            if(isUnicodeType($3.queryExprType()))
+                            if(isUTF8Type($3.queryExprType()))
+                            {
+                                parser->normalizeExpression($5, type_utf8, false);
+                                retType.setown(makeUtf8Type(UNKNOWN_LENGTH, $3.queryExprType()->queryLocale()));
+                            }
+                            else if(isUnicodeType($3.queryExprType()))
                             {
                                 parser->normalizeExpression($5, type_unicode, false);
                                 retType.setown(makeUnicodeType(UNKNOWN_LENGTH, $3.queryExprType()->queryLocale()));
@@ -6488,7 +6500,13 @@ primexpr1
                         {
                             parser->normalizeExpression($3, type_stringorunicode, false);
                             Owned<ITypeInfo> retType;
-                            if(isUnicodeType($3.queryExprType()))
+                            if(isUTF8Type($3.queryExprType()))
+                            {
+                                parser->normalizeExpression($5, type_utf8, false);
+                                parser->normalizeExpression($7, type_utf8, false);
+                                retType.setown(makeUtf8Type(UNKNOWN_LENGTH, 0));
+                            }
+                            else if(isUnicodeType($3.queryExprType()))
                             {
                                 parser->normalizeExpression($5, type_unicode, false);
                                 parser->normalizeExpression($7, type_unicode, false);
diff --git a/ecl/hql/hqlgram2.cpp b/ecl/hql/hqlgram2.cpp
index 46d13859e32..8af55910f8d 100644
--- a/ecl/hql/hqlgram2.cpp
+++ b/ecl/hql/hqlgram2.cpp
@@ -4703,6 +4703,9 @@ void HqlGram::normalizeExpression(attribute & exprAttr, type_t expectedType, boo
     case type_unicode:
         ensureUnicode(exprAttr);
         break;
+    case type_utf8:
+        ensureUTF8(exprAttr);
+        break;
     default:
         throwUnexpected();
     }
@@ -4974,6 +4977,25 @@ void HqlGram::ensureUnicode(attribute &a)
     }
 }
 
+void HqlGram::ensureUTF8(attribute &a)
+{
+    ITypeInfo *t1 = a.queryExprType();
+    if (t1 && !isUTF8Type(t1))
+    {
+        if (isStringType(t1))
+        {
+            Owned<ITypeInfo> utf8Type = makeUtf8Type(UNKNOWN_LENGTH, NULL);
+            OwnedHqlExpr value = a.getExpr();
+            a.setExpr(ensureExprType(value, utf8Type));
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            StringBuffer s;
+            reportError(ERR_TYPE_INCOMPATIBLE, a, "Incompatible types: expected UTF8, given %s", getFriendlyTypeStr(t1, s).str());
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 void HqlGram::ensureData(attribute &a)
 {
     ITypeInfo *t1 = a.queryExprType();