diff --git a/cli/fileformat.py b/cli/fileformat.py
index c2d005f..7c09060 100644
--- a/cli/fileformat.py
+++ b/cli/fileformat.py
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 import re
 import types
 
+file_encoding = 'utf8'
+
 # The possible fields for each type of object.
 #
 # Each field is a tuple (fieldname, fieldtype).  Fieldtype is either
@@ -171,23 +173,27 @@ def write_field_value_str(val):
     lines = ''
     if not val:
         val = ''
-    val = unicode(val)
     value_lines = val.split('\n')
     for l in value_lines:
         lines += ' ' + l + '\n'
+    if len(value_lines) > 1:
+        lines = '\n' + lines
     return lines
 
+def write_field_value_int(val):
+    return ' %s\n' % str(val)
+
 def write_field_value_dict(val):
     lines = '\n'
     for (key,values) in val.items():
         for single_value in values:
-            lines += ' ' + key + ' ' + unicode(single_value) + '\n'
+            lines += ' ' + key + ' ' + single_value + '\n'
     return lines
 
 def write_field_value_list(val):
     lines = ''
     for single_value in val:
-        lines += ' ' + unicode(single_value)
+        lines += ' ' + single_value
     return lines
 
 def make_comment(s):
@@ -197,7 +203,7 @@ def make_comment(s):
 def write_action(d):
     if type(d) in types.StringTypes:
         return make_comment(d)
-    lines = ''
+    lines = u''
     if 'comment' in d:
         lines += make_comment(d['comment'])
     action = d['action']
@@ -206,13 +212,14 @@ def write_action(d):
     for field, ftype in fields[data_type]:
         if field in d:
             value_writer = {'s': write_field_value_str,
-                            'i': write_field_value_str,
+                            'i': write_field_value_int,
                             'd': write_field_value_dict,
                             'l': write_field_value_list}[ftype]
             lines += field + ':' + value_writer(d[field])
-    return lines
+    return lines.encode(file_encoding)
 
 def write_actionlist(actions):
-    return '\n'.join(map(write_action, actions))
+    encoding_comment = '# -*- coding: %s -*-\n' % file_encoding
+    return encoding_comment + '\n'.join(map(write_action, actions))
 
 # test: print write_actionlist([{'comment':'Foo!\nBar!','action':'new-book','isbn':'434545'},{'action':'edit-book','isbn':'654654745','persons':{'author':['ab','foo'],'illustrator':['moo']}},'This\nis\na\ncomment.',{'action':'edit-category','id':'matematikk','name':'Matematikk','placement':['T10','T11']}])