diff --git a/core/um-fields.php b/core/um-fields.php
index 875424dd..bb486dc2 100644
--- a/core/um-fields.php
+++ b/core/um-fields.php
@@ -1573,8 +1573,11 @@ class UM_Fields {
 							if ( isset( $options_pair ) ) {
 								$option_value = $k;
 							}
+							
+							$option_value = htmlentities($option_value);
+							$option_value = apply_filters('um_select_dropdown_dynamic_option_value', $option_value);
 
-							$output .= '<option value="' . htmlentities($option_value) . '" ';
+							$output .= '<option value="' . $option_value . '" ';
 							if ( $this->is_selected($form_key, $option_value, $data) ) {
 								$output.= 'selected';
 							}
diff --git a/core/um-filters-fields.php b/core/um-filters-fields.php
index 23e67a5d..dc2f59af 100644
--- a/core/um-filters-fields.php
+++ b/core/um-filters-fields.php
@@ -329,6 +329,7 @@
 	 * @uses   hook filter: um_is_selected_filter_value
 	 */
 	add_filter('um_is_selected_filter_value','um_is_selected_filter_value',1,9);
+	add_filter('um_select_dropdown_dynamic_option_value','um_is_selected_filter_value',1,10);
 	function um_is_selected_filter_value( $value ){
 		global $ultimatemember;
 
@@ -338,4 +339,26 @@
 		$value = um_force_utf8_string( $value );
 		
 		return $value;
-	}
\ No newline at end of file
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Filter select dropdown to use UTF-8 encoding
+	 * @param  array $options 
+	 * @param  array $data    
+	 * @return $options
+	 * @uses   hook filter: um_select_dropdown_dynamic_options
+	 */
+	add_filter('um_select_dropdown_dynamic_options','um_select_dropdown_dynamic_options_to_utf8',2,10);
+	function um_select_dropdown_dynamic_options_to_utf8( $options, $data ){
+		global $ultimatemember;
+
+		if( ! um_get_option('um_force_utf8_strings') ) 
+			return $options;
+
+		foreach ( $options as $key => $value ) {
+			$options[ $key ] = um_force_utf8_string( $value );
+		
+		}
+
+		return $options;
+	}
diff --git a/core/um-filters-user.php b/core/um-filters-user.php
index df119126..7e6a8a4c 100644
--- a/core/um-filters-user.php
+++ b/core/um-filters-user.php
@@ -90,3 +90,24 @@
 
 	}
 
+
+	/**
+	 * Filter before update profile to force utf8 strings
+	 * @param  mixed $value
+	 * @return mixed
+	 * @uses   hook filter: um_is_selected_filter_value
+	 */
+	add_filter('um_before_update_profile','um_before_update_profile',2,10);
+	function um_before_update_profile( $changes, $user_id ){
+		global $ultimatemember;
+
+		if( ! um_get_option('um_force_utf8_strings') ) 
+			return $changes;
+
+		foreach( $changes as $key => $value ) {
+			$changes[ $key ] = um_force_utf8_string( $value );
+
+		}
+		
+		return $changes;
+	}
diff --git a/core/um-user.php b/core/um-user.php
index 3c8e1f19..8496fa30 100644
--- a/core/um-user.php
+++ b/core/um-user.php
@@ -829,7 +829,7 @@ class UM_User {
 
 		$args['ID'] = $this->id;
 
-		$changes = apply_filters('um_before_update_profile');
+		$changes = apply_filters('um_before_update_profile', $changes, $this->id);
 
 		// save or update profile meta
 		foreach( $changes as $key => $value ) {