diff --git a/includes/core/um-actions-form.php b/includes/core/um-actions-form.php
index d0983a3a..3a0b3b42 100644
--- a/includes/core/um-actions-form.php
+++ b/includes/core/um-actions-form.php
@@ -444,7 +444,7 @@ function um_submit_form_errors_hook_( $args ) {
 				}
 
 				if ( isset( $array['max_words'] ) && $array['max_words'] > 0 ) {
-					if ( str_word_count( $args[$key] ) > $array['max_words'] ) {
+					if ( str_word_count( $args[$key], 0, "éèàôù" ) > $array['max_words'] ) {
 						UM()->form()->add_error($key, sprintf(__('You are only allowed to enter a maximum of %s words','ultimate-member'), $array['max_words']) );
 					}
 				}
diff --git a/includes/um-short-functions.php b/includes/um-short-functions.php
index aaca0a5f..3b470330 100644
--- a/includes/um-short-functions.php
+++ b/includes/um-short-functions.php
@@ -620,7 +620,7 @@ function um_js_redirect( $url ) {
  * @return string
  */
 function um_get_snippet( $str, $wordCount = 10 ) {
-	if (str_word_count( $str ) > $wordCount) {
+	if (str_word_count( $str, 0, "éèàôù" ) > $wordCount) {
 		$str = implode(
 			'',
 			array_slice(