diff --git a/main.cpp b/main.cpp
index 7219383d..5488797c 100644
--- a/main.cpp
+++ b/main.cpp
@@ -1,22 +1,16 @@
 #include "pip.h"
 #include "pivector2d.h"
+#include "pistring.h"
 
 
 int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
-	/*PIKbdListener kbd;
-	kbd.enableExitCapture();
-	kbd.start();*/
-	/*PIScreen s(false);
-	PIScreenTile t;
-	t.minimumHeight = t.minimumWidth = t.maximumHeight = t.maximumWidth = 1;
-	t.back_format.color_back = PIScreenTypes::Green;
-	s.rootTile()->addTile(&t);
-	s.rootTile()->addTile(new PIScreenTile());
-	s.enableExitCapture();
-	s.start();
-	piMSleep(100);
-	piCout << t.x() << t.y() << t.width() << t.height();*/
-	WAIT_FOR_EXIT
+	PIString s = PIString::fromUTF8("hello, привет");
+	piCout << s;
+	PIByteArray ba = s.toUTF8();
+	piCout << ba.toHex();
+	PIString s2;
+	s2 = PIString::fromUTF8(ba);
+	piCout << s2;
 	return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/src_main/core/pistring.cpp b/src_main/core/pistring.cpp
index 6832f5a4..f6a85127 100755
--- a/src_main/core/pistring.cpp
+++ b/src_main/core/pistring.cpp
@@ -254,9 +254,21 @@ PIString PIString::fromUTF8(const char * s) {
 	PIString ret;
 	if (l > 0) ret.appendFromChars(s, l
 #ifdef PIP_ICU
-										, "UTF-8"
+								   , "UTF-8"
 #endif
-												);
+								   );
+	return ret;
+}
+
+
+PIString PIString::fromUTF8(const PIByteArray & ba) {
+	PIString ret;
+	if (ba.isEmpty()) return ret;
+	ret.appendFromChars((const char*)ba.data(), ba.size()
+#ifdef PIP_ICU
+						, "UTF-8"
+#endif
+						);
 	return ret;
 }
 
diff --git a/src_main/core/pistring.h b/src_main/core/pistring.h
index 80d8cccc..cb23f72d 100755
--- a/src_main/core/pistring.h
+++ b/src_main/core/pistring.h
@@ -675,6 +675,9 @@ public:
 	//! \brief Return string constructed from UTF-8
 	static PIString fromUTF8(const char * s);
 	
+	//! \brief Return string constructed from UTF-8
+	static PIString fromUTF8(const PIByteArray &ba);
+
 	//! \brief Return string constructed from ASCII
 	static PIString fromAscii(const char * s);