diff --git a/Lib/glob.py b/Lib/glob.py
index a92b11f431b..75d7bf94e5b 100644
--- a/Lib/glob.py
+++ b/Lib/glob.py
@@ -50,7 +50,8 @@ def glob1(dirname, pattern):
     if not dirname:
         dirname = os.curdir
     if isinstance(pattern, unicode) and not isinstance(dirname, unicode):
-        dirname = unicode(dirname, sys.getfilesystemencoding())
+        dirname = unicode(dirname, sys.getfilesystemencoding() or
+                                   sys.getdefaultencoding())
     try:
         names = os.listdir(dirname)
     except os.error: