diff --git a/EGODatabase.h b/EGODatabase.h
index 83ccf75..ce5290a 100755
--- a/EGODatabase.h
+++ b/EGODatabase.h
@@ -39,8 +39,11 @@
 @private
 	sqlite3* handle;
 	BOOL opened;
+    NSStringEncoding stringEncoding;
 }
 
+@property (nonatomic,assign) NSStringEncoding encoding;
+
 + (id)databaseWithPath:(NSString*)aPath;
 - (id)initWithPath:(NSString*)aPath;
 
diff --git a/EGODatabase.m b/EGODatabase.m
index 8f19c39..0da993d 100755
--- a/EGODatabase.m
+++ b/EGODatabase.m
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ - (void)bindObject:(id)obj toColumn:(int)idx inStatement:(sqlite3_stmt*)pStmt;
 
 @implementation EGODatabase
 @synthesize sqliteHandle=handle;
+@synthesize encoding=stringEncoding;
 
 + (id)databaseWithPath:(NSString*)aPath {
 	return [[[[self class] alloc] initWithPath:aPath] autorelease];
@@ -81,6 +82,7 @@ - (id)initWithPath:(NSString*)aPath {
 	if((self = [super init])) {
 		databasePath = [aPath retain];
 		executeLock = [[NSLock alloc] init];
+        stringEncoding = NSUTF8StringEncoding;
 	}
 	
 	return self;
@@ -278,7 +280,9 @@ - (EGODatabaseResult*)executeQuery:(NSString*)sql parameters:(NSArray*)parameter
 		EGODatabaseRow* row = [[EGODatabaseRow alloc] initWithDatabaseResult:result];
 		for(x=0;x<columnCount;x++) {
 			if(sqlite3_column_text(statement,x) != NULL) {
-				[row.columnData addObject:[[[NSString alloc] initWithUTF8String:(char *)sqlite3_column_text(statement,x)] autorelease]];
+                char* text = (char *)sqlite3_column_text(statement,x);
+                NSString* textString = [NSString stringWithCString:text encoding:stringEncoding];
+				[row.columnData addObject:textString];
 			} else {
 				[row.columnData addObject:@""];
 			}
diff --git a/EGODatabaseRequest.h b/EGODatabaseRequest.h
index 2d49f88..e82cc5e 100644
--- a/EGODatabaseRequest.h
+++ b/EGODatabaseRequest.h
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ typedef enum {
 @end
 
 @protocol EGODatabaseRequestDelegate<NSObject>
+- (void)requestDidStartLoad:(EGODatabaseRequest*)request;
 - (void)requestDidSucceed:(EGODatabaseRequest*)request withResult:(EGODatabaseResult*)result; // result will be nil for EGODatabaseUpdateRequest
 - (void)requestDidFail:(EGODatabaseRequest*)request withError:(NSError*)error;
 @end
diff --git a/EGODatabaseRequest.m b/EGODatabaseRequest.m
index 6ef2d28..49af04c 100644
--- a/EGODatabaseRequest.m
+++ b/EGODatabaseRequest.m
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 #import "EGODatabase.h"
 
 @interface EGODatabaseRequest (Private)
+- (void)didStartLoad;
 - (void)didSucceedWithResult:(EGODatabaseResult*)result;
 - (void)didFailWithError:(NSError*)error;
 @end
@@ -54,6 +55,8 @@ - (void)main {
 	NSAutoreleasePool* pool = [[NSAutoreleasePool alloc] init];
 	[delegate retain];
 	
+    [self didStartLoad];
+    
 	if(self.requestKind == EGODatabaseUpdateRequest) {
 		BOOL result = [self.database executeUpdate:query parameters:parameters];
 		
@@ -97,6 +100,12 @@ - (void)main {
 	[pool release];
 }
 
+-(void)didStartLoad{
+    if(delegate && [delegate respondsToSelector:@selector(requestDidStartLoad:)]) {
+		[delegate requestDidStartLoad:self];
+	}
+}
+
 - (void)didSucceedWithResult:(EGODatabaseResult*)result {
 	if(delegate && [delegate respondsToSelector:@selector(requestDidSucceed:withResult:)]) {
 		[delegate requestDidSucceed:self withResult:result];
@@ -110,6 +119,7 @@ - (void)didFailWithError:(NSError*)error {
 }
 
 - (void)dealloc {
+    [query release];
 	[parameters release];
 	[database release];
 	[super dealloc];