--- src/mime.c.orig	2012-12-22 07:53:40.000000000 +0700
+++ src/mime.c	2013-04-17 01:20:24.000000000 +0700
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@
 
 int Slrn_Use_Meta_Mail = 1;
 int Slrn_Fold_Headers = 1;
+int Slrn_Encode_Subject = 1;
 char *Slrn_MetaMail_Cmd;
 
 #ifndef SLRNPULL_CODE
@@ -1781,6 +1782,9 @@
 
    if (s == strmax)
      return slrn_mime_error (_("Header line lacks a colon"), str, 0, MIME_ERROR_CRIT);
+ 
+    if (0 == Slrn_Encode_Subject && !slrn_case_strncmp (str, "Subject: ", 9))
+      return NULL;
 
    s++; /* skip colon */
 
@@ -2061,7 +2065,8 @@
 	  return err;
      }
 
-   if (slrn_string_nonascii (*s_ptr))
+   if ((slrn_case_strncmp (*s_ptr, "Subject: ", 9) || (0 != Slrn_Encode_Subject))
+       && slrn_string_nonascii (*s_ptr))
      return slrn_mime_error (_("This header contains eight bit characters after encoding"), *s_ptr, 0, MIME_ERROR_CRIT);
 
    if (h->fold != NULL)
--- src/mime.h.orig	2007-10-22 12:32:53.000000000 +0800
+++ src/mime.h	2009-01-08 02:10:21.000000000 +0700
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
 
 
 extern int Slrn_Fold_Headers;
+extern int Slrn_Encode_Subject;
 extern int Slrn_Use_Meta_Mail;
 extern char *Slrn_MetaMail_Cmd;
 
--- src/startup.c.orig	2009-01-08 02:09:19.000000000 +0700
+++ src/startup.c	2009-01-08 02:32:31.000000000 +0700
@@ -656,6 +656,7 @@
      {"spoiler_char", NULL, NULL},
 #endif
      {"fold_headers", &Slrn_Fold_Headers, NULL},
+     {"encode_subject", &Slrn_Encode_Subject, NULL},
 #if SLRN_HAS_GROUPLENS
      {"use_grouplens", &Slrn_Use_Group_Lens, NULL},
      {"grouplens_port", &Slrn_GroupLens_Port, NULL},