diff --git a/src/main/java/org/jboss/netty/handler/codec/http/HttpPostRequestDecoder.java b/src/main/java/org/jboss/netty/handler/codec/http/HttpPostRequestDecoder.java
index 8f32e84de2..912e4d18d5 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/jboss/netty/handler/codec/http/HttpPostRequestDecoder.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/jboss/netty/handler/codec/http/HttpPostRequestDecoder.java
@@ -850,7 +850,7 @@ public class HttpPostRequestDecoder {
         }
 
         while (sao.pos < sao.limit) {
-            char c = (char) sao.bytes[sao.pos ++];
+            char c = (char) (sao.bytes[sao.pos ++] & 0xFF);
             if (!Character.isISOControl(c) && !Character.isWhitespace(c)) {
                 sao.setReadPosition(1);
                 return;