diff --git a/codec-http/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/http/HttpHeaders.java b/codec-http/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/http/HttpHeaders.java
index cd6ccbf3f0..dd7a198bf7 100644
--- a/codec-http/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/http/HttpHeaders.java
+++ b/codec-http/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/http/HttpHeaders.java
@@ -1383,10 +1383,17 @@ public abstract class HttpHeaders implements Iterable<Map.Entry<String, String>>
     static void encodeAscii0(CharSequence seq, ByteBuf buf) {
         int length = seq.length();
         for (int i = 0 ; i < length; i++) {
-            buf.writeByte((byte) seq.charAt(i));
+            buf.writeByte(c2b(seq.charAt(i)));
         }
     }
 
+    private static byte c2b(char c) {
+        if (c > 255) {
+            return '?';
+        }
+        return (byte) c;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Create a new {@link CharSequence} which is optimized for reuse as {@link HttpHeaders} name or value.
      * So if you have a Header name or value that you want to reuse you should make use of this.