diff --git a/src/coders/json.cpp b/src/coders/json.cpp
index 56356a40..19110f90 100644
--- a/src/coders/json.cpp
+++ b/src/coders/json.cpp
@@ -41,7 +41,8 @@ void stringifyObj(
     std::stringstream& ss,
     int indent,
     const std::string& indentstr,
-    bool nice
+    bool nice,
+    bool escapeUtf8
 );
 
 void stringifyList(
@@ -49,7 +50,8 @@ void stringifyList(
     std::stringstream& ss,
     int indent,
     const std::string& indentstr,
-    bool nice
+    bool nice,
+    bool escapeUtf8
 );
 
 void stringifyValue(
@@ -57,16 +59,17 @@ void stringifyValue(
     std::stringstream& ss,
     int indent,
     const std::string& indentstr,
-    bool nice
+    bool nice,
+    bool escapeUtf8
 ) {
     using dv::value_type;
 
     switch (value.getType()) {
         case value_type::object:
-            stringifyObj(value, ss, indent, indentstr, nice);
+            stringifyObj(value, ss, indent, indentstr, nice, escapeUtf8);
             break;
         case value_type::list:
-            stringifyList(value, ss, indent, indentstr, nice);
+            stringifyList(value, ss, indent, indentstr, nice, escapeUtf8);
             break;
         case value_type::bytes: {
             const auto& bytes = value.asBytes();
@@ -75,7 +78,7 @@ void stringifyValue(
             break;
         }
         case value_type::string:
-            ss << util::escape(value.asString(), !nice);
+            ss << util::escape(value.asString(), escapeUtf8);
             break;
         case value_type::number:
             ss << std::setprecision(15) << value.asNumber();
@@ -97,7 +100,8 @@ void stringifyList(
     std::stringstream& ss,
     int indent,
     const std::string& indentstr,
-    bool nice
+    bool nice,
+    bool escapeUtf8
 ) {
     if (list.empty()) {
         ss << "[]";
@@ -109,7 +113,7 @@ void stringifyList(
             newline(ss, nice, indent, indentstr);
         }
         const auto& value = list[i];
-        stringifyValue(value, ss, indent + 1, indentstr, nice);
+        stringifyValue(value, ss, indent + 1, indentstr, nice, escapeUtf8);
         if (i + 1 < list.size()) {
             ss << ',';
         }
@@ -125,7 +129,8 @@ void stringifyObj(
     std::stringstream& ss,
     int indent,
     const std::string& indentstr,
-    bool nice
+    bool nice,
+    bool escapeUtf8
 ) {
     if (obj.empty()) {
         ss << "{}";
@@ -138,7 +143,7 @@ void stringifyObj(
             newline(ss, nice, indent, indentstr);
         }
         ss << util::escape(key) << ": ";
-        stringifyValue(value, ss, indent + 1, indentstr, nice);
+        stringifyValue(value, ss, indent + 1, indentstr, nice, escapeUtf8);
         index++;
         if (index < obj.size()) {
             ss << ',';
@@ -151,10 +156,13 @@ void stringifyObj(
 }
 
 std::string json::stringify(
-    const dv::value& value, bool nice, const std::string& indent
+    const dv::value& value,
+    bool nice,
+    const std::string& indent,
+    bool escapeUtf8
 ) {
     std::stringstream ss;
-    stringifyValue(value, ss, 1, indent, nice);
+    stringifyValue(value, ss, 1, indent, nice, escapeUtf8);
     return ss.str();
 }
 
diff --git a/src/coders/json.hpp b/src/coders/json.hpp
index f79b5d46..5c4c3ec7 100644
--- a/src/coders/json.hpp
+++ b/src/coders/json.hpp
@@ -11,6 +11,9 @@ namespace json {
     dv::value parse(std::string_view source);
 
     std::string stringify(
-        const dv::value& value, bool nice, const std::string& indent="  "
+        const dv::value& value,
+        bool nice,
+        const std::string& indent = "  ",
+        bool escapeUtf8 = false
     );
 }
diff --git a/src/logic/EngineController.cpp b/src/logic/EngineController.cpp
index 72ce6e90..7a933bd9 100644
--- a/src/logic/EngineController.cpp
+++ b/src/logic/EngineController.cpp
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ void EngineController::onMissingContent(const std::shared_ptr<ContentReport>& re
     if (engine.isHeadless()) {
         throw std::runtime_error(
             "missing content: " +
-            json::stringify(create_missing_content_report(report), true)
+            json::stringify(create_missing_content_report(report), true, "  ")
         );
     } else {
         engine.setScreen(std::make_shared<MenuScreen>(engine));
diff --git a/src/logic/scripting/lua/libs/libjson.cpp b/src/logic/scripting/lua/libs/libjson.cpp
index 693b83be..503173bd 100644
--- a/src/logic/scripting/lua/libs/libjson.cpp
+++ b/src/logic/scripting/lua/libs/libjson.cpp
@@ -5,7 +5,8 @@ static int l_json_stringify(lua::State* L) {
     auto value = lua::tovalue(L, 1);
 
     bool nice = lua::toboolean(L, 2);
-    auto string = json::stringify(value, nice, "  ");
+    bool escapeUTF = lua::toboolean(L, 3);
+    auto string = json::stringify(value, nice, "  ", escapeUTF);
     return lua::pushstring(L, string);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/logic/scripting/lua/libs/libnetwork.cpp b/src/logic/scripting/lua/libs/libnetwork.cpp
index 678d46f2..dce54833 100644
--- a/src/logic/scripting/lua/libs/libnetwork.cpp
+++ b/src/logic/scripting/lua/libs/libnetwork.cpp
@@ -44,7 +44,12 @@ static int l_post(lua::State* L) {
     lua::pushvalue(L, 3);
     auto onResponse = lua::create_lambda_nothrow(L);
 
-    auto string = json::stringify(data, false);
+    std::string string;
+    if (data.isString()) {
+        string = data.asString();
+    } else {
+        string = json::stringify(data, false);
+    }
     engine->getNetwork().post(url, string, [onResponse](std::vector<char> bytes) {
         auto buffer = std::make_shared<util::Buffer<ubyte>>(
             reinterpret_cast<const ubyte*>(bytes.data()), bytes.size()