diff --git a/glossy/src/gloss.typ b/glossy/src/gloss.typ
index a2bae80..3260652 100644
--- a/glossy/src/gloss.typ
+++ b/glossy/src/gloss.typ
@@ -605,7 +605,7 @@
         // 1. create array of tuples with (lower [if ignore-case], entry)
         .map(e => { if ignore-case { (lower(e.short), e) } else { (e.short, e) } })
         // 2. sort the tuples (by first element then second)
-        .sorted(key: t => t.first())
+        .sorted() // NOTE: sorted() is NOT language-aware
         // 3. strip away the tuple's first element, leaving an array of entries
         .map(t => t.last())
 
diff --git a/glossy/src/utils.typ b/glossy/src/utils.typ
index eda1e60..ea44e8d 100644
--- a/glossy/src/utils.typ
+++ b/glossy/src/utils.typ
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@
 
   if is_acronym {
     // Use acronym rules
-    let first_char = upper_word.slice(0,1)
+    let first_char = upper_word.codepoints().slice(0,1).first()
     if acronym_vowels.contains(first_char) {
       "an"
     } else {
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@
     }
   } else {
     // Non-acronym rules
-    let first_char = lower_word.slice(0,1)
+    let first_char = lower_word.codepoints().slice(0,1).first()
 
     // Special cases for words matching a set of known 'silent h' prefixes
     let silent_h_words = (
diff --git a/glossy/tests/utf-handling/glossary.yml b/glossy/tests/utf-handling/glossary.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6e62754
--- /dev/null
+++ b/glossy/tests/utf-handling/glossary.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+cab:
+  short: "cab"
+  long: "taxi cab"
+
+coo:
+  short: "COO"
+  long: "Chief Operations Officer"
+
+cuckoo:
+  short: "cuckoo"
+  long: "really crazy"
+
+delta:
+  short: "delta"
+  long: "difference between two values"
+
+dal:
+  short: "DAL"
+  long: "Delta Airlines"
+
+čr:
+  short: "ČR"
+  long: "Česká Republika"
diff --git a/glossy/tests/utf-handling/ref/1.png b/glossy/tests/utf-handling/ref/1.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..71395b8
Binary files /dev/null and b/glossy/tests/utf-handling/ref/1.png differ
diff --git a/glossy/tests/utf-handling/test.typ b/glossy/tests/utf-handling/test.typ
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7b2e0ad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/glossy/tests/utf-handling/test.typ
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+#import "/lib.typ":*
+
+#set text(lang: "cs", region: "CZ")
+
+#show: init-glossary.with(yaml("glossary.yml"))
+#glossary(ignore-case: true)
+
+#line(length: 20em)
+
+@čr
+
+@cab
+
+@coo
+
+@cuckoo
+
+@delta
+
+@dal