diff --git a/src/ui.c b/src/ui.c
index fc91de6..570b848 100644
--- a/src/ui.c
+++ b/src/ui.c
@@ -2324,7 +2324,7 @@
     if (       *target != XA_STRING
 #ifdef FEAT_MBYTE
 	    && *target != vimenc_atom
-	    && *target != utf8_atom
+	    && (*target != utf8_atom || !enc_utf8)
 #endif
 	    && *target != vim_atom
 	    && *target != text_atom