diff --git a/spyderlib/widgets/externalshell/startup.py b/spyderlib/widgets/externalshell/startup.py
index <HASH>..<HASH> 100644
--- a/spyderlib/widgets/externalshell/startup.py
+++ b/spyderlib/widgets/externalshell/startup.py
@@ -154,8 +154,10 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
     if __is_ipython():

         import os

         if os.name == 'nt':

-            # On Windows platforms, we have to monkey-patch the pyreadline 

-            # module to make IPython work in a remote process

+            # Windows platforms: monkey-patching *pyreadline* module

+            # to make IPython work in a remote process

+            from pyreadline import unicode_helper

+            unicode_helper.pyreadline_codepage = "ascii"

             import pyreadline

             pyreadline.GetOutputFile = lambda: None

         import IPython.Shell
IPython integration/Windows platforms: overriding the pyreadline codepage value (was removed accidently with previous changeset)