diff --git a/core/java/src/net/i2p/util/LogWriter.java b/core/java/src/net/i2p/util/LogWriter.java
index 4f6ba20cd..c8b26dc29 100644
--- a/core/java/src/net/i2p/util/LogWriter.java
+++ b/core/java/src/net/i2p/util/LogWriter.java
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ class LogWriter implements Runnable {
 
         byte b[] = new byte[val.length()];
         for (int i = 0; i < b.length; i++)
-            b[i] = (byte)(val.charAt(i) & 0xFF);
+            b[i] = (byte)val.charAt(i);
         try {
             _currentOut.write(b);
             _numBytesInCurrentFile += b.length;
@@ -191,4 +191,4 @@ class LogWriter implements Runnable {
         }
         return buf.toString();
     }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}