diff --git a/awesome-wm-widgets/email-widget/read_unread_emails.py b/awesome-wm-widgets/email-widget/read_unread_emails.py
index aa2acef..c9c5857 100755
--- a/awesome-wm-widgets/email-widget/read_unread_emails.py
+++ b/awesome-wm-widgets/email-widget/read_unread_emails.py
@@ -4,6 +4,11 @@ import imaplib
 import email.header
 import datetime
 
+def decode_mime_words(s):
+    return u''.join(
+        word.decode(encoding or 'utf8') if isinstance(word, bytes) else word
+        for word, encoding in email.header.decode_header(s))
+
 def process_mailbox(mailbox, to = None):
     rv, data = mailbox.search(None, "(UNSEEN)")
     if rv != 'OK':
@@ -23,7 +28,7 @@ def process_mailbox(mailbox, to = None):
 
         print('From:', msg['From'])
         decode = email.header.decode_header(msg['Subject'])
-        subject = ''.join(map(lambda x: x[0].decode(), decode))
+        subject = decode_mime_words(decode)
 
         print('Subject: %s' % subject)
         date_tuple = email.utils.parsedate_tz(msg['Date'])