diff --git a/config/action.d/common.conf b/config/action.d/common.conf
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6d69019c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config/action.d/common.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+[INCLUDES]
+
+# Load customizations if any available
+after = common.local
+
+[DEFAULT]
+
+_LC_CTYPE = `locale | awk -F= '/LC_CTYPE/{ print $2; }'`
+
+# To avoid duplication -- define useful header fields
+_ContentTypeMailHeader = Content-Type: text/plain; charset=%(_LC_CTYPE)s
diff --git a/config/action.d/sendmail-whois-lines.conf b/config/action.d/sendmail-whois-lines.conf
index d1e6e40f..7340d3cd 100644
--- a/config/action.d/sendmail-whois-lines.conf
+++ b/config/action.d/sendmail-whois-lines.conf
@@ -2,17 +2,25 @@
 #
 # Author: Cyril Jaquier
 #
-# $Revision$
-#
+
+[INCLUDES]
+
+# Read common prefixes. If any customizations available -- read them from
+# common.local
+before = common.conf
 
 [Definition]
 
+# To avoid duplication -- define variable for the content-type
+ContentType = Content-Type: text/plain; charset=`locale | awk -F= '/LC_CTYPE/{ print $2; }'`
+
 # Option:  actionstart
 # Notes.:  command executed once at the start of Fail2Ban.
 # Values:  CMD
 #
 actionstart = printf %%b "Subject: [Fail2Ban] <name>: started
               Date: `date -u +"%%a, %%d %%h %%Y %%T +0000"`
+              %(_ContentTypeMailHeader)s
               From: Fail2Ban <<sender>>
               To: <dest>\n
               Hi,\n
@@ -26,6 +34,7 @@ actionstart = printf %%b "Subject: [Fail2Ban] <name>: started
 #
 actionstop = printf %%b "Subject: [Fail2Ban] <name>: stopped
              Date: `date -u +"%%a, %%d %%h %%Y %%T +0000"`
+             %(_ContentTypeMailHeader)s
              From: Fail2Ban <<sender>>
              To: <dest>\n
              Hi,\n
@@ -49,6 +58,7 @@ actioncheck =
 #
 actionban = printf %%b "Subject: [Fail2Ban] <name>: banned <ip>
             Date: `date -u +"%%a, %%d %%h %%Y %%T +0000"`
+            %(_ContentTypeMailHeader)s
             From: Fail2Ban <<sender>>
             To: <dest>\n
             Hi,\n
diff --git a/config/action.d/sendmail-whois.conf b/config/action.d/sendmail-whois.conf
index 363c3398..724b2511 100644
--- a/config/action.d/sendmail-whois.conf
+++ b/config/action.d/sendmail-whois.conf
@@ -5,6 +5,12 @@
 # $Revision$
 #
 
+[INCLUDES]
+
+# Read common prefixes. If any customizations available -- read them from
+# common.local
+before = common.conf
+
 [Definition]
 
 # Option:  actionstart
@@ -13,6 +19,7 @@
 #
 actionstart = printf %%b "Subject: [Fail2Ban] <name>: started
               Date: `date -u +"%%a, %%d %%h %%Y %%T +0000"`
+              %(_ContentTypeMailHeader)s
               From: Fail2Ban <<sender>>
               To: <dest>\n
               Hi,\n
@@ -26,6 +33,7 @@ actionstart = printf %%b "Subject: [Fail2Ban] <name>: started
 #
 actionstop = printf %%b "Subject: [Fail2Ban] <name>: stopped
              Date: `date -u +"%%a, %%d %%h %%Y %%T +0000"`
+             %(_ContentTypeMailHeader)s
              From: Fail2Ban <<sender>>
              To: <dest>\n
              Hi,\n
@@ -49,6 +57,7 @@ actioncheck =
 #
 actionban = printf %%b "Subject: [Fail2Ban] <name>: banned <ip>
             Date: `date -u +"%%a, %%d %%h %%Y %%T +0000"`
+            %(_ContentTypeMailHeader)s
             From: Fail2Ban <<sender>>
             To: <dest>\n
             Hi,\n