diff --git a/phpBB/includes/search/fulltext_mysql.php b/phpBB/includes/search/fulltext_mysql.php
index 58a4dd7d6a..cd5f0cef67 100644
--- a/phpBB/includes/search/fulltext_mysql.php
+++ b/phpBB/includes/search/fulltext_mysql.php
@@ -86,6 +86,14 @@ class phpbb_search_fulltext_mysql extends phpbb_search_base
 
 		$this->word_length = array('min' => $this->config['fulltext_mysql_min_word_len'], 'max' => $this->config['fulltext_mysql_max_word_len']);
 
+		/**
+		 * Load the UTF tools
+		 */
+		if (!function_exists('utf8_strlen'))
+		{
+			include($phpbb_root_path . 'includes/utf/utf_tools.' . $phpEx);
+		}
+
 		$error = false;
 	}