diff --git a/src/main/java/com/nike/cerberus/operation/core/RestoreCompleteCerberusDataFromS3BackupOperation.java b/src/main/java/com/nike/cerberus/operation/core/RestoreCompleteCerberusDataFromS3BackupOperation.java
index 3e2285b1..be39d3ac 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/nike/cerberus/operation/core/RestoreCompleteCerberusDataFromS3BackupOperation.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/nike/cerberus/operation/core/RestoreCompleteCerberusDataFromS3BackupOperation.java
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ private void validateRestore(S3StoreService s3StoreService, RestoreCompleteCerbe
         }
 
         if (! proceed.equalsIgnoreCase("proceed")) {
-            System.exit(1);
+            throw new RuntimeException("User did not confirm to proceed with backup restore");
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/nike/cerberus/service/ConsoleService.java b/src/main/java/com/nike/cerberus/service/ConsoleService.java
index d36cb197..31f7bac2 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/nike/cerberus/service/ConsoleService.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/nike/cerberus/service/ConsoleService.java
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ public String readLine(String format, Object... args) throws IOException {
             return System.console().readLine(format, args);
         }
         System.out.print(String.format(format, args));
-        BufferedReader reader = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(System.in));
+        BufferedReader reader = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(System.in, "UTF-8"));
         return reader.readLine();
     }