diff --git a/divelist.c b/divelist.c
index 274773da4..3e1e94dbf 100644
--- a/divelist.c
+++ b/divelist.c
@@ -2280,6 +2280,10 @@ GtkWidget *dive_list_create(void)
 	gtk_tree_selection_set_mode(GTK_TREE_SELECTION(selection), GTK_SELECTION_MULTIPLE);
 	gtk_widget_set_size_request(dive_list.tree_view, 200, 200);
 
+	/* check if utf8 stars are available as a default OS feature */
+	if (!subsurface_os_feature_available(UTF8_FONT_WITH_STARS))
+		dl_column[3].header = "*";
+
 	dive_list.nr = divelist_column(&dive_list, dl_column + DIVE_NR);
 	dive_list.date = divelist_column(&dive_list, dl_column + DIVE_DATE);
 	dive_list.stars = divelist_column(&dive_list, dl_column + DIVE_RATING);
diff --git a/gtk-gui.c b/gtk-gui.c
index 5fd16d146..f3da8dc93 100644
--- a/gtk-gui.c
+++ b/gtk-gui.c
@@ -1018,6 +1018,15 @@ void init_ui(int *argcp, char ***argvp)
 	gtk_settings_set_long_property(settings, "gtk-menu-images", 1, "subsurface setting");
 	gtk_settings_set_long_property(settings, "gtk-button-images", 1, "subsurface setting");
 
+	/* check if utf8 stars are available as a default OS feature */
+	if (!subsurface_os_feature_available(UTF8_FONT_WITH_STARS)) {
+		star_strings[0] = "     ";
+		star_strings[1] = "*    ";
+		star_strings[2] = "**   ";
+		star_strings[3] = "***  ";
+		star_strings[4] = "**** ";
+		star_strings[5] = "*****";
+	}
 	g_type_init();
 
 	subsurface_open_conf();