diff --git a/src/org/openlcb/cdi/jdom/CdiMemConfigReader.java b/src/org/openlcb/cdi/jdom/CdiMemConfigReader.java
index 522cf458..e9a84d0f 100644
--- a/src/org/openlcb/cdi/jdom/CdiMemConfigReader.java
+++ b/src/org/openlcb/cdi/jdom/CdiMemConfigReader.java
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 package org.openlcb.cdi.jdom;
 
+import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.logging.Level;
 import java.util.logging.Logger;
 import static java.util.logging.Logger.getLogger;
@@ -42,19 +43,19 @@ public CdiMemConfigReader(NodeID node, OlcbInterface iface, int space) {
 
 
     long nextAddress = 0;
-    StringBuffer buf;
+    ArrayList buf = new ArrayList();
 
     ReaderAccess retval;
     public void startLoadReader(ReaderAccess retval) {
         this.retval = retval;
         nextAddress = 0;
-        buf = new StringBuffer();
+        buf = new ArrayList();
         nextRequest();
     }
 
     void nextRequest() {
         if (retval != null) {
-            retval.progressNotify(buf.length(), -1);
+            retval.progressNotify(buf.size(), -1);
         }
         MemoryConfigurationService.McsReadHandler memo =
             new MemoryConfigurationService.McsReadHandler() {
@@ -92,7 +93,7 @@ public void handleReadData(NodeID dest, int space, long address, byte[] data) {
                             done();
                             return;  // don't do next request
                         }
-                        buf.append((char)data[i]);
+                        buf.add(data[i]);
                     }
                     // repeat if not done
                     nextAddress = nextAddress + LENGTH;
@@ -105,9 +106,20 @@ public void handleReadData(NodeID dest, int space, long address, byte[] data) {
     private void done() {
         // done, pass back a reader based on the current buffer contents
         if (retval != null) {
-            retval.progressNotify(buf.length(), buf.length());
-            logger.log(Level.FINE, "Retrieved XML: \n{0}", buf);
-            retval.provideReader(new java.io.StringReader(new String(buf)));
+            retval.progressNotify(buf.size(), buf.size());
+            byte[] byteArray = new byte[buf.size()];
+            for (int i = 0 ; i<buf.size(); i++) {
+                byteArray[i] = (byte)buf.get(i);
+            }
+            try {
+                String xml = new String(byteArray, "UTF-8");
+                logger.log(Level.FINE, "Retrieved XML: \n{0}", xml);
+                retval.provideReader(new java.io.StringReader(xml));
+            } catch (java.io.UnsupportedEncodingException e) {
+                logger.warning("UnsupportedEncodingException while preparing XML data");
+                // provide a stand-in
+                retval.provideReader(new java.io.StringReader(""));
+            }
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/org/openlcb/cdi/swing/CdiPanel.java b/src/org/openlcb/cdi/swing/CdiPanel.java
index 53786bb2..37469aa1 100644
--- a/src/org/openlcb/cdi/swing/CdiPanel.java
+++ b/src/org/openlcb/cdi/swing/CdiPanel.java
@@ -149,10 +149,22 @@ public class CdiPanel extends JPanel {
     private List<util.CollapsiblePanel> navPanels = new ArrayList<>();
     private final Color COLOR_BACKGROUND;
     private CollapsiblePanel sensorHelperPanel;
-    /// Panel at the bottom of the window with command buttons.
-    //private JPanel bottomPanel;
     /// To get focus to the bottom panel, this component needs to be activated.
     private JComponent bottomPanelHead;
+    
+    static private Font tabFont;    // this will be referenced in getTabLabel below
+    static {
+        // ensure that JTabbedPane pane labels use 
+        // the specific Dialog font
+        int size = 12;
+        Font defaultTabbedFont = UIManager.getFont("TabbedPane.font");
+        if (defaultTabbedFont != null) {
+            size = defaultTabbedFont.getSize();
+        } else {
+            logger.log(Level.WARNING, "Did not find default TabbedPane font, please report this.");
+        }
+        tabFont = new Font("Dialog", Font.PLAIN, size);
+    }
 
     public CdiPanel () {
         super();
@@ -1190,6 +1202,7 @@ public void propertyChange(PropertyChangeEvent event) {
          */
         protected JComponent getTabLabel(JTabbedPane parentTabbedPane, int index, String name, ConfigRepresentation.GroupRep rep) {
             JLabel tabLabel = new JLabel(name);
+            tabLabel.setFont(tabFont);
             
             tabLabel.addMouseListener(new MouseAdapter() {