diff --git a/wexpect/console_reader.py b/wexpect/console_reader.py
index f927fb9..2397124 100644
--- a/wexpect/console_reader.py
+++ b/wexpect/console_reader.py
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ import signal
 from io import StringIO
 
 import ctypes
+from ctypes import windll
 import win32console
 import win32process
 import win32con
@@ -80,14 +81,14 @@ class ConsoleReaderBase:
     This class initialize the console starts the child in it and reads the console periodically.
     """
 
-    def __init__(self, path, host_pid, cp=None, window_size_x=80, window_size_y=25,
+    def __init__(self, path, host_pid, codepage=None, window_size_x=80, window_size_y=25,
                  buffer_size_x=80, buffer_size_y=16000, local_echo=True, interact=False, **kwargs):
         """Initialize the console starts the child in it and reads the console periodically.        
 
         Args:
             path (str): Child's executable with arguments.
             parent_pid (int): Parent (aka. host) process process-ID
-            cp (:obj:, optional): Output console code page.
+            codepage (:obj:, optional): Output console code page.
         """
         self.lastRead  = 0
         self.__bufferY = 0
@@ -109,13 +110,15 @@ class ConsoleReaderBase:
         
         logger.info("ConsoleReader started")
         
-        if cp:
-            try:
-                logger.info("Setting console output code page to %s" % cp)
-                win32console.SetConsoleOutputCP(cp)
-                logger.info("Console output code page: %s" % ctypes.windll.kernel32.GetConsoleOutputCP())
-            except Exception as e:
-                logger.info(e)
+        if codepage is None:
+            codepage = windll.kernel32.GetACP()
+        
+        try:
+            logger.info("Setting console output code page to %s" % codepage)
+            win32console.SetConsoleOutputCP(codepage)
+            logger.info("Console output code page: %s" % ctypes.windll.kernel32.GetConsoleOutputCP())
+        except Exception as e:
+            logger.info(e)
                 
         try:
             self.create_connection(**kwargs)
diff --git a/wexpect/host.py b/wexpect/host.py
index 2b011f4..f775d6a 100644
--- a/wexpect/host.py
+++ b/wexpect/host.py
@@ -243,6 +243,7 @@ class SpawnBase:
         self.child_fd = -1 # initially closed
         self.timeout = timeout
         self.delimiter = EOF
+        self.codepage = codepage
         self.cwd = cwd
         self.env = env
         self.echo = echo
@@ -362,7 +363,8 @@ class SpawnBase:
         self.console_class_parameters.update({
                 'host_pid': self.host_pid,
                 'local_echo': self.echo,
-                'interact': self.interact_state
+                'interact': self.interact_state,
+                'codepage': self.codepage
                 })
         console_class_parameters_kv_pairs = [f'{k}={v}' for k,v in self.console_class_parameters.items() ]
         console_class_parameters_str = ', '.join(console_class_parameters_kv_pairs)