diff --git a/language/cloud-client/v1beta2/snippets.py b/language/cloud-client/v1beta2/snippets.py
index 2e6745d2c94..5e34daeb4d3 100644
--- a/language/cloud-client/v1beta2/snippets.py
+++ b/language/cloud-client/v1beta2/snippets.py
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 """
 
 import argparse
+import sys
 
 from google.cloud import language
 from google.cloud.gapic.language.v1beta2 import enums
@@ -30,6 +31,14 @@
 import six
 
 
+def get_native_encoding_type():
+    """Returns the encoding type that matches Python's native strings."""
+    if sys.maxunicode == 65535:
+        return 'UTF16'
+    else:
+        return 'UTF32'
+
+
 def sentiment_text(text):
     """Detects sentiment in the text."""
     language_client = language.Client(api_version='v1beta2')
@@ -153,7 +162,7 @@ def entity_sentiment_text(text):
     document.type = enums.Document.Type.PLAIN_TEXT
 
     result = language_client.analyze_entity_sentiment(
-        document, enums.EncodingType.UTF8)
+        document, get_native_encoding_type())
 
     for entity in result.entities:
         print('Mentions: ')
@@ -177,7 +186,7 @@ def entity_sentiment_file(gcs_uri):
     document.type = enums.Document.Type.PLAIN_TEXT
 
     result = language_client.analyze_entity_sentiment(
-      document, enums.EncodingType.UTF8)
+      document, get_native_encoding_type())
 
     for entity in result.entities:
         print(u'Name: "{}"'.format(entity.name))