2 files changed, 10 insertions, 4 deletions

diff --git a/lisp/ChangeLog b/lisp/ChangeLog
index 0f2a4b0ad5f..419c95114c8 100644
--- a/lisp/ChangeLog
+++ b/lisp/ChangeLog
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 2012-11-29  Glenn Morris  <rgm@gnu.org>
 
+        * files.el (hack-dir-local-variables): Warn if try to set
+        coding via dir-locals, since it doesn't work.  (Bug#7169)
+
         Add desktop support for restoring vc-dir buffers.  (Bug#10606)
         * vc/vc-dir.el (vc-dir-mode): Autoload it (for desktop restore).
         Set buffer-local value of desktop-save-buffer.
diff --git a/lisp/files.el b/lisp/files.el
index c22cfd69549..e03b02193a4 100644
--- a/lisp/files.el
+++ b/lisp/files.el
@@ -3682,10 +3682,13 @@ and `file-local-variables-alist', without applying them."
                 (dir-locals-get-class-variables class) dir-name nil)))
           (when variables
             (dolist (elt variables)
-              (unless (memq (car elt) '(eval mode))
-                (setq dir-local-variables-alist
-                      (assq-delete-all (car elt) dir-local-variables-alist)))
-              (push elt dir-local-variables-alist))
+              (if (eq (car elt) 'coding)
+                  (display-warning :warning
+                                   "Coding cannot be specified by dir-locals")
+                (unless (memq (car elt) '(eval mode))
+                  (setq dir-local-variables-alist
+                        (assq-delete-all (car elt) dir-local-variables-alist)))
+                (push elt dir-local-variables-alist)))
             (hack-local-variables-filter variables dir-name)))))))
 
 (defun hack-dir-local-variables-non-file-buffer ()