diff --git a/pylib/anki/buildinfo.py b/pylib/anki/buildinfo.py
index d9c5a7a5f..afa52b65b 100644
--- a/pylib/anki/buildinfo.py
+++ b/pylib/anki/buildinfo.py
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ def _build_info_path() -> str:
 
 def _get_build_info() -> Dict[str, str]:
     info = {}
-    with open(_build_info_path()) as file:
+    with open(_build_info_path(), encoding="utf8") as file:
         for line in file.readlines():
             elems = line.split()
             if len(elems) == 2:
diff --git a/pylib/anki/importing/supermemo_xml.py b/pylib/anki/importing/supermemo_xml.py
index 6327b5f18..7d91e95c5 100644
--- a/pylib/anki/importing/supermemo_xml.py
+++ b/pylib/anki/importing/supermemo_xml.py
@@ -311,7 +311,7 @@ class SupermemoXmlImporter(NoteImporter):
 
         # try to open with native open function (if source is pathname)
         try:
-            return open(source)
+            return open(source, encoding="utf8")
         except OSError:
             pass
 
@@ -324,7 +324,7 @@ class SupermemoXmlImporter(NoteImporter):
         """Load source file and parse with xml.dom.minidom"""
         self.source = source
         self.logger("Load started...")
-        sock = open(self.source)
+        sock = open(self.source, encoding="utf8")
         self.xmldoc = minidom.parse(sock).documentElement
         sock.close()
         self.logger("Load done.")
diff --git a/pylib/anki/latex.py b/pylib/anki/latex.py
index e1e31f228..8e9c31966 100644
--- a/pylib/anki/latex.py
+++ b/pylib/anki/latex.py
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ def _save_latex_image(
         ext = "png"
 
     # write into a temp file
-    log = open(namedtmp("latex_log.txt"), "w")
+    log = open(namedtmp("latex_log.txt"), "w", encoding="utf8")
     texpath = namedtmp("tmp.tex")
     texfile = open(texpath, "w", encoding="utf8")
     texfile.write(latex)
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ def _errMsg(col: anki.collection.Collection, type: str, texpath: str) -> Any:
     msg = f"{col.tr.media_error_executing(val=type)}<br>"
     msg += f"{col.tr.media_generated_file(val=texpath)}<br>"
     try:
-        with open(namedtmp("latex_log.txt", rm=False)) as f:
+        with open(namedtmp("latex_log.txt", rm=False), encoding="utf8") as f:
             log = f.read()
         if not log:
             raise Exception()
diff --git a/qt/aqt/profiles.py b/qt/aqt/profiles.py
index 42a0afac0..bb1190984 100644
--- a/qt/aqt/profiles.py
+++ b/qt/aqt/profiles.py
@@ -573,14 +573,14 @@ create table if not exists profiles
     def video_driver(self) -> VideoDriver:
         path = self._gldriver_path()
         try:
-            with open(path) as file:
+            with open(path, encoding="utf8") as file:
                 text = file.read().strip()
                 return VideoDriver(text).constrained_to_platform()
         except (ValueError, OSError):
             return VideoDriver.default_for_platform()
 
     def set_video_driver(self, driver: VideoDriver) -> None:
-        with open(self._gldriver_path(), "w") as file:
+        with open(self._gldriver_path(), "w", encoding="utf8") as file:
             file.write(driver.value)
 
     def set_next_video_driver(self) -> None: