diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index d599eb12..432fb703 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ except ImportError:
 
 
 def read(fname):
-    return open(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), fname)).read()
+    return open(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), fname), encoding='utf-8').read()
 
 
 # get version without importing the package