diff --git a/apio/util.py b/apio/util.py
index 07ed7a9d..b6e81df7 100644
--- a/apio/util.py
+++ b/apio/util.py
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ def __init__(self, outcallback=None):
         self.outcallback = outcallback
 
         self._fd_read, self._fd_write = os.pipe()
-        self._pipe_reader = os.fdopen(self._fd_read)
+        self._pipe_reader = os.fdopen(self._fd_read, encoding="UTF-8")
         self._buffer = []
 
         self.start()