diff --git a/conservancy/views.py b/conservancy/views.py
index 560eaf61f9b0b75728fc9a41332e989c5c42f00f..21f5b1758b379070791c6b32e8cda62ef0a28fa7 100644
--- a/conservancy/views.py
+++ b/conservancy/views.py
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ def index(request, *args, **kwargs):
             pass
         # These template are intentionally not in the template loader path, so
         # we open them directly, rather than using the template loader.
-        with open(full_path) as t:
+        with open(full_path, encoding='utf-8') as t:
             template = Template(t.read())
         context = RequestContext(request, kwargs)
         return HttpResponse(template.render(context))