diff --git a/src/modules/client/transport/transport.py b/src/modules/client/transport/transport.py
index 08890a5e5..f8246e10b 100644
--- a/src/modules/client/transport/transport.py
+++ b/src/modules/client/transport/transport.py
@@ -1686,7 +1686,7 @@ def _prefetch_manifests_list(self, mxfr, mlist, excludes=misc.EmptyI):
                                         continue
 
                                 try:
-                                        mf = open(dl_path)
+                                        mf = open(dl_path, "r", encoding="UTF-8")
                                         mcontent = mf.read()
                                         mf.close()
                                         manifest.FactoredManifest(fmri,
@@ -1776,7 +1776,7 @@ def _verify_manifest(self, fmri, mfstpath=None, content=None, pub=None):
                         return False
 
                 if mfstpath:
-                        mf = open(mfstpath)
+                        mf = open(mfstpath, "r", encoding="UTF-8")
                         mcontent = mf.read()
                         mf.close()
                 elif content is not None: