diff --git a/doc/source/release/changelog/changelog.rst b/doc/source/release/changelog/changelog.rst
index fb35edd..6542903 100644
--- a/doc/source/release/changelog/changelog.rst
+++ b/doc/source/release/changelog/changelog.rst
@@ -1,3 +1,12 @@
+0.3.3 (2024-04-25)
+==================
+
+Bug fixes
+---------
+
+- A bug has been fixed where UTF8 characters in Python files would give fatal errors.
+
+
 0.3.2 (2024-04-25)
 ==================
 
diff --git a/src/suiteas/read/config.py b/src/suiteas/read/config.py
index 1d50033..dc3881a 100644
--- a/src/suiteas/read/config.py
+++ b/src/suiteas/read/config.py
@@ -276,7 +276,7 @@ def get_toml_config(toml_path: Path) -> TOMLProjConfig:
         msg = f"Could not find TOML configuration file at {toml_path}"
         raise FileNotFoundError(msg)
 
-    with toml_path.open(mode="r") as file:
+    with toml_path.open(mode="r", encoding="utf8") as file:
         pyproject_contents = file.read()
 
     if not pyproject_contents:
diff --git a/src/suiteas/read/file.py b/src/suiteas/read/file.py
index ea39c5c..3753ca1 100644
--- a/src/suiteas/read/file.py
+++ b/src/suiteas/read/file.py
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ def get_file(path: Path, *, module_name: str) -> File:
         msg = f"Could not find {path}"
         raise FileNotFoundError(msg)
 
-    with path.open(mode="r") as _f:
+    with path.open(mode="r", encoding="utf8") as _f:
         source = _f.read()
         try:
             tree = ast.parse(source)
diff --git a/tests/assets/files/unicode_backquotes.py b/tests/assets/files/unicode_backquotes.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e63569c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/assets/files/unicode_backquotes.py
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+"""”"""
diff --git a/tests/unit/suiteas/read/test_file.py b/tests/unit/suiteas/read/test_file.py
index 8699f7b..bc4b4e7 100644
--- a/tests/unit/suiteas/read/test_file.py
+++ b/tests/unit/suiteas/read/test_file.py
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ def test_multi(self, files_parent_dir: Path) -> None:
     def test_random_file(self, tmp_path: Path, seed: int) -> None:
         """Generate a random file and check we can at least run the tool."""
         file_path = tmp_path / "random_file.py"
-        with file_path.open(mode="w") as _f:
+        with file_path.open(mode="w", encoding="utf8") as _f:
             _f.write(generate(seed=seed))
         try:
             file = get_file(file_path, module_name="random_file")
@@ -189,6 +189,10 @@ def test_random_file(self, tmp_path: Path, seed: int) -> None:
             return
         assert type(file) == File
 
+    def test_unicode_backquotes(self, files_parent_dir: Path) -> None:
+        file_path = files_parent_dir / "unicode_backquotes.py"
+
+        get_file(file_path, module_name="fakey.mcfake.unicode_backquotes")
 
 class TestFlowCtrlTree:
     def test_correspondence(self) -> None: