diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 80c15590..4b3973e4 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ Development
 - Add `keyIsDown` event to Transcrypt mode - [PR #187](https://github.com/berinhard/pyp5js/pull/187)
 - Fix bug with multiple events calls - PR #187 too
 - Serve JS files if `--local` flag [PR #195](https://github.com/berinhard/pyp5js/pull/195)
+- Force `utf-8` as the lib's default encoding [PR #193](https://github.com/berinhard/pyp5js/pull/193)
 - Fix preload function bug in both modes - [PR #196](https://github.com/berinhard/pyp5js/pull/196)
 
 0.7.0
diff --git a/pyp5js/commands.py b/pyp5js/commands.py
index e83ae2dc..63405ecb 100644
--- a/pyp5js/commands.py
+++ b/pyp5js/commands.py
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ def new_sketch(sketch_name, interpreter=PYODIDE_INTERPRETER, template_file="", u
     sketch.copy_initial_files(use_cdn=use_cdn)
 
     index_contet = get_sketch_index_content(sketch)
-    with open(sketch.index_html, "w") as fd:
+    with open(sketch.index_html, "w", encoding="utf-8") as fd:
         fd.write(index_contet)
 
     return sketch
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ def compile_sketch(sketch_name, generate_index=False, index_template=None):
         # useful for generating the docs or debugging
         sketch.config.index_template = index_template
         index_contet = get_sketch_index_content(sketch)
-        with open(sketch.index_html, "w") as fd:
+        with open(sketch.index_html, "w", encoding="utf-8") as fd:
             fd.write(index_contet)
         cprint.info(f"{sketch.index_html.resolve()} updated")
 
diff --git a/pyp5js/compiler.py b/pyp5js/compiler.py
index ee4740e9..4d45ad54 100644
--- a/pyp5js/compiler.py
+++ b/pyp5js/compiler.py
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ def prepare(self):
         """
         content = get_target_sketch_content(self.sketch)
 
-        with self.sketch.target_sketch.open('w') as fd:
+        with self.sketch.target_sketch.open('w', encoding="utf-8") as fd:
             fd.write(content)
 
         cprint.info(f"{self.sketch.target_sketch.resolve()} updated with sketch code")
diff --git a/pyp5js/sketch.py b/pyp5js/sketch.py
index cdc5c5f9..a719965e 100644
--- a/pyp5js/sketch.py
+++ b/pyp5js/sketch.py
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ def sketch_exists(self):
     def sketch_content(self):
         if not self.sketch_py.exists():
             return ""
-        with self.sketch_py.open() as fd:
+        with self.sketch_py.open(encoding="utf-8") as fd:
             return fd.read()
 
     @property