diff --git a/pygit2/blame.py b/pygit2/blame.py
index 1d8728a1c..4b1ae4762 100644
--- a/pygit2/blame.py
+++ b/pygit2/blame.py
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ def orig_path(self):
         if not path:
             return None
 
-        return ffi.string(path).decode()
+        return ffi.string(path).decode('utf-8')
 
 
 class Blame(object):
diff --git a/pygit2/config.py b/pygit2/config.py
index 8933675d0..2c94ea7d9 100644
--- a/pygit2/config.py
+++ b/pygit2/config.py
@@ -263,7 +263,7 @@ def _from_found_config(fn):
         buf = ffi.new('git_buf *', (ffi.NULL, 0))
         err = fn(buf)
         check_error(err, True)
-        cpath = ffi.string(buf.ptr).decode()
+        cpath = ffi.string(buf.ptr).decode('utf-8')
         C.git_buf_free(buf)
 
         return Config(cpath)
diff --git a/pygit2/refspec.py b/pygit2/refspec.py
index 08954a5c0..1d83c1d60 100644
--- a/pygit2/refspec.py
+++ b/pygit2/refspec.py
@@ -43,12 +43,12 @@ def __init__(self, owner, ptr):
     @property
     def src(self):
         """Source or lhs of the refspec"""
-        return ffi.string(C.git_refspec_src(self._refspec)).decode()
+        return ffi.string(C.git_refspec_src(self._refspec)).decode('utf-8')
 
     @property
     def dst(self):
         """Destinaton or rhs of the refspec"""
-        return ffi.string(C.git_refspec_dst(self._refspec)).decode()
+        return ffi.string(C.git_refspec_dst(self._refspec)).decode('utf-8')
 
     @property
     def force(self):
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ def force(self):
     @property
     def string(self):
         """String which was used to create this refspec"""
-        return ffi.string(C.git_refspec_string(self._refspec)).decode()
+        return ffi.string(C.git_refspec_string(self._refspec)).decode('utf-8')
 
     @property
     def direction(self):
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ def _transform(self, ref, fn):
         check_error(err)
 
         try:
-            return ffi.string(buf.ptr).decode()
+            return ffi.string(buf.ptr).decode('utf-8')
         finally:
             C.git_buf_free(buf)
 
diff --git a/pygit2/remote.py b/pygit2/remote.py
index 7a0702066..47e5c7ed3 100644
--- a/pygit2/remote.py
+++ b/pygit2/remote.py
@@ -238,7 +238,7 @@ def _sideband_progress_cb(string, length, data):
             return 0
 
         try:
-            s = ffi.string(string, length).decode()
+            s = ffi.string(string, length).decode('utf-8')
             progress(s)
         except Exception as e:
             self._stored_exception = e
diff --git a/pygit2/utils.py b/pygit2/utils.py
index 4821011ac..2497da5d9 100644
--- a/pygit2/utils.py
+++ b/pygit2/utils.py
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@
 def strarray_to_strings(arr):
     l = [None] * arr.count
     for i in range(arr.count):
-        l[i] = ffi.string(arr.strings[i]).decode()
+        l[i] = ffi.string(arr.strings[i]).decode('utf-8')
 
     return l