diff --git a/installer/lib/installer.py b/installer/lib/installer.py
index 5297366ccb..11823b413e 100644
--- a/installer/lib/installer.py
+++ b/installer/lib/installer.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 InvokeAI installer script
 """
 
+import locale
 import os
 import platform
 import re
@@ -316,7 +317,9 @@ def upgrade_pip(venv_path: Path) -> str | None:
     python = str(venv_path.expanduser().resolve() / python)
 
     try:
-        result = subprocess.check_output([python, "-m", "pip", "install", "--upgrade", "pip"]).decode()
+        result = subprocess.check_output([python, "-m", "pip", "install", "--upgrade", "pip"]).decode(
+            encoding=locale.getpreferredencoding()
+        )
     except subprocess.CalledProcessError as e:
         print(e)
         result = None
diff --git a/invokeai/app/services/config/config_default.py b/invokeai/app/services/config/config_default.py
index 79cbbc39af..f453a56584 100644
--- a/invokeai/app/services/config/config_default.py
+++ b/invokeai/app/services/config/config_default.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+import locale
 import os
 import re
 import shutil
@@ -401,7 +402,7 @@ def load_and_migrate_config(config_path: Path) -> InvokeAIAppConfig:
         An instance of `InvokeAIAppConfig` with the loaded and migrated settings.
     """
     assert config_path.suffix == ".yaml"
-    with open(config_path) as file:
+    with open(config_path, "rt", encoding=locale.getpreferredencoding()) as file:
         loaded_config_dict = yaml.safe_load(file)
 
     assert isinstance(loaded_config_dict, dict)
diff --git a/invokeai/app/services/model_install/model_install_default.py b/invokeai/app/services/model_install/model_install_default.py
index b5595d18c6..20cfc1c4ff 100644
--- a/invokeai/app/services/model_install/model_install_default.py
+++ b/invokeai/app/services/model_install/model_install_default.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 """Model installation class."""
 
+import locale
 import os
 import re
 import signal
@@ -323,7 +324,8 @@ class ModelInstallService(ModelInstallServiceBase):
             legacy_models_yaml_path = Path(self._app_config.root_path, legacy_models_yaml_path)
 
         if legacy_models_yaml_path.exists():
-            legacy_models_yaml = yaml.safe_load(legacy_models_yaml_path.read_text())
+            with open(legacy_models_yaml_path, "rt", encoding=locale.getpreferredencoding()) as file:
+                legacy_models_yaml = yaml.safe_load(file)
 
             yaml_metadata = legacy_models_yaml.pop("__metadata__")
             yaml_version = yaml_metadata.get("version")