diff --git a/python/ccxt/test/test_async.py b/python/ccxt/test/test_async.py
index <HASH>..<HASH> 100644
--- a/python/ccxt/test/test_async.py
+++ b/python/ccxt/test/test_async.py
@@ -508,7 +508,7 @@ keys_local = os.path.join(keys_folder, 'keys.local.json')
 keys_file = keys_local if os.path.exists(keys_local) else keys_global
 
 # load the api keys from config
-with open(keys_file) as file:
+with open(keys_file, encoding='utf8') as file:
     config = json.load(file)
 
 # instantiate all exchanges
utf8 encoding support for keys.json