diff --git a/komodo/extract_dep_graph.py b/komodo/extract_dep_graph.py
index ad1ff8a36..3e620fd91 100644
--- a/komodo/extract_dep_graph.py
+++ b/komodo/extract_dep_graph.py
@@ -7,7 +7,9 @@
 
 
 def run(pkgfile, base_pkgfile, repofile, outfile=None):
-    with open(pkgfile) as p, open(base_pkgfile) as bp, open(repofile) as r:
+    with open(pkgfile, encoding="utf-8") as p, open(
+        base_pkgfile, encoding="utf-8"
+    ) as bp, open(repofile, encoding="utf-8") as r:
         yaml = YAML()
         pkgs, base_pkgs, repo = (
             yaml.load(p),
diff --git a/komodo/lint_maturity.py b/komodo/lint_maturity.py
index 16fddd725..a29b6037a 100644
--- a/komodo/lint_maturity.py
+++ b/komodo/lint_maturity.py
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ def get_packages_info(release_file: ReleaseFile, tag_exceptions_package):
 
 
 def read_yaml_file(file_path):
-    with open(file_path) as yml_file:
+    with open(file_path, encoding="utf-8") as yml_file:
         return yaml.safe_load(yml_file)
 
 
diff --git a/komodo/maintainer.py b/komodo/maintainer.py
index 215bd680e..d8d62fdb8 100755
--- a/komodo/maintainer.py
+++ b/komodo/maintainer.py
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 
 
 def maintainers(pkgfile, repofile):
-    with open(pkgfile) as p, open(repofile) as r:
+    with open(pkgfile, encoding="utf-8") as p, open(repofile, encoding="utf-8") as r:
         yml = YAML()
         pkgs, repo = yml.load(p), yml.load(r)
 
diff --git a/komodo/post_messages.py b/komodo/post_messages.py
index c131b5661..f34765160 100644
--- a/komodo/post_messages.py
+++ b/komodo/post_messages.py
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ def create_inline_messages(messages, dst_path):
     for msg in messages:
         filename = hashlib.md5(msg.encode()).hexdigest()
         filename = "0Z" + filename  # for orderings sake
-        with open(os.path.join(dst_path, filename), "w") as new_file:
+        with open(os.path.join(dst_path, filename), "w", encoding="utf-8") as new_file:
             new_file.write(msg)
 
 
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ def main(args=None):
     if not os.path.isfile(args.motd_db):
         msg = f"ERROR: The message-database {args.motd_db} was not found"
         raise SystemExit(msg)
-    with open(args.motd_db) as motd_db_file:
+    with open(args.motd_db, encoding="utf-8") as motd_db_file:
         yml = YAML()
         motd_db = yml.load(motd_db_file)
     motd_path = os.path.dirname(args.motd_db)
diff --git a/komodo/prettier.py b/komodo/prettier.py
index 91fc529a9..7f9c68d2e 100644
--- a/komodo/prettier.py
+++ b/komodo/prettier.py
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ def prettified_yaml(filepath, check_only=True):
     If `check_only` is False, the input file will be "prettified" in place if necessary.
     """
     print(f"Checking {filepath}... ", end="")
-    with open(file=filepath) as input_file:
+    with open(file=filepath, encoding="utf-8") as input_file:
         yaml_original = input_file.read()
 
     yaml_input = load_yaml(filepath)
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ def prettified_yaml(filepath, check_only=True):
     if yaml_prettified_string != yaml_original:
         print(f"{'would be' if check_only else ''} reformatted!")
         if not check_only:
-            with open(filepath, "w") as fh:
+            with open(filepath, "w", encoding="utf-8") as fh:
                 fh.write(yaml_prettified_string)
         return False
 
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ def write_to_string(repository, check_type=True):
 
 def write_to_file(repository, filename, check_type=True):
     output_str = write_to_string(repository, check_type)
-    with open(filename, mode="w") as output_file:
+    with open(filename, mode="w", encoding="utf-8") as output_file:
         output_file.write(output_str)
 
 
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ def load_yaml(filename):
     ruamel_instance.width = 1000  # Avoid ruamel wrapping long
 
     try:
-        with open(filename) as repo_handle:
+        with open(filename, encoding="utf-8") as repo_handle:
             return ruamel_instance.load(repo_handle)
 
     except (
diff --git a/komodo/reverse_dep_graph.py b/komodo/reverse_dep_graph.py
index 901681db4..e3d94919b 100644
--- a/komodo/reverse_dep_graph.py
+++ b/komodo/reverse_dep_graph.py
@@ -11,7 +11,9 @@
 
 
 def run(base_pkgfile, repofile, dot, display_pkg, out):
-    with open(base_pkgfile) as bp, open(repofile) as r:
+    with open(base_pkgfile, encoding="utf-8") as bp, open(
+        repofile, encoding="utf-8"
+    ) as r:
         base_pkgs, repo = yaml.safe_load(bp), yaml.safe_load(r)
 
     reverse = build_reverse(base_pkgs, repo)
@@ -150,7 +152,7 @@ def main():
         print(f"you entered {pkg}")
 
     if args.out:
-        with open(args.out, "w") as out:
+        with open(args.out, "w", encoding="utf-8") as out:
             run(args.base_pkgs, args.repo, args.dot, pkg, out)
     elif args.display_dot:
         try:
diff --git a/komodo/shebang.py b/komodo/shebang.py
index 74157dcb8..cb1e2bb8e 100644
--- a/komodo/shebang.py
+++ b/komodo/shebang.py
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ def fixup_python_shebangs(prefix, release):
     # executables with wrong shebang
     for bin_ in os.listdir(binpath):
         try:
-            with open(os.path.join(binpath, bin_)) as f:
+            with open(os.path.join(binpath, bin_), encoding="utf-8") as f:
                 shebang = f.readline().strip()
             if _is_shebang(shebang):
                 bins_.append(bin_)
diff --git a/komodo/switch.py b/komodo/switch.py
index cdf937f9d..43a7f058d 100644
--- a/komodo/switch.py
+++ b/komodo/switch.py
@@ -33,8 +33,10 @@ def create_activator_switch(data, prefix, release):
 
     os.makedirs(release_path)
 
-    with open(os.path.join(release_path, "enable"), "w") as activator, open(
-        data.get("activator_switch.tmpl"),
+    with open(
+        os.path.join(release_path, "enable"), "w", encoding="utf-8"
+    ) as activator, open(
+        data.get("activator_switch.tmpl"), encoding="utf-8"
     ) as activator_tmpl:
         activator.write(
             Template(activator_tmpl.read(), keep_trailing_newline=True).render(
@@ -44,8 +46,10 @@ def create_activator_switch(data, prefix, release):
             ),
         )
 
-    with open(os.path.join(release_path, "enable.csh"), "w") as activator, open(
-        data.get("activator_switch.csh.tmpl"),
+    with open(
+        os.path.join(release_path, "enable.csh"), "w", encoding="utf-8"
+    ) as activator, open(
+        data.get("activator_switch.csh.tmpl"), encoding="utf-8"
     ) as activator_tmpl:
         activator.write(
             Template(activator_tmpl.read(), keep_trailing_newline=True).render(
diff --git a/komodo/symlink/create_links.py b/komodo/symlink/create_links.py
index 7c3e77494..30fc90dde 100644
--- a/komodo/symlink/create_links.py
+++ b/komodo/symlink/create_links.py
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ def symlink_main():
     if not os.path.isfile(args.config):
         sys.exit(f"The file {args.config} can not be found")
 
-    with open(args.config) as input_file:
+    with open(args.config, encoding="utf-8") as input_file:
         input_dict = json.load(input_file)
 
     errors = verify_integrity(input_dict)
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index be3644796..31797e40a 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -101,7 +101,6 @@ disable = [
     "too-many-locals",
     "too-many-statements",
     "unnecessary-lambda",
-    "unspecified-encoding",
     "unused-argument",
     "use-a-generator",
     "use-implicit-booleaness-not-comparison",
diff --git a/tests/__init__.py b/tests/__init__.py
index 803970e15..1ff79aa6e 100644
--- a/tests/__init__.py
+++ b/tests/__init__.py
@@ -15,5 +15,5 @@ def _load_yaml(filename):
         offset=2,
     )
     ruamel_instance.width = 1000  # Avoid ruamel wrapping long
-    with open(filename) as repo_handle:
+    with open(filename, encoding="utf-8") as repo_handle:
         return ruamel_instance.load(repo_handle)
diff --git a/tests/test_cli.py b/tests/test_cli.py
index 9eaaa19d3..11692c46f 100644
--- a/tests/test_cli.py
+++ b/tests/test_cli.py
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ def test_main(args, tmpdir):
     assert os.path.exists(downloaded_file)
     assert os.access(downloaded_file, os.X_OK)
 
-    with open(os.path.join(release_path, release_name)) as releasedoc:
+    with open(os.path.join(release_path, release_name), encoding="utf-8") as releasedoc:
         releasedoc_content = releasedoc.read()
 
         # test specifically for the regression introduced by
diff --git a/tests/test_enable_scipts.py b/tests/test_enable_scipts.py
index 7c571bc98..c70baa8a5 100644
--- a/tests/test_enable_scipts.py
+++ b/tests/test_enable_scipts.py
@@ -6,11 +6,11 @@
 
 
 def _load_envs():
-    with open("pre_source.env") as pre:
+    with open("pre_source.env", encoding="utf-8") as pre:
         pre_env = json.loads(pre.read())
-    with open("sourced.env") as sourced:
+    with open("sourced.env", encoding="utf-8") as sourced:
         sourced_env = json.loads(sourced.read())
-    with open("post_disable.env") as post:
+    with open("post_disable.env", encoding="utf-8") as post:
         post_env = json.loads(post.read())
 
     return pre_env, sourced_env, post_env
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ def test_enable_bash_nopresets(tmpdir):
     with tmpdir.as_cwd():
         Path("bleeding").mkdir()
         create_enable_scripts(komodo_prefix="prefix", komodo_release="bleeding")
-        with open("test_enable.sh", "w") as test_file:
+        with open("test_enable.sh", "w", encoding="utf-8") as test_file:
             test_file.write(
                 TEST_SCRIPT_SIMPLE.format(
                     set_envs=CLEAN_BASH_ENV,
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ def test_enable_csh_no_presets(tmpdir):
     with tmpdir.as_cwd():
         Path("bleeding").mkdir()
         create_enable_scripts(komodo_prefix="prefix", komodo_release="bleeding")
-        with open("test_enable.sh", "w") as test_file:
+        with open("test_enable.sh", "w", encoding="utf-8") as test_file:
             test_file.write(
                 TEST_SCRIPT_SIMPLE.format(
                     set_envs=CLEAN_CSH_ENV,
diff --git a/tests/test_link_io_structure.py b/tests/test_link_io_structure.py
index 9a57ac630..4f510a7f3 100644
--- a/tests/test_link_io_structure.py
+++ b/tests/test_link_io_structure.py
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ def test_integration(tmpdir):
     test_folder = _get_test_root()
     shutil.copy(os.path.join(test_folder, "data/links.json"), tmpdir)
     with tmpdir.as_cwd():
-        with open("links.json") as link_file:
+        with open("links.json", encoding="utf-8") as link_file:
             input_dict = json.load(link_file)
 
         input_dict["root_folder"] = os.path.realpath(input_dict["root_folder"])
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ def test_root_links(tmpdir):
     test_folder = _get_test_root()
     shutil.copy(os.path.join(test_folder, "data/links.json"), tmpdir)
     with tmpdir.as_cwd():
-        with open("links.json") as link_file:
+        with open("links.json", encoding="utf-8") as link_file:
             input_dict = json.load(link_file)
 
         assert_root_nodes(input_dict)
@@ -257,12 +257,14 @@ def test_executables(tmpdir):
     sys.argv = ["run", "links_test.json"]
     try:
         test_folder = _get_test_root()
-        with open(os.path.join(test_folder, "data/links_full.json")) as input_file:
+        with open(
+            os.path.join(test_folder, "data/links_full.json"), encoding="utf-8"
+        ) as input_file:
             input_data = json.load(input_file)
 
         with tmpdir.as_cwd():
             input_data["root_folder"] = str(tmpdir)
-            with open("links_test.json", "w") as test_file:
+            with open("links_test.json", "w", encoding="utf-8") as test_file:
                 test_file.write(json.dumps(input_data))
 
             with pytest.raises(SystemExit):
diff --git a/tests/test_lint_maturity.py b/tests/test_lint_maturity.py
index 9f0419dc6..d1e257413 100644
--- a/tests/test_lint_maturity.py
+++ b/tests/test_lint_maturity.py
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ def _create_tmp_test_files(release_sample, file_names_sample):
     for file_name in file_names_sample:
         list_files.append(folder_name + file_name)
 
-        with open(folder_name + file_name, "w") as file_sample:
+        with open(folder_name + file_name, "w", encoding="utf-8") as file_sample:
             file_sample.write(release_sample)
 
     return list_files
diff --git a/tests/test_non_deployed.py b/tests/test_non_deployed.py
index 5a003d54a..86c39fe1b 100644
--- a/tests/test_non_deployed.py
+++ b/tests/test_non_deployed.py
@@ -47,9 +47,13 @@ def test_non_deployed(tmpdir):
         os.makedirs(os.path.join(install_root, "2019.11.05-py38-rhel7/root"))
 
         # Create matrix files
-        with open(os.path.join(release_folder, "2019.11.05.yml"), "a"):
+        with open(
+            os.path.join(release_folder, "2019.11.05.yml"), "a", encoding="utf-8"
+        ):
             pass
-        with open(os.path.join(release_folder, "2019.12.02.yml"), "a"):
+        with open(
+            os.path.join(release_folder, "2019.12.02.yml"), "a", encoding="utf-8"
+        ):
             pass
 
         expected = ("2019.12.02",)
@@ -74,9 +78,13 @@ def test_links_ignored(tmpdir):
             ),
             root=install_root,
         )
-        with open(os.path.join(release_folder, "2019.12.01.yml"), "a"):
+        with open(
+            os.path.join(release_folder, "2019.12.01.yml"), "a", encoding="utf-8"
+        ):
             pass
-        with open(os.path.join(release_folder, "2022.02.02.yml"), "a"):
+        with open(
+            os.path.join(release_folder, "2022.02.02.yml"), "a", encoding="utf-8"
+        ):
             pass
 
         non_deployed = fetch_non_deployed(install_root, release_folder)
diff --git a/tests/test_post_messages.py b/tests/test_post_messages.py
index 12051d8bd..2f05c6798 100644
--- a/tests/test_post_messages.py
+++ b/tests/test_post_messages.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 def test_get_messages():
     motd_db_file = os.path.join(_get_test_root(), "data/test_messages/motd_db.yml")
     yaml = YAML()
-    with open(motd_db_file) as f:
+    with open(motd_db_file, encoding="utf-8") as f:
         motd_db = yaml.load(f)
 
     release = "2020.01.01-py27-rhel6"
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ def test_main_success_symlinks(tmpdir):
             os.path.join("2020.01.01-py27-rhel6", "motd", "scripts"),
         )
         yaml = YAML()
-        with open(motd_db_file) as f:
+        with open(motd_db_file, encoding="utf-8") as f:
             motd_db = yaml.load(f)
         msg = motd_db["stable"]["inline"][0]
         filename = hashlib.md5(msg.encode()).hexdigest()
diff --git a/tests/test_release_cleanup.py b/tests/test_release_cleanup.py
index a40df4c15..6defd4d31 100644
--- a/tests/test_release_cleanup.py
+++ b/tests/test_release_cleanup.py
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ def test_write_to_file(tmpdir):
         unused_versions = find_unused_versions(used_versions, repository)
         remove_unused_versions(repository, unused_versions)
         write_to_file(repository, "output_repo.yml")
-        with open("output_repo.yml") as output:
+        with open("output_repo.yml", encoding="utf-8") as output:
             assert output.read() == expected_result
 
 
diff --git a/tests/test_release_transpiler.py b/tests/test_release_transpiler.py
index b79dbf515..f394cc414 100644
--- a/tests/test_release_transpiler.py
+++ b/tests/test_release_transpiler.py
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ def test_build_release_matrix_py_coords(
         build_matrix_file(release_base, release_folder, builtins, py_coords_input)
         new_release_file = f"{release_base}.yml"
         assert os.path.isfile(new_release_file)
-        with open(new_release_file) as f:
+        with open(new_release_file, encoding="utf-8") as f:
             release_matrix = yaml.safe_load(f)
 
         assert release_matrix["lib1"] == builtins["lib1"]
diff --git a/tests/test_up_to_date_pypi.py b/tests/test_up_to_date_pypi.py
index c36771592..86ab628f0 100644
--- a/tests/test_up_to_date_pypi.py
+++ b/tests/test_up_to_date_pypi.py
@@ -244,7 +244,7 @@ def test_check_up_to_date_file_output(monkeypatch, tmpdir, capsys):
         )
         result = {}
 
-        with open(f"{base_path}/repository_file.yml") as fin:
+        with open(f"{base_path}/repository_file.yml", encoding="utf-8") as fin:
             result["updated_repo"] = yaml.load(fin)
 
         assert result == {
@@ -441,9 +441,9 @@ def test_run_up_to_date(
 
         result = {}
         yaml = YAML()
-        with open("new_file") as fin:
+        with open("new_file", encoding="utf-8") as fin:
             result["release"] = yaml.load(fin)
-        with open("repository_file") as fin:
+        with open("repository_file", encoding="utf-8") as fin:
             result["repo"] = yaml.load(fin)
 
         assert result == expected