diff --git a/freqtrade/configuration/load_config.py b/freqtrade/configuration/load_config.py
index e18707a99..51d0d381f 100644
--- a/freqtrade/configuration/load_config.py
+++ b/freqtrade/configuration/load_config.py
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ def log_config_error_range(path: str, errmsg: str) -> str:
         offsetlist = re.findall(r"(?<=Parse\serror\sat\soffset\s)\d+", errmsg)
         if offsetlist:
             offset = int(offsetlist[0])
-            text = Path(path).read_text()
+            text = Path(path).read_text(encoding='utf-8')
             # Fetch an offset of 80 characters around the error line
             subtext = text[offset - min(80, offset) : offset + 80]
             segments = subtext.split("\n")