diff --git a/gramps/cli/grampscli.py b/gramps/cli/grampscli.py
index efc50b7b7..fb7e2454d 100644
--- a/gramps/cli/grampscli.py
+++ b/gramps/cli/grampscli.py
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@ class CLIManager:
             # Attempt to figure out the database title
             path = os.path.join(filename, "name.txt")
             try:
-                with open(path) as ifile:
+                with open(path, encoding='utf8') as ifile:
                     title = ifile.readline().strip()
             except:
                 title = filename
diff --git a/gramps/gen/db/generic.py b/gramps/gen/db/generic.py
index 8607c37c7..ba445c9d8 100644
--- a/gramps/gen/db/generic.py
+++ b/gramps/gen/db/generic.py
@@ -757,7 +757,7 @@ class DbGeneric(DbWriteBase, DbReadBase, UpdateCallback, Callback):
         if self._directory:
             filepath = os.path.join(self._directory, "name.txt")
             try:
-                with open(filepath, "r") as name_file:
+                with open(filepath, "r", encoding='utf8') as name_file:
                     name = name_file.readline().strip()
             except (OSError, IOError) as msg:
                 LOG.error(str(msg))