diff --git a/bumblebee/theme.py b/bumblebee/theme.py
index eed2ea7..72a7c0e 100644
--- a/bumblebee/theme.py
+++ b/bumblebee/theme.py
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ class Theme(object):
 
         if os.path.isfile(themefile):
             try:
-                with open(themefile) as data:
+                with open(themefile, encoding="utf-8") as data:
                     return json.load(data)
             except ValueError as exception:
                 raise bumblebee.error.ThemeLoadError("JSON error: {}".format(exception))