diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 5354cd3..b31eef0 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -11,5 +11,5 @@
     url='https://github.com/travishathaway/python-ach',
     license='MIT License',
     description='Library to create and parse ACH files (NACHA)',
-    long_description=open('README.rst').read(),
+    long_description=open('README.rst', encoding='utf-8').read(),
 )