diff --git a/pysudoers/__init__.py b/pysudoers/__init__.py
index 6476e84..96d000c 100644
--- a/pysudoers/__init__.py
+++ b/pysudoers/__init__.py
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@ def parse_file(self):
         """
         backslash_re = re.compile(r"\\$")
 
-        with open(self._path, "r", encoding="ascii") as sudo:
+        with open(self._path, "r", encoding="utf-8") as sudo:
             for line in sudo:
                 # Strip whitespace from beginning and end
                 line = line.strip()