diff --git a/oml/pdict.py b/oml/pdict.py
index 0ee9377..bd20b3e 100644
--- a/oml/pdict.py
+++ b/oml/pdict.py
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@ class pdict(dict):
 
     def _save(self):
         if self._path:
-            with open(self._path, 'w') as fd:
-                json.dump(self, fd, indent=4, sort_keys=True)
+            with open(self._path, 'w', encoding='utf-8') as fd:
+                json.dump(self, fd, indent=4, sort_keys=True, ensure_ascii=False)
 
     def get(self, key, default=None):
         if default == None and self._defaults:
diff --git a/oml/tasks.py b/oml/tasks.py
index 079dcf5..fa75d42 100644
--- a/oml/tasks.py
+++ b/oml/tasks.py
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ class Tasks(Thread):
     def save_tasks(self):
         if self._tasks:
             logger.debug('saving %s tasks for later', len(self._tasks))
-            with open(self._taskspath, 'w') as f:
+            with open(self._taskspath, 'w', encoding='utf-8') as f:
                 json.dump(self._tasks, f)
 
     def join(self):
diff --git a/oml/user/models.py b/oml/user/models.py
index 980cd70..071a043 100644
--- a/oml/user/models.py
+++ b/oml/user/models.py
@@ -437,7 +437,7 @@ class List(db.Model):
                 j['path'] = f.path
                 break
             items.append(j)
-        with open(path, 'w') as f:
+        with open(path, 'w', encoding='utf-8') as f:
             json.dump(items, f, indent=4, default=_to_json, ensure_ascii=False, sort_keys=True)
 
 class Metadata(db.Model):