diff --git a/src/west/app/project.py b/src/west/app/project.py
index a046b65c..20de3a2d 100644
--- a/src/west/app/project.py
+++ b/src/west/app/project.py
@@ -321,7 +321,7 @@ def bootstrap(self, args) -> Path:
         # Parse the manifest to get "self: path:", if it declares one.
         # Otherwise, use the URL. Ignore imports -- all we really
         # want to know is if there's a "self: path:" or not.
-        manifest = Manifest.from_data(temp_manifest.read_text(),
+        manifest = Manifest.from_data(temp_manifest.read_text(encoding='utf-8'),
                                       import_flags=ImportFlag.IGNORE)
         if manifest.yaml_path:
             manifest_path = manifest.yaml_path