diff --git a/django_migration_linter/management/commands/lintmigrations.py b/django_migration_linter/management/commands/lintmigrations.py
index 815c97b..2a19f02 100644
--- a/django_migration_linter/management/commands/lintmigrations.py
+++ b/django_migration_linter/management/commands/lintmigrations.py
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ class Command(BaseCommand):
             logging.basicConfig(format="%(message)s")
 
         config_parser = configparser.ConfigParser()
-        config_parser.read(DEFAULT_CONFIG_FILES)
+        config_parser.read(DEFAULT_CONFIG_FILES, encoding='utf-8')
 
         ignore_name_contains = options["ignore_name_contains"] or config_parser.get(
             CONFIG_NAME, "ignore_name_contains", fallback=None