diff --git a/Lib/packaging/util.py b/Lib/packaging/util.py
index 29994c08810..4dff547a835 100644
--- a/Lib/packaging/util.py
+++ b/Lib/packaging/util.py
@@ -1044,7 +1044,7 @@ def has_get_option(config, section, option):
     if not os.path.exists(path):
         raise PackagingFileError("file '%s' does not exist" %
                                  os.path.abspath(path))
-    config.read(path)
+    config.read(path, encoding='utf-8')
 
     kwargs = {}
     for arg in D1_D2_SETUP_ARGS: