diff --git a/platformio/builder/tools/piolib.py b/platformio/builder/tools/piolib.py
index 02fee30c..edf343f3 100644
--- a/platformio/builder/tools/piolib.py
+++ b/platformio/builder/tools/piolib.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 
 from __future__ import absolute_import
 
+import codecs
 import hashlib
 import os
 import re
@@ -74,13 +75,7 @@ class LibBuilderFactory(object):
                 if not env.IsFileWithExt(
                         fname, piotool.SRC_BUILD_EXT + piotool.SRC_HEADER_EXT):
                     continue
-                content = ""
-                try:
-                    with open(join(root, fname)) as f:
-                        content = f.read()
-                except UnicodeDecodeError:
-                    with open(join(root, fname), encoding="latin-1") as f:
-                        content = f.read()
+                content = util.get_file_contents(join(root, fname))
                 if not content:
                     continue
                 if "Arduino.h" in content and include_re.search(content):
@@ -481,7 +476,8 @@ class ArduinoLibBuilder(LibBuilderBase):
         manifest = {}
         if not isfile(join(self.path, "library.properties")):
             return manifest
-        with open(join(self.path, "library.properties")) as fp:
+        manifest_path = join(self.path, "library.properties")
+        with codecs.open(manifest_path, encoding="utf-8") as fp:
             for line in fp.readlines():
                 if "=" not in line:
                     continue
diff --git a/platformio/builder/tools/piomisc.py b/platformio/builder/tools/piomisc.py
index 878cb486..484f6228 100644
--- a/platformio/builder/tools/piomisc.py
+++ b/platformio/builder/tools/piomisc.py
@@ -76,8 +76,7 @@ class InoToCPPConverter(object):
     def process(self, contents):
         out_file = self._main_ino + ".cpp"
         assert self._gcc_preprocess(contents, out_file)
-        with open(out_file) as fp:
-            contents = fp.read()
+        contents = util.get_file_contents(out_file)
         contents = self._join_multiline_strings(contents)
         with open(out_file, "w") as fp:
             fp.write(self.append_prototypes(contents))
diff --git a/platformio/commands/remote.py b/platformio/commands/remote.py
index 9b7ad5fb..d506d5a5 100644
--- a/platformio/commands/remote.py
+++ b/platformio/commands/remote.py
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ def device_monitor(ctx, **kwargs):
             sleep(0.1)
         if not t.is_alive():
             return
-        kwargs['port'] = open(sock_file).read()
+        kwargs['port'] = util.get_file_contents(sock_file)
         ctx.invoke(cmd_device_monitor, **kwargs)
         t.join(2)
     finally:
diff --git a/platformio/ide/projectgenerator.py b/platformio/ide/projectgenerator.py
index e5c392fa..cd48ca61 100644
--- a/platformio/ide/projectgenerator.py
+++ b/platformio/ide/projectgenerator.py
@@ -122,10 +122,8 @@ class ProjectGenerator(object):
                 contents.encode("utf8") if util.PY2 else contents)
 
     def _render_tpl(self, tpl_path):
-        content = ""
-        with open(tpl_path) as f:
-            content = f.read()
-        return bottle.template(content, **self._tplvars)
+        return bottle.template(
+            util.get_file_contents(tpl_path), **self._tplvars)
 
     @staticmethod
     def _merge_contents(dst_path, contents):
diff --git a/platformio/util.py b/platformio/util.py
index a8415ab0..3b5c16e9 100644
--- a/platformio/util.py
+++ b/platformio/util.py
@@ -852,6 +852,15 @@ def ensure_udev_rules():
     return True
 
 
+def get_file_contents(path):
+    try:
+        with open(path) as f:
+            return f.read()
+    except UnicodeDecodeError:
+        with open(path, encoding="latin-1") as f:
+            return f.read()
+
+
 def rmtree_(path):
 
     def _onerror(_, name, __):