diff --git a/ate/utils.py b/ate/utils.py
index 8ca075f2..093df3a8 100644
--- a/ate/utils.py
+++ b/ate/utils.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import codecs
 import hashlib
 import hmac
 import json
@@ -5,8 +6,8 @@ import os.path
 import random
 import re
 import string
-
 import yaml
+
 from ate import exception
 
 try:
@@ -32,11 +33,11 @@ def get_sign(*args):
     return sign
 
 def load_yaml_file(yaml_file):
-    with open(yaml_file, 'r+', encoding='utf-8') as stream:
+    with codecs.open(yaml_file, 'r+', encoding='utf-8') as stream:
         return yaml.load(stream)
 
 def load_json_file(json_file):
-    with open(json_file, encoding='utf-8') as data_file:
+    with codecs.open(json_file, encoding='utf-8') as data_file:
         return json.load(data_file)
 
 def load_testcases(testcase_file_path):