diff --git a/changelog.md b/changelog.md
index c5b6e540..09af6df2 100644
--- a/changelog.md
+++ b/changelog.md
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ Saves from 6.x are not compatible with 7.0.
 
 * **[Campaign]** Fixed a longstanding bug where oversized airlifts could corrupt a save with empty convoys.
 * **[Modding]** Fixed an issue where Falklands campaigns created or edited with new versions of DCS could not be loaded.
+* **[Modding]** Fixed decoding of campaign yaml files to use UTF-8 rather than the system locale's default. It's now possible to use "Bf 109 K-4 Kurfürst" as a preferred aircraft type.
 
 # 6.1.1
 
diff --git a/game/campaignloader/campaign.py b/game/campaignloader/campaign.py
index d3ca5ff7..c61ae2a4 100644
--- a/game/campaignloader/campaign.py
+++ b/game/campaignloader/campaign.py
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ class Campaign:
 
     @classmethod
     def from_file(cls, path: Path) -> Campaign:
-        with path.open() as campaign_file:
+        with path.open(encoding="utf-8") as campaign_file:
             data = yaml.safe_load(campaign_file)
 
         sanitized_theater = data["theater"].replace(" ", "")
diff --git a/game/logging_config.py b/game/logging_config.py
index 2272e5b0..19ff1c7f 100644
--- a/game/logging_config.py
+++ b/game/logging_config.py
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ def init_logging(version: str) -> None:
     log_config = resources / "default_logging.yaml"
     if (custom_log_config := resources / "logging.yaml").exists():
         log_config = custom_log_config
-    with log_config.open() as log_file:
+    with log_config.open(encoding="utf-8") as log_file:
         logging.config.dictConfig(yaml.safe_load(log_file))
 
     logging.info(f"DCS Liberation {version}")
diff --git a/game/theater/theaterloader.py b/game/theater/theaterloader.py
index 7ce1e626..f691bcd9 100644
--- a/game/theater/theaterloader.py
+++ b/game/theater/theaterloader.py
@@ -92,13 +92,13 @@ class TheaterLoader:
 
     @property
     def menu_thumbnail_dcs_relative_path(self) -> Path:
-        with self.descriptor_path.open() as descriptor_file:
+        with self.descriptor_path.open(encoding="utf-8") as descriptor_file:
             data = yaml.safe_load(descriptor_file)
         name = data.get("pydcs_name", data["name"])
         return Path("Mods/terrains") / name / "Theme/icon.png"
 
     def load(self) -> ConflictTheater:
-        with self.descriptor_path.open() as descriptor_file:
+        with self.descriptor_path.open(encoding="utf-8") as descriptor_file:
             data = yaml.safe_load(descriptor_file)
         return ConflictTheater(
             TERRAINS_BY_NAME[data.get("pydcs_name", data["name"])],