diff --git a/embedchain/app.py b/embedchain/app.py
index 72f5bfd6..c47775a2 100644
--- a/embedchain/app.py
+++ b/embedchain/app.py
@@ -393,7 +393,7 @@ class App(EmbedChain):
 
         if config_path:
             file_extension = os.path.splitext(config_path)[1]
-            with open(config_path, "r") as file:
+            with open(config_path, "r", encoding="UTF-8") as file:
                 if file_extension in [".yaml", ".yml"]:
                     config_data = yaml.safe_load(file)
                 elif file_extension == ".json":
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index ca12a2eb..010c120a 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [tool.poetry]
 name = "embedchain"
-version = "0.1.59"
+version = "0.1.60"
 description = "Data platform for LLMs - Load, index, retrieve and sync any unstructured data"
 authors = [
     "Taranjeet Singh <taranjeet@embedchain.ai>",