diff --git a/src/Mod/Material/importFCMat.py b/src/Mod/Material/importFCMat.py
index c41c93ad50..d4cb62354b 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Material/importFCMat.py
+++ b/src/Mod/Material/importFCMat.py
@@ -103,17 +103,26 @@ def read(filename):
             filename = filename.encode(sys.getfilesystemencoding())
     # print(filename)
     card_name_file = os.path.splitext(os.path.basename(filename))[0]
-    f = pythonopen(filename)
+    if sys.version_info.major >= 3:
+        f = pythonopen(filename, encoding="utf8")
+    else:
+        f = pythonopen(filename)
     d = {}
     d["CardName"] = card_name_file  # CardName is the MatCard file name
     ln = 0
     for line in f:
         if ln == 0:
-            card_name_content = line.split(";")[1].strip()  # Line 1
+            v = line.split(";")[1].strip()  # Line 1
+            if hasattr(v, "decode"):
+                v = v.decode('utf-8')
+            card_name_content = v
             if card_name_content != d["CardName"]:
                 FreeCAD.Console.PrintError("File CardName (" + card_name_file + ") is not content CardName (" + card_name_content + ")\n")
         elif ln == 1:
-            d["AuthorAndLicense"] = line.split(";")[1].strip()  # Line 2
+            v = line.split(";")[1].strip()  # Line 2
+            if hasattr(v, "decode"):
+                v = v.decode('utf-8')
+            d["AuthorAndLicense"] = v
         else:
             # ; is a Commend
             # # might be a comment too ?