diff --git a/basis/simple-flat-file/simple-flat-file.factor b/basis/simple-flat-file/simple-flat-file.factor
index abd1ccf76e..6e53c97738 100644
--- a/basis/simple-flat-file/simple-flat-file.factor
+++ b/basis/simple-flat-file/simple-flat-file.factor
@@ -29,4 +29,4 @@ IN: simple-flat-file
     ";" split [ [ blank? ] trim ] map ;
 
 : data ( filename -- data )
-    ascii file-lines drop-comments [ split-; ] map ;
+    utf8 file-lines drop-comments [ split-; ] map ;