diff --git a/spec/samples/samples_regression_spec.rb b/spec/samples/samples_regression_spec.rb
index 57afdfc..313e54f 100644
--- a/spec/samples/samples_regression_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/samples/samples_regression_spec.rb
@@ -63,9 +63,8 @@ describe "Squib samples" do
       log = StringIO.new
       mock_cairo(log)
       load sample
-      overwrite_sample(sample, log) # Use TEMPORARILY once happy with the new sample log
-      test_file_str = File.open(sample_regression_file(sample))
-                          .read.force_encoding("UTF-8").encode("UTF-8")
+      # overwrite_sample(sample, log) # Use TEMPORARILY once happy with the new sample log
+      test_file_str = File.open(sample_regression_file(sample), 'r:UTF-8').read
       expect(log.string).to eq(test_file_str)
     end
   end
diff --git a/spec/spec_helper.rb b/spec/spec_helper.rb
index f0c48f9..893ea45 100644
--- a/spec/spec_helper.rb
+++ b/spec/spec_helper.rb
@@ -29,8 +29,8 @@ end
 
 def overwrite_sample(sample_name, log)
   # Use this to overwrite the regression with current state
-  File.open(sample_regression_file(sample_name), 'w+') do |f|
-    f.write(log.string.force_encoding("UTF-8").encode("UTF-8"))
+  File.open(sample_regression_file(sample_name), 'w+:UTF-8') do |f|
+    f.write(log.string)
   end
 end