diff --git a/variable_grabbler.py b/variable_grabbler.py
index 32594c3..ec33c18 100644
--- a/variable_grabbler.py
+++ b/variable_grabbler.py
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ for x in parsed:
         file_content = file_in.read()
         file_in.close()
 
-        file_content = file_content.replace("%" + x + "%", parsed[x])
+        file_content = file_content.decode('utf-8').replace("%" + x + "%", parsed[x]).encode('utf-8')
 
         file_out = open(fpath, "w")
         file_out.write(file_content)