diff --git a/python/worblehat.py b/python/worblehat.py
index e030a8e..5c28f2a 100755
--- a/python/worblehat.py
+++ b/python/worblehat.py
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ import search
 import placement
 import tempfile
 
+file_encoding = 'utf8'
+
 def show_book_or_person(ids, commit_format=False, tmp_file=False):
     objects = map(get_book_or_person, ids)
     for i in range(len(ids)):
@@ -218,8 +220,8 @@ def run_editor(filename):
 		exit("Error: %s: File does not exist!" % filename)
 
 def write_tmpfile(pfix='', content=''):
-    file = tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile(prefix=pfix, dir='/tmp', delete=False)
-    file.write(content)
+    file = tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile(prefix=pfix+'-', dir='/tmp', delete=False)
+    file.write(content.encode(file_encoding))
     name = file.name
     file.close()
     return name