diff --git a/thriftpy/parser/__init__.py b/thriftpy/parser/__init__.py
index 7aa7e2e..1db1f50 100644
--- a/thriftpy/parser/__init__.py
+++ b/thriftpy/parser/__init__.py
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 from .parser import parse, parse_fp
 
 
-def load(path, module_name=None, include_dirs=None, include_dir=None):
+def load(path, module_name=None, include_dirs=None, include_dir=None, encoding=None):
     """Load thrift file as a module.
 
     The module loaded and objects inside may only be pickled if module_name
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ def load(path, module_name=None, include_dirs=None, include_dir=None):
     """
     real_module = bool(module_name)
     thrift = parse(path, module_name, include_dirs=include_dirs,
-                   include_dir=include_dir)
+                   include_dir=include_dir, encoding=encoding)
 
     if real_module:
         sys.modules[module_name] = thrift
diff --git a/thriftpy/parser/parser.py b/thriftpy/parser/parser.py
index f65320a..5fe6ef0 100644
--- a/thriftpy/parser/parser.py
+++ b/thriftpy/parser/parser.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 """
 
 from __future__ import absolute_import
+from io import open
 
 import collections
 import os
@@ -55,7 +56,7 @@ def p_include(p):
     for include_dir in replace_include_dirs:
         path = os.path.join(include_dir, p[2])
         if os.path.exists(path):
-            child = parse(path)
+            child = parse(path, encoding=thrift.__thrift_encoding__)
             setattr(thrift, child.__name__, child)
             _add_thrift_meta('includes', child)
             return
@@ -482,7 +483,7 @@ def p_type_annotation(p):
 
 
 def parse(path, module_name=None, include_dirs=None, include_dir=None,
-          lexer=None, parser=None, enable_cache=True):
+          lexer=None, parser=None, enable_cache=True, encoding=None):
     """Parse a single thrift file to module object, e.g.::
 
         >>> from thriftpy.parser.parser import parse
@@ -503,6 +504,9 @@ def parse(path, module_name=None, include_dirs=None, include_dir=None,
     :param enable_cache: if this is set to be `True`, parsed module will be
                          cached, this is enabled by default. If `module_name`
                          is provided, use it as cache key, else use the `path`.
+    :param encoding: encoding is the name of the encoding used to decode or encode the file.
+                     This should only be used in text mode. The default encoding is platform dependent,
+                     but any encoding supported by Python can be passed.
     """
     if os.name == 'nt' and sys.version_info < (3, 2):
         os.path.samefile = lambda f1, f2: os.stat(f1) == os.stat(f2)
@@ -537,10 +541,10 @@ def parse(path, module_name=None, include_dirs=None, include_dir=None,
 
     url_scheme = urlparse(path).scheme
     if url_scheme == 'file':
-        with open(urlparse(path).netloc + urlparse(path).path) as fh:
+        with open(urlparse(path).netloc + urlparse(path).path, encoding=encoding) as fh:
             data = fh.read()
     elif url_scheme == '':
-        with open(path) as fh:
+        with open(path, encoding=encoding) as fh:
             data = fh.read()
     elif url_scheme in ('http', 'https'):
         data = urlopen(path).read()
@@ -559,6 +563,7 @@ def parse(path, module_name=None, include_dirs=None, include_dir=None,
 
     thrift = types.ModuleType(module_name)
     setattr(thrift, '__thrift_file__', path)
+    setattr(thrift, '__thrift_encoding__', encoding)
     thrift_stack.append(thrift)
     lexer.lineno = 1
     parser.parse(data)