diff --git a/download_LoD2_from_LGL_BW.py b/download_LoD2_from_LGL_BW.py
index 6ce70f203b23dc868a6b2b7e61c4b3912b622dff..002cc19d01a16651194b0b7d46ffcd50432a95a3 100644
--- a/download_LoD2_from_LGL_BW.py
+++ b/download_LoD2_from_LGL_BW.py
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ def extract_region(output_dir: Path, location_name: str, wkt_str: str, simstadt_
     with open(wkt_path, 'w') as f:
         f.write(local_wkt)
 
-    with open(params_path, 'w') as f:
+    with open(params_path, 'w', encoding='utf-8') as f:
         f.write("--input\n")
         f.write(','.join(f"{gml.as_posix()}" for gml in gml_inputs))
         f.write("\n")