diff --git a/scripts/gen_syscalls.py b/scripts/gen_syscalls.py
index eeb4ba8633f..e5392fc86ff 100755
--- a/scripts/gen_syscalls.py
+++ b/scripts/gen_syscalls.py
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ def analyze_headers(base_path):
             if not fn.endswith(".h") or path.endswith("toolchain/common.h"):
                 continue
 
-            with open(path, "r") as fp:
+            with open(path, "r", encoding="utf-8") as fp:
                 try:
                     result = [analyze_fn(mo.groups(), fn)
                               for mo in api_regex.finditer(fp.read())]
@@ -108,8 +108,8 @@ def analyze_headers(base_path):
 
 table_template = """/* auto-generated by gen_syscalls.py, don't edit */
 
-/* Weak handler functions that get replaced by the real ones unles a system
- * call is not implemented due to kernel configuration
+/* Weak handler functions that get replaced by the real ones unless a system
+ * call is not implemented due to kernel configuration.
  */
 %s