diff --git a/eeschema/plugins/python_scripts/bom_csv_grouped_by_value.py b/eeschema/plugins/python_scripts/bom_csv_grouped_by_value.py
index ea6655aad2..b0fe999ef0 100644
--- a/eeschema/plugins/python_scripts/bom_csv_grouped_by_value.py
+++ b/eeschema/plugins/python_scripts/bom_csv_grouped_by_value.py
@@ -25,19 +25,10 @@ import kicad_utils
 import csv
 import sys
 
-# A helper function to convert a UTF8/Unicode/locale string read in netlist
-# for python2 or python3 (Windows/unix)
+# A helper function to filter/convert a string read in netlist
+#currently: do nothing
 def fromNetlistText( aText ):
-    currpage = sys.stdout.encoding      #the current code page. can be none
-    if currpage is None:
-        return aText
-    if currpage != 'utf-8':
-        try:
-            return aText.encode('utf-8').decode(currpage)
-        except UnicodeDecodeError:
-            return aText
-    else:
-        return aText
+    return aText
 
 def myEqu(self, other):
     """myEqu is a more advanced equivalence function for components which is
@@ -74,7 +65,7 @@ net = kicad_netlist_reader.netlist(sys.argv[1])
 # Open a file to write to, if the file cannot be opened output to stdout
 # instead
 try:
-    f = kicad_utils.open_file_write(sys.argv[2], 'w')
+    f = kicad_utils.open_file_writeUTF8(sys.argv[2], 'w')
 except IOError:
     e = "Can't open output file for writing: " + sys.argv[2]
     print( __file__, ":", e, sys.stderr )
diff --git a/eeschema/plugins/python_scripts/bom_csv_grouped_by_value_with_fp.py b/eeschema/plugins/python_scripts/bom_csv_grouped_by_value_with_fp.py
index 5fc01022cc..d707f14f59 100644
--- a/eeschema/plugins/python_scripts/bom_csv_grouped_by_value_with_fp.py
+++ b/eeschema/plugins/python_scripts/bom_csv_grouped_by_value_with_fp.py
@@ -21,16 +21,10 @@ import kicad_utils
 import csv
 import sys
 
-# A helper function to convert a UTF8/Unicode/locale string read in netlist
-# for python2 or python3
+# A helper function to filter/convert a string read in netlist
+#currently: do nothing
 def fromNetlistText( aText ):
-    if sys.platform.startswith('win32'):
-        try:
-            return aText.encode('utf-8').decode('cp1252')
-        except UnicodeDecodeError:
-            return aText
-    else:
-        return aText
+    return aText
 
 # Generate an instance of a generic netlist, and load the netlist tree from
 # the command line option. If the file doesn't exist, execution will stop
@@ -39,7 +33,7 @@ net = kicad_netlist_reader.netlist(sys.argv[1])
 # Open a file to write to, if the file cannot be opened output to stdout
 # instead
 try:
-    f = kicad_utils.open_file_write(sys.argv[2], 'w')
+    f = kicad_utils.open_file_writeUTF8(sys.argv[2], 'w')
 except IOError:
     e = "Can't open output file for writing: " + sys.argv[2]
     print(__file__, ":", e, sys.stderr)
diff --git a/eeschema/plugins/python_scripts/bom_csv_sorted_by_ref.py b/eeschema/plugins/python_scripts/bom_csv_sorted_by_ref.py
index 401ba705fa..58042f448b 100644
--- a/eeschema/plugins/python_scripts/bom_csv_sorted_by_ref.py
+++ b/eeschema/plugins/python_scripts/bom_csv_sorted_by_ref.py
@@ -23,16 +23,10 @@ import kicad_utils
 import csv
 import sys
 
-# A helper function to convert a UTF8/Unicode/locale string read in netlist
-# for python2 or python3
+# A helper function to filter/convert a string read in netlist
+#currently: do nothing
 def fromNetlistText( aText ):
-    if sys.platform.startswith('win32'):
-        try:
-            return aText.encode('utf-8').decode('cp1252')
-        except UnicodeDecodeError:
-            return aText
-    else:
-        return aText
+    return aText
 
 # Generate an instance of a generic netlist, and load the netlist tree from
 # the command line option. If the file doesn't exist, execution will stop
@@ -41,7 +35,7 @@ net = kicad_netlist_reader.netlist(sys.argv[1])
 # Open a file to write to, if the file cannot be opened output to stdout
 # instead
 try:
-    f = kicad_utils.open_file_write(sys.argv[2], 'w')
+    f = kicad_utils.open_file_writeUTF8(sys.argv[2], 'w')
 except IOError:
     e = "Can't open output file for writing: " + sys.argv[2]
     print( __file__, ":", e, sys.stderr )
diff --git a/eeschema/plugins/python_scripts/bom_txt_sorted_by_ref.py b/eeschema/plugins/python_scripts/bom_txt_sorted_by_ref.py
index 059278e14d..e50974c301 100644
--- a/eeschema/plugins/python_scripts/bom_txt_sorted_by_ref.py
+++ b/eeschema/plugins/python_scripts/bom_txt_sorted_by_ref.py
@@ -21,16 +21,11 @@ import kicad_utils
 import csv
 import sys
 
-# A helper function to convert a UTF8/Unicode/locale string read in netlist
-# for python2 or python3 (Windows/unix)
+
+# A helper function to filter/convert a string read in netlist
+#currently: do nothing
 def fromNetlistText( aText ):
-    if sys.platform.startswith('win32'):
-        try:
-            return aText.encode('utf-8').decode('cp1252')
-        except UnicodeDecodeError:
-            return aText
-    else:
-        return aText
+    return aText
 
 # Generate an instance of a generic netlist, and load the netlist tree from
 # the command line option. If the file doesn't exist, execution will stop
@@ -39,7 +34,7 @@ net = kicad_netlist_reader.netlist(sys.argv[1])
 # Open a file to write to, if the file cannot be opened output to stdout
 # instead
 try:
-    f = kicad_utils.open_file_write(sys.argv[2], 'w')
+    f = kicad_utils.open_file_writeUTF8(sys.argv[2], 'w' )
 except IOError:
     e = "Can't open output file for writing: " + sys.argv[2]
     print(__file__, ":", e, sys.stderr)
diff --git a/eeschema/plugins/python_scripts/kicad_utils.py b/eeschema/plugins/python_scripts/kicad_utils.py
index 9ba9d9e9f2..e55e165c4d 100644
--- a/eeschema/plugins/python_scripts/kicad_utils.py
+++ b/eeschema/plugins/python_scripts/kicad_utils.py
@@ -12,4 +12,16 @@ def open_file_write(path, mode):
     if not os.path.isdir(dir_path):
         os.makedirs(dir_path)
 
-    return open(path, mode)
\ No newline at end of file
+    return open(path, mode)
+
+def open_file_writeUTF8(path, mode):
+    '''
+    Open "path" for writing, creating any parent directories as needed.
+    Use it only for text files. Force text encoding in UTF-8.
+    '''
+    dir_path = os.path.dirname(path)
+
+    if not os.path.isdir(dir_path):
+        os.makedirs(dir_path)
+
+    return open(path, mode, encoding='utf-8')
\ No newline at end of file