diff --git a/python/qemu/machine/machine.py b/python/qemu/machine/machine.py
index a7081b1845..34131884a5 100644
--- a/python/qemu/machine/machine.py
+++ b/python/qemu/machine/machine.py
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ which provides facilities for managing the lifetime of a QEMU VM.
 
 import errno
 from itertools import chain
+import locale
 import logging
 import os
 import shutil
@@ -290,8 +291,12 @@ class QEMUMachine:
         return self._subp.pid
 
     def _load_io_log(self) -> None:
+        # Assume that the output encoding of QEMU's terminal output is
+        # defined by our locale. If indeterminate, allow open() to fall
+        # back to the platform default.
+        _, encoding = locale.getlocale()
         if self._qemu_log_path is not None:
-            with open(self._qemu_log_path, "r") as iolog:
+            with open(self._qemu_log_path, "r", encoding=encoding) as iolog:
                 self._iolog = iolog.read()
 
     @property
diff --git a/python/setup.cfg b/python/setup.cfg
index 83909c1c97..fdca265fec 100644
--- a/python/setup.cfg
+++ b/python/setup.cfg
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ ignore_missing_imports = True
 # --enable=similarities". If you want to run only the classes checker, but have
 # no Warning level messages displayed, use "--disable=all --enable=classes
 # --disable=W".
-disable=
+disable=consider-using-f-string,
 
 [pylint.basic]
 # Good variable names which should always be accepted, separated by a comma.
@@ -104,6 +104,7 @@ good-names=i,
 [pylint.similarities]
 # Ignore imports when computing similarities.
 ignore-imports=yes
+ignore-signatures=yes
 
 # Minimum lines number of a similarity.
 # TODO: Remove after we opt in to Pylint 2.8.3. See commit msg.