diff --git a/invesalius/reader/dicom.py b/invesalius/reader/dicom.py
index 0fc9e8d..45243ea 100644
--- a/invesalius/reader/dicom.py
+++ b/invesalius/reader/dicom.py
@@ -1926,12 +1926,7 @@ class Image(object):
         self.number = parser.GetImageNumber()
         self.spacing = spacing = parser.GetPixelSpacing()
         self.orientation_label = parser.GetImageOrientationLabel()
-        
-		if (sys.platform == 'win32'):
-			self.file = parser.filename.encode(utils.get_system_encoding())
-		else:
-			self.file = parser.filename.encode('utf-8')
-
+        self.file = parser.filename
         self.time = parser.GetImageTime()
         self.type = parser.GetImageType()
         self.size = (parser.GetDimensionX(), parser.GetDimensionY())
diff --git a/invesalius/utils.py b/invesalius/utils.py
index baab670..5b1d92a 100755
--- a/invesalius/utils.py
+++ b/invesalius/utils.py
@@ -254,4 +254,7 @@ def get_physical_memory():
 
 
 def get_system_encoding():
-	return locale.getdefaultlocale()[1]
+    if (sys.platform == 'win32'):
+        return locale.getdefaultlocale()[1]
+    else:
+        return 'utf-8'
--
libgit2 0.21.2