diff --git a/nipype/utils/filemanip.py b/nipype/utils/filemanip.py
index e0ec687a6a..ef52d00cc6 100644
--- a/nipype/utils/filemanip.py
+++ b/nipype/utils/filemanip.py
@@ -670,7 +670,7 @@ def read_stream(stream, logger=None, encoding=None):
 
 
     """
-    default_encoding = encoding or locale.getdefaultlocale()[1] or "UTF-8"
+    default_encoding = encoding or locale.getpreferredencoding(do_setlocale=False)
     logger = logger or fmlogger
     try:
         out = stream.decode(default_encoding)
diff --git a/nipype/utils/subprocess.py b/nipype/utils/subprocess.py
index 16fb438f1f..acd6b63256 100644
--- a/nipype/utils/subprocess.py
+++ b/nipype/utils/subprocess.py
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ def __init__(self, name, impl):
         self._buf = ""
         self._rows = []
         self._lastidx = 0
-        self.default_encoding = locale.getdefaultlocale()[1] or "UTF-8"
+        self.default_encoding = locale.getpreferredencoding(do_setlocale=False)
 
     def fileno(self):
         "Pass-through for file descriptor."