diff --git a/mopidy/backends/local/__init__.py b/mopidy/backends/local/__init__.py
index a6c96a3a..161506e3 100644
--- a/mopidy/backends/local/__init__.py
+++ b/mopidy/backends/local/__init__.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ class Extension(ext.Extension):
 
     def get_default_config(self):
         conf_file = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), 'ext.conf')
-        return open(conf_file).read()
+        return config.read(conf_file)
 
     def get_config_schema(self):
         schema = config.ExtensionConfigSchema()
diff --git a/mopidy/backends/spotify/__init__.py b/mopidy/backends/spotify/__init__.py
index 2860b593..2833c4c4 100644
--- a/mopidy/backends/spotify/__init__.py
+++ b/mopidy/backends/spotify/__init__.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ class Extension(ext.Extension):
 
     def get_default_config(self):
         conf_file = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), 'ext.conf')
-        return open(conf_file).read()
+        return config.read(conf_file)
 
     def get_config_schema(self):
         schema = config.ExtensionConfigSchema()
diff --git a/mopidy/backends/stream/__init__.py b/mopidy/backends/stream/__init__.py
index 732fd3f2..3f116eed 100644
--- a/mopidy/backends/stream/__init__.py
+++ b/mopidy/backends/stream/__init__.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ class Extension(ext.Extension):
 
     def get_default_config(self):
         conf_file = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), 'ext.conf')
-        return open(conf_file).read()
+        return config.read(conf_file)
 
     def get_config_schema(self):
         schema = config.ExtensionConfigSchema()
diff --git a/mopidy/config/__init__.py b/mopidy/config/__init__.py
index b04bcc44..48334942 100644
--- a/mopidy/config/__init__.py
+++ b/mopidy/config/__init__.py
@@ -35,10 +35,15 @@ config_schemas['proxy']['password'] = String(optional=True, secret=True)
 #config_schemas['audio.outputs'] = config.AudioOutputConfigSchema()
 
 
+def read(config_file):
+    """Helper to load defaults in same way across core and extensions."""
+    with io.open(config_file, 'rb') as filehandle:
+        return filehandle.read()
+
+
 def load(files, overrides, extensions=None):
-    default_config_file = os.path.join(
-        os.path.dirname(__file__), 'default.conf')
-    defaults = [open(default_config_file).read()]
+    config_dir = os.path.dirname(__file__)
+    defaults = [read(os.path.join(config_dir, 'default.conf'))]
     if extensions:
         defaults.extend(e.get_default_config() for e in extensions)
     return _load(files, defaults, overrides)
diff --git a/mopidy/frontends/http/__init__.py b/mopidy/frontends/http/__init__.py
index 34fa065a..07b9285d 100644
--- a/mopidy/frontends/http/__init__.py
+++ b/mopidy/frontends/http/__init__.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ class Extension(ext.Extension):
 
     def get_default_config(self):
         conf_file = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), 'ext.conf')
-        return open(conf_file).read()
+        return config.read(conf_file)
 
     def get_config_schema(self):
         schema = config.ExtensionConfigSchema()
diff --git a/mopidy/frontends/mpd/__init__.py b/mopidy/frontends/mpd/__init__.py
index f108aec5..5b45a9c1 100644
--- a/mopidy/frontends/mpd/__init__.py
+++ b/mopidy/frontends/mpd/__init__.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ class Extension(ext.Extension):
 
     def get_default_config(self):
         conf_file = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), 'ext.conf')
-        return open(conf_file).read()
+        return config.read(conf_file)
 
     def get_config_schema(self):
         schema = config.ExtensionConfigSchema()
diff --git a/mopidy/frontends/mpris/__init__.py b/mopidy/frontends/mpris/__init__.py
index a2a6edf3..fcb9a634 100644
--- a/mopidy/frontends/mpris/__init__.py
+++ b/mopidy/frontends/mpris/__init__.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ class Extension(ext.Extension):
 
     def get_default_config(self):
         conf_file = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), 'ext.conf')
-        return open(conf_file).read()
+        return config.read(conf_file)
 
     def get_config_schema(self):
         schema = config.ExtensionConfigSchema()
diff --git a/mopidy/frontends/scrobbler/__init__.py b/mopidy/frontends/scrobbler/__init__.py
index 0aa0bdc6..f4208824 100644
--- a/mopidy/frontends/scrobbler/__init__.py
+++ b/mopidy/frontends/scrobbler/__init__.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ class Extension(ext.Extension):
 
     def get_default_config(self):
         conf_file = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), 'ext.conf')
-        return open(conf_file).read()
+        return config.read(conf_file)
 
     def get_config_schema(self):
         schema = config.ExtensionConfigSchema()