--- setup.py
+++ setup.py
@@ -725,7 +725,7 @@
                 f = os.path.join(d, "db.h")
                 if db_setup_debug: print("db: looking for db.h in", f)
                 if os.path.exists(f):
-                    f = open(f).read()
+                    f = open(f, errors="replace").read()
                     m = re.search(r"#define\WDB_VERSION_MAJOR\W(\d+)", f)
                     if m:
                         db_major = int(m.group(1))