diff --git a/internal/setup/assets/hermes/nudge.sh b/internal/setup/assets/hermes/nudge.sh
index a14adf12..44f168c9 100644
--- a/internal/setup/assets/hermes/nudge.sh
+++ b/internal/setup/assets/hermes/nudge.sh
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ from pathlib import Path
 import sys
 
 try:
-    payload = json.loads(Path(sys.argv[1]).read_text() or "{}")
+    payload = json.loads(Path(sys.argv[1]).read_text(encoding="utf-8") or "{}")
 except Exception:
     payload = {}
 
@@ -33,7 +33,8 @@ if "mnemon" not in response.lower() and "durable memory" not in response.lower()
         state_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
         (state_dir / "pending-nudge.txt").write_text(
             "[mnemon] Consider whether the previous exchange warrants durable memory. "
-            "Use mnemon remember only for stable decisions, preferences, facts, or insights.\n"
+            "Use mnemon remember only for stable decisions, preferences, facts, or insights.\n",
+            encoding="utf-8",
         )
     except Exception:
         pass
diff --git a/internal/setup/assets/hermes/remind.sh b/internal/setup/assets/hermes/remind.sh
index 0ddac32b..71224d32 100644
--- a/internal/setup/assets/hermes/remind.sh
+++ b/internal/setup/assets/hermes/remind.sh
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ from pathlib import Path
 
 payload_path = Path(sys.argv[1])
 try:
-    payload = json.loads(payload_path.read_text() or "{}")
+    payload = json.loads(payload_path.read_text(encoding="utf-8") or "{}")
 except Exception:
     payload = {}
 
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ def read_state_file(name):
     hermes_home = Path(os.environ.get("HERMES_HOME") or Path.home() / ".hermes")
     path = hermes_home / "mnemon" / name
     try:
-        text = path.read_text().strip()
+        text = path.read_text(encoding="utf-8").strip()
         path.unlink(missing_ok=True)
         return text
     except Exception:
@@ -75,6 +75,8 @@ def recall(query):
             ["mnemon", "recall", query, "--limit", "5"],
             capture_output=True,
             text=True,
+            encoding="utf-8",
+            errors="replace",
             timeout=8,
             check=False,
         )
diff --git a/internal/setup/hermes_test.go b/internal/setup/hermes_test.go
index 943e2470..852b364a 100644
--- a/internal/setup/hermes_test.go
+++ b/internal/setup/hermes_test.go
@@ -41,6 +41,43 @@ func TestHermesWriteSkillAndHooks(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestHermesPythonHooksUseExplicitUTF8(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		name string
+		hook string
+		want []string
+	}{
+		{
+			name: "remind",
+			hook: string(assets.HermesRemindHook),
+			want: []string{
+				`payload_path.read_text(encoding="utf-8")`,
+				`path.read_text(encoding="utf-8").strip()`,
+				`encoding="utf-8",`,
+				`errors="replace",`,
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			name: "nudge",
+			hook: string(assets.HermesNudgeHook),
+			want: []string{
+				`Path(sys.argv[1]).read_text(encoding="utf-8")`,
+				`encoding="utf-8",`,
+			},
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			for _, want := range tt.want {
+				if !strings.Contains(tt.hook, want) {
+					t.Fatalf("Hermes %s hook is missing %q", tt.name, want)
+				}
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
 func TestHermesRegisterHooksPreservesUnrelatedConfig(t *testing.T) {
 	dir := t.TempDir()
 	configPath := filepath.Join(dir, "config.yaml")