diff --git a/lib/files.js b/lib/files.js
index 0d65af30ac..5819525c95 100644
--- a/lib/files.js
+++ b/lib/files.js
@@ -212,7 +212,8 @@ var files = module.exports = {
   // Read the '.engine_version.txt' file. If in a checkout, throw an error.
   getEngineVersion: function () {
     if (!files.in_checkout()) {
-      return fs.readFileSync(path.join(files.getCurrentEngineDir(), '.engine_version.txt'));
+      return fs.readFileSync(
+        path.join(files.getCurrentEngineDir(), '.engine_version.txt'), 'utf8');
     } else {
       throw new Error("Unexpected. Git checkouts don't have engine versions.");
     }
@@ -327,7 +328,7 @@ var files = module.exports = {
       else {
         if (!options.transform_contents) {
           // XXX reads full file into memory.. lame.
-          fs.writeFileSync(full_to, fs.readFileSync(full_from))
+          fs.writeFileSync(full_to, fs.readFileSync(full_from));
         } else {
           var contents = fs.readFileSync(full_from);
           contents = options.transform_contents(contents, f);