diff --git a/bin/tests/system/checkds/tests-checkds.py b/bin/tests/system/checkds/tests-checkds.py
index 1c60c93309..2561a17024 100755
--- a/bin/tests/system/checkds/tests-checkds.py
+++ b/bin/tests/system/checkds/tests-checkds.py
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ def verify_zone(zone, transfer):
     assert verify is not None
 
     filename = "{}out".format(zone)
-    with open(filename, 'w') as file:
+    with open(filename, 'w', encoding='utf-8') as file:
         for rr in transfer.answer:
             file.write(rr.to_text())
             file.write('\n')
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ def read_statefile(server, zone):
     print("read state file {}".format(filename))
 
     try:
-        with open(filename, 'r') as file:
+        with open(filename, 'r', encoding='utf-8') as file:
             for line in file:
                 if line.startswith(';'):
                     continue
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ def wait_for_log(filename, log):
         print("read log file {}".format(filename))
 
         try:
-            with open(filename, 'r') as file:
+            with open(filename, 'r', encoding='utf-8') as file:
                 s = mmap.mmap(file.fileno(), 0, access=mmap.ACCESS_READ)
                 if s.find(bytes(log, "ascii")) != -1:
                     found = True
diff --git a/bin/tests/system/digdelv/yamlget.py b/bin/tests/system/digdelv/yamlget.py
index 60b14cb2d4..9d702036e5 100644
--- a/bin/tests/system/digdelv/yamlget.py
+++ b/bin/tests/system/digdelv/yamlget.py
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ except:
     print("No python yaml module, skipping")
     sys.exit(1)
 
-with open(sys.argv[1], "r") as f:
+with open(sys.argv[1], "r", encoding="utf-8") as f:
     for item in yaml.safe_load_all(f):
         for key in sys.argv[2:]:
             try:
diff --git a/bin/tests/system/doth/stress_http_quota.py b/bin/tests/system/doth/stress_http_quota.py
index 1e56538aa9..e2ddae1819 100755
--- a/bin/tests/system/doth/stress_http_quota.py
+++ b/bin/tests/system/doth/stress_http_quota.py
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ class SubDIG:
 
     def run(self):
         # pylint: disable=consider-using-with
-        with open(os.devnull, 'w') as devnull:
+        with open(os.devnull, 'w', encoding='utf-8') as devnull:
             self.sub_process = subprocess.Popen(self.get_command(), shell=True,
                                                 stdout=devnull)
 
diff --git a/bin/tests/system/rpzextra/tests-rpz-passthru-logging.py b/bin/tests/system/rpzextra/tests-rpz-passthru-logging.py
index c4afa43ae9..efc0ac053b 100755
--- a/bin/tests/system/rpzextra/tests-rpz-passthru-logging.py
+++ b/bin/tests/system/rpzextra/tests-rpz-passthru-logging.py
@@ -37,11 +37,11 @@ def test_rpz_passthru_logging(named_port):
     assert os.path.isfile(rpz_passthru_logfile)
     assert os.path.isfile(rpz_logfile)
 
-    with open(rpz_passthru_logfile) as log_file:
+    with open(rpz_passthru_logfile, encoding='utf-8') as log_file:
         line = log_file.read()
         assert "rpz QNAME PASSTHRU rewrite allowed/A/IN" in line
 
-    with open(rpz_logfile) as log_file:
+    with open(rpz_logfile, encoding='utf-8') as log_file:
         line = log_file.read()
         assert "rpz QNAME PASSTHRU rewrite allowed/A/IN" not in line
         assert "rpz QNAME NXDOMAIN rewrite baddomain/A/IN" in line
diff --git a/bin/tests/system/statschannel/helper.py b/bin/tests/system/statschannel/helper.py
index c43bea93b8..fb9a2eb12b 100644
--- a/bin/tests/system/statschannel/helper.py
+++ b/bin/tests/system/statschannel/helper.py
@@ -78,13 +78,6 @@ def zone_mtime(zonedir, name):
     return mtime
 
 
-def zone_keyid(nameserver, zone, key):
-    with open('{}/{}.{}.id'.format(nameserver, zone, key)) as f:
-        keyid = f.read().strip()
-        print('{}-{} ID: {}'.format(zone, key, keyid))
-    return keyid
-
-
 def create_msg(qname, qtype):
     msg = dns.message.make_query(qname, qtype, want_dnssec=True,
                                  use_edns=0, payload=4096)
diff --git a/doc/arm/conf.py b/doc/arm/conf.py
index 1458fe9f47..b8aca9b33c 100644
--- a/doc/arm/conf.py
+++ b/doc/arm/conf.py
@@ -87,10 +87,10 @@ def setup(_):
 
 # -- Project information -----------------------------------------------------
 
-project = u'BIND 9'
+project = 'BIND 9'
 # pylint: disable=redefined-builtin
-copyright = u'2021, Internet Systems Consortium'
-author = u'Internet Systems Consortium'
+copyright = '2021, Internet Systems Consortium'
+author = 'Internet Systems Consortium'
 
 # -- General configuration ---------------------------------------------------
 
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ latex_engine = 'xelatex'
 
 # pylint disable=line-too-long
 latex_documents = [
-    (master_doc, 'Bv9ARM.tex', u'BIND 9 Administrator Reference Manual', author, 'manual'),
+    (master_doc, 'Bv9ARM.tex', 'BIND 9 Administrator Reference Manual', author, 'manual'),
     ]
 
 latex_logo = "isc-logo.pdf"
diff --git a/doc/man/conf.py b/doc/man/conf.py
index 8b4e37c777..6395cf0974 100644
--- a/doc/man/conf.py
+++ b/doc/man/conf.py
@@ -30,13 +30,13 @@
 
 # -- Project information -----------------------------------------------------
 
-project = u'BIND 9'
+project = 'BIND 9'
 # pylint: disable=wrong-import-position
 import datetime
 year = datetime.datetime.now().year
 # pylint: disable=redefined-builtin
-copyright = u"%d, Internet Systems Consortium" % year
-author = u'Internet Systems Consortium'
+copyright = "%d, Internet Systems Consortium" % year
+author = 'Internet Systems Consortium'
 
 # -- General configuration ---------------------------------------------------