diff --git a/src/backend/file/test/test-files/xml2/Money95bank_fr.gml2 b/src/backend/file/test/test-files/xml2/Money95bank_fr.gml2
index 9c74ca43d0..ef417d8698 100644
--- a/src/backend/file/test/test-files/xml2/Money95bank_fr.gml2
+++ b/src/backend/file/test/test-files/xml2/Money95bank_fr.gml2
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-<?xml version="1.0"?>
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
 <gnc-v2
      xmlns:gnc="http://www.gnucash.org/XML/gnc"
      xmlns:act="http://www.gnucash.org/XML/act"
diff --git a/src/backend/file/test/test-files/xml2/Money95invst.gml2 b/src/backend/file/test/test-files/xml2/Money95invst.gml2
index 97f23afc4f..93319da0a2 100644
--- a/src/backend/file/test/test-files/xml2/Money95invst.gml2
+++ b/src/backend/file/test/test-files/xml2/Money95invst.gml2
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-<?xml version="1.0"?>
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
 <gnc-v2
      xmlns:gnc="http://www.gnucash.org/XML/gnc"
      xmlns:act="http://www.gnucash.org/XML/act"
diff --git a/src/backend/file/test/test-files/xml2/Money95mutual.gml2 b/src/backend/file/test/test-files/xml2/Money95mutual.gml2
index e7bd67026d..c4ef7cda0f 100644
--- a/src/backend/file/test/test-files/xml2/Money95mutual.gml2
+++ b/src/backend/file/test/test-files/xml2/Money95mutual.gml2
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-<?xml version="1.0"?>
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
 <gnc-v2
      xmlns:gnc="http://www.gnucash.org/XML/gnc"
      xmlns:act="http://www.gnucash.org/XML/act"
diff --git a/src/backend/file/test/test-files/xml2/Money95stocks.gml2 b/src/backend/file/test/test-files/xml2/Money95stocks.gml2
index aff44ded91..8c1a30c85e 100644
--- a/src/backend/file/test/test-files/xml2/Money95stocks.gml2
+++ b/src/backend/file/test/test-files/xml2/Money95stocks.gml2
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-<?xml version="1.0"?>
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
 <gnc-v2
      xmlns:gnc="http://www.gnucash.org/XML/gnc"
      xmlns:act="http://www.gnucash.org/XML/act"
diff --git a/src/backend/file/test/test-files/xml2/abc.gml2 b/src/backend/file/test/test-files/xml2/abc.gml2
index 53e0d145c8..6e10636fbe 100644
--- a/src/backend/file/test/test-files/xml2/abc.gml2
+++ b/src/backend/file/test/test-files/xml2/abc.gml2
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-<?xml version="1.0"?>
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
 <gnc-v2
      xmlns:gnc="http://www.gnucash.org/XML/gnc"
      xmlns:act="http://www.gnucash.org/XML/act"
diff --git a/src/backend/file/test/test-files/xml2/abcall.gml2 b/src/backend/file/test/test-files/xml2/abcall.gml2
index 3a463e4fab..73d073a547 100644
--- a/src/backend/file/test/test-files/xml2/abcall.gml2
+++ b/src/backend/file/test/test-files/xml2/abcall.gml2
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-<?xml version="1.0"?>
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
 <gnc-v2
      xmlns:gnc="http://www.gnucash.org/XML/gnc"
      xmlns:act="http://www.gnucash.org/XML/act"
diff --git a/src/backend/file/test/test-files/xml2/carols-data-file.gml2 b/src/backend/file/test/test-files/xml2/carols-data-file.gml2
index de93debf3a..571db13972 100644
--- a/src/backend/file/test/test-files/xml2/carols-data-file.gml2
+++ b/src/backend/file/test/test-files/xml2/carols-data-file.gml2
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-<?xml version="1.0"?>
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
 <gnc-v2
      xmlns:gnc="http://www.gnucash.org/XML/gnc"
      xmlns:act="http://www.gnucash.org/XML/act"
diff --git a/src/backend/file/test/test-files/xml2/cbb-export.gml2 b/src/backend/file/test/test-files/xml2/cbb-export.gml2
index 33da1dff8a..cd130fdde1 100644
--- a/src/backend/file/test/test-files/xml2/cbb-export.gml2
+++ b/src/backend/file/test/test-files/xml2/cbb-export.gml2
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-<?xml version="1.0"?>
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
 <gnc-v2
      xmlns:gnc="http://www.gnucash.org/XML/gnc"
      xmlns:act="http://www.gnucash.org/XML/act"
diff --git a/src/backend/file/test/test-files/xml2/conrads-file.gml2 b/src/backend/file/test/test-files/xml2/conrads-file.gml2
index bbed1d53a4..007dc7cd8f 100644
--- a/src/backend/file/test/test-files/xml2/conrads-file.gml2
+++ b/src/backend/file/test/test-files/xml2/conrads-file.gml2
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-<?xml version="1.0"?>
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
 <gnc-v2
      xmlns:gnc="http://www.gnucash.org/XML/gnc"
      xmlns:act="http://www.gnucash.org/XML/act"
diff --git a/src/backend/file/test/test-files/xml2/every.gml2 b/src/backend/file/test/test-files/xml2/every.gml2
index 5b05b11105..fb47839214 100644
--- a/src/backend/file/test/test-files/xml2/every.gml2
+++ b/src/backend/file/test/test-files/xml2/every.gml2
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-<?xml version="1.0"?>
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
 <gnc-v2
      xmlns:gnc="http://www.gnucash.org/XML/gnc"
      xmlns:act="http://www.gnucash.org/XML/act"
diff --git a/src/backend/file/test/test-files/xml2/goonies-file.gml2 b/src/backend/file/test/test-files/xml2/goonies-file.gml2
index 3ddb19cd05..da4ba3ab85 100644
--- a/src/backend/file/test/test-files/xml2/goonies-file.gml2
+++ b/src/backend/file/test/test-files/xml2/goonies-file.gml2
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-<?xml version="1.0"?>
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
 <gnc-v2
      xmlns:gnc="http://www.gnucash.org/XML/gnc"
      xmlns:act="http://www.gnucash.org/XML/act"
diff --git a/src/backend/file/test/test-files/xml2/hierachical-data-file.gml2 b/src/backend/file/test/test-files/xml2/hierachical-data-file.gml2
index 8eb737fc5e..900c29ab86 100644
--- a/src/backend/file/test/test-files/xml2/hierachical-data-file.gml2
+++ b/src/backend/file/test/test-files/xml2/hierachical-data-file.gml2
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-<?xml version="1.0"?>
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
 <gnc-v2
      xmlns:gnc="http://www.gnucash.org/XML/gnc"
      xmlns:act="http://www.gnucash.org/XML/act"
diff --git a/src/backend/file/test/test-files/xml2/ms-money.gml2 b/src/backend/file/test/test-files/xml2/ms-money.gml2
index 9885155d16..c874dbcdee 100644
--- a/src/backend/file/test/test-files/xml2/ms-money.gml2
+++ b/src/backend/file/test/test-files/xml2/ms-money.gml2
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-<?xml version="1.0"?>
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
 <gnc-v2
      xmlns:gnc="http://www.gnucash.org/XML/gnc"
      xmlns:act="http://www.gnucash.org/XML/act"
diff --git a/src/backend/file/test/test-files/xml2/pricedb1.gml2 b/src/backend/file/test/test-files/xml2/pricedb1.gml2
index 0b378080d3..1467c27d8f 100644
--- a/src/backend/file/test/test-files/xml2/pricedb1.gml2
+++ b/src/backend/file/test/test-files/xml2/pricedb1.gml2
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-<?xml version="1.0"?>
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
 <gnc-v2
      xmlns:gnc="http://www.gnucash.org/XML/gnc"
      xmlns:act="http://www.gnucash.org/XML/act"
diff --git a/src/backend/file/test/test-load-xml2.c b/src/backend/file/test/test-load-xml2.c
index 68492cf156..3f96677b00 100644
--- a/src/backend/file/test/test-load-xml2.c
+++ b/src/backend/file/test/test-load-xml2.c
@@ -97,8 +97,8 @@ test_load_file(const char *filename)
 
     do_test_args(
         qof_session_get_error(session) == ERR_BACKEND_NO_ERR,
-        "session load xml2", __FILE__, __LINE__, "%d for file %s",
-        qof_session_get_error(session), filename);
+        "session load xml2 [%s:%d], qof error=%d for file %s",
+        __FILE__, __LINE__, qof_session_get_error(session), filename);
 
     qof_session_end(session);
 }