diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES
index 15239fd09..54f4d9278 100644
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES
@@ -103,6 +103,9 @@ New features added
 Release 0.5.2 (in development)
 ==============================
 
+* Open literalinclude files in universal newline mode to allow
+  arbitrary newline conventions.
+
 * Actually make the ``-Q`` option work.
 
 * #86: Fix explicit document titles in toctrees.
diff --git a/sphinx/directives/code.py b/sphinx/directives/code.py
index 74ac8e7f0..d738a2794 100644
--- a/sphinx/directives/code.py
+++ b/sphinx/directives/code.py
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ def literalinclude_directive(name, arguments, options, content, lineno,
 
     encoding = options.get('encoding', env.config.source_encoding)
     try:
-        f = codecs.open(fn, 'r', encoding)
+        f = codecs.open(fn, 'rU', encoding)
         lines = f.readlines()
         f.close()
     except (IOError, OSError):