diff --git a/chasten/database.py b/chasten/database.py
index 4be5e2df..3293497f 100644
--- a/chasten/database.py
+++ b/chasten/database.py
@@ -66,7 +66,6 @@ def enable_full_text_search(chasten_database_name: str) -> None:
     database["sources"].enable_fts(
         [
             "filename",
-            "filelines",
             "check_id",
             "check_name",
             "check_description",
diff --git a/chasten/filesystem.py b/chasten/filesystem.py
index 3755ecc7..1af06532 100644
--- a/chasten/filesystem.py
+++ b/chasten/filesystem.py
@@ -229,7 +229,7 @@ def write_dict_results(
     # using indentation to ensure that JSON file is readable
     results_path_with_file = results_path / complete_results_file_name
     # use the built-in method from pathlib Path to write the JSON contents
-    results_path_with_file.write_text(results_json)
+    results_path_with_file.write_text(results_json, "utf-8")
     # return the name of the file that contains the JSON dictionary contents
     return complete_results_file_name
 
@@ -293,7 +293,7 @@ def get_json_results(json_paths: List[Path]) -> List[Dict[Any, Any]]:
     # iterate through each of the provided paths to a JSON file
     for json_path in json_paths:
         # turn the contents of the current JSON file into a dictionary
-        json_dict = json.loads(json_path.read_text())
+        json_dict = json.loads(json_path.read_text("utf-8"))
         # add the current dictionary to the list of dictionaries
         json_dicts_list.append(json_dict)
     # return the list of JSON dictionaries