diff --git a/examples/keyboard/main.py b/examples/keyboard/main.py
index 6f98f1a54..a65be0810 100755
--- a/examples/keyboard/main.py
+++ b/examples/keyboard/main.py
@@ -204,7 +204,11 @@ class KeyboardScreen(Screen):
     # def key_up(self, keyboard, keycode):
     def key_up(self, keyboard, keycode, *args):
         """ The callback function that catches keyboard events. """
-        self.displayLabel.text += u" (up {0[1]})".format(keycode)
+        # system keyboard keycode: (122, 'z')
+        # dock keyboard keycode: 'z'
+        if isinstance(keycode, tuple):
+            keycode = keycode[1]
+        self.displayLabel.text += u" (up {0})".format(keycode)
 
 
 class KeyboardDemo(App):
diff --git a/kivy/uix/vkeyboard.py b/kivy/uix/vkeyboard.py
index 03e9d6fcd..b71e773c5 100755
--- a/kivy/uix/vkeyboard.py
+++ b/kivy/uix/vkeyboard.py
@@ -124,6 +124,7 @@ from kivy.core.image import Image
 from kivy.resources import resource_find
 from kivy.clock import Clock
 
+from io import open
 from os.path import join, splitext, basename
 from os import listdir
 from json import loads
@@ -446,7 +447,7 @@ class VKeyboard(Scatter):
         available_layouts = self.available_layouts
         if fn[-5:] != '.json':
             return
-        with open(fn, 'r') as fd:
+        with open(fn, 'r', encoding='utf-8') as fd:
             json_content = fd.read()
             layout = loads(json_content)
         available_layouts[name] = layout