diff --git a/.agent/tools/learn.py b/.agent/tools/learn.py
index 3154b0e..8cb2620 100644
--- a/.agent/tools/learn.py
+++ b/.agent/tools/learn.py
@@ -20,6 +20,10 @@
 """
 import argparse, datetime, json, os, subprocess, sys
 
+if hasattr(sys.stdout, "reconfigure"):
+    sys.stdout.reconfigure(encoding="utf-8", errors="replace")
+    sys.stderr.reconfigure(encoding="utf-8", errors="replace")
+
 BASE = os.path.abspath(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), ".."))
 CANDIDATES = os.path.join(BASE, "memory/candidates")
 sys.path.insert(0, os.path.join(BASE, "harness"))
@@ -40,16 +44,17 @@ def _lesson_already_appended(cid):
         return False
     target = f"lesson_{cid}"
     try:
-        for line in open(lessons_path):
-            line = line.strip()
-            if not line:
-                continue
-            try:
-                row = json.loads(line)
-            except json.JSONDecodeError:
-                continue
-            if row.get("id") == target:
-                return True
+        with open(lessons_path, encoding="utf-8") as f:
+            for line in f:
+                line = line.strip()
+                if not line:
+                    continue
+                try:
+                    row = json.loads(line)
+                except json.JSONDecodeError:
+                    continue
+                if row.get("id") == target:
+                    return True
     except OSError:
         return False
     return False
@@ -105,7 +110,7 @@ def stage(claim, conditions, source="learn", importance=7):
         "rejection_count": 0,
     }
     path = os.path.join(CANDIDATES, f"{cid}.json")
-    with open(path, "w") as f:
+    with open(path, "w", encoding="utf-8") as f:
         json.dump(candidate, f, indent=2)
     _append_episodic_mirror(cid, claim, now, source)
     return cid, path