diff --git a/Python/errors.c b/Python/errors.c
index 213108f681b..9bac7ba70f5 100644
--- a/Python/errors.c
+++ b/Python/errors.c
@@ -1697,13 +1697,18 @@ after_loop:
 PyObject *
 PyErr_ProgramText(const char *filename, int lineno)
 {
-    FILE *fp;
-    if (filename == NULL || *filename == '\0' || lineno <= 0) {
+    if (filename == NULL) {
         return NULL;
     }
-    PyThreadState *tstate = _PyThreadState_GET();
-    fp = _Py_fopen(filename, "r" PY_STDIOTEXTMODE);
-    return err_programtext(tstate, fp, lineno);
+
+    PyObject *filename_obj = PyUnicode_DecodeFSDefault(filename);
+    if (filename_obj == NULL) {
+        PyErr_Clear();
+        return NULL;
+    }
+    PyObject *res = PyErr_ProgramTextObject(filename_obj, lineno);
+    Py_DECREF(filename_obj);
+    return res;
 }
 
 PyObject *