diff --git a/packages/python/plotly/plotly/io/_html.py b/packages/python/plotly/plotly/io/_html.py
index 606df721f33..a1cc2a61990 100644
--- a/packages/python/plotly/plotly/io/_html.py
+++ b/packages/python/plotly/plotly/io/_html.py
@@ -533,7 +533,8 @@ def write_html(
 
     # Write HTML string
     if path is not None:
-        path.write_text(html_str)
+        # To use a different file encoding, pass a file descriptor
+        path.write_text(html_str, "utf-8")
     else:
         file.write(html_str)
 
diff --git a/packages/python/plotly/plotly/tests/test_io/test_pathlib.py b/packages/python/plotly/plotly/tests/test_io/test_pathlib.py
index 48eab2bb9e5..092ffe6a9a6 100644
--- a/packages/python/plotly/plotly/tests/test_io/test_pathlib.py
+++ b/packages/python/plotly/plotly/tests/test_io/test_pathlib.py
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ def test_write_html():
     mock_pathlib_path = Mock(spec=Path)
     pio.write_html(fig, mock_pathlib_path)
     mock_pathlib_path.write_text.assert_called_once()
-    (pl_html,) = mock_pathlib_path.write_text.call_args[0]
+    pl_html = mock_pathlib_path.write_text.call_args[0][0]
     assert replace_div_id(html) == replace_div_id(pl_html)
 
     # Test pio.write_html with a mock file descriptor