diff --git a/installsystems/template.py b/installsystems/template.py
index 77bf6fd9a2a1483be2e404e8f494f8726d7ab868..3d5059a73ddbff0483d3e0e153f71e189b872a43 100644
--- a/installsystems/template.py
+++ b/installsystems/template.py
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ build = u"""# -*- python -*-
 """
 
 
-parser = """# -*- python -*-
+parser = u"""# -*- python -*-
 # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 
 # global image object is a reference to current image