diff --git a/.github/workflows/smoke_tests.yml b/.github/workflows/smoke_tests.yml
index acf94f8..2a2848a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/smoke_tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/smoke_tests.yml
@@ -30,10 +30,10 @@ jobs:
       run: python -m pip install --upgrade pip
     - name: Install deps
       run: pip install -U -e .[n2]
-      if: runner.os != "Windows"
+      if: ${{ runner.os != 'Windows' }}
     - name: Install deps without n2
       run: pip install -U -e .
-      if: runner.os = "Windows"
+      if: ${{ runner.os == 'Windows' }}
     - name: Run renderers on examples
       run: |
         cd examples
diff --git a/examples/render.py b/examples/render.py
index bb52d69..8656cfe 100644
--- a/examples/render.py
+++ b/examples/render.py
@@ -61,7 +61,11 @@
         basedir.mkdir(exist_ok=True, parents=True)
         for opt_name, opt in optimizers.items():
             s = time.time()
-            renderer.render_terminal(img_path, (basedir/opt_name).with_suffix('.txt'), optimizer=opt)
+            file = (basedir / opt_name).with_suffix('.txt')
+            if os.name == 'nt':
+                # Windows runners seem strange
+                file = file.open(mode='w', encoding='utf-16')
+            renderer.render_terminal(img_path, file, optimizer=opt)
             e = time.time()
             img_fn = (basedir/opt_name).with_suffix('.png')
             renderer.prerender(img_path, optimizer=opt).save(img_fn)