diff --git a/mf2py/backcompat.py b/mf2py/backcompat.py
index 49a866e..ad4f8cd 100644
--- a/mf2py/backcompat.py
+++ b/mf2py/backcompat.py
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@
 
 """
 
-import codecs
 import copy
 import json
 import os
@@ -47,7 +46,7 @@
 for filename in os.listdir(_RULES_LOC):
     file_path = os.path.join(_RULES_LOC, filename)
     root = os.path.splitext(filename)[0]
-    with codecs.open(file_path, "r", "utf-8") as f:
+    with open(file_path, "r", "utf-8") as f:
         rules = json.load(f)
 
     _CLASSIC_MAP[root] = rules