diff -up alexandria-0.6.8/util/rake/omfgenerate.rb.ascii alexandria-0.6.8/util/rake/omfgenerate.rb
--- alexandria-0.6.8/util/rake/omfgenerate.rb.ascii	2012-03-23 15:31:31.766631433 -0400
+++ alexandria-0.6.8/util/rake/omfgenerate.rb	2012-03-23 15:31:50.460456351 -0400
@@ -73,10 +73,10 @@ class OmfGenerateTask < Rake::TaskLib
     rule '.omf' => ['.omf.in'] do |t|
       path = File.join(@gnome_helpfiles_dir, @projectname,
                        locale_for(t.name), "#{@projectname}.xml")
-      data = IO.read(t.source)
+      data = IO.read(t.source, :encoding => "BINARY")
       data.sub!(/PATH_TO_DOC_FILE/, path)
       puts "Generating #{t.name}..."
-      File.open(t.name, 'w') { |io| io.puts data }
+      File.open(t.name, 'w', :encoding => "BINARY") { |io| io.puts data }
     end
     omf_files.each {|o| @generated_files << o }
   end