diff --git a/tests/__init__.py b/tests/__init__.py
index bc6264c9..cf2ec684 100644
--- a/tests/__init__.py
+++ b/tests/__init__.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+# coding=utf-8
 """Utilities used by HTTPie tests.
 
 """
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/__init__.py b/tests/fixtures/__init__.py
index 2ffdf89f..ad6e9343 100644
--- a/tests/fixtures/__init__.py
+++ b/tests/fixtures/__init__.py
@@ -32,3 +32,5 @@ with codecs.open(JSON_FILE_PATH, encoding='utf8') as f:
 
 with open(BIN_FILE_PATH, 'rb') as f:
     BIN_FILE_CONTENT = f.read()
+
+UNICODE = FILE_CONTENT
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/test.json b/tests/fixtures/test.json
index 25d6347b..b5ea8840 100644
--- a/tests/fixtures/test.json
+++ b/tests/fixtures/test.json
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 {
     "name": "Jakub Roztočil",
-    "sun": "太陽"
+    "unicode": "χρυσαφὶ 太陽 เลิศ ♜♞♝♛♚♝♞♜ оживлённым तान्यहानि 有朋"
 }
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/test.txt b/tests/fixtures/test.txt
index f99b6ed7..21857443 100644
--- a/tests/fixtures/test.txt
+++ b/tests/fixtures/test.txt
@@ -1 +1 @@
-some UTF8-encoded unicode text 太陽 by Jakub Roztočil
+[one line of UTF8-encoded unicode text] χρυσαφὶ 太陽 เลิศ ♜♞♝♛♚♝♞♜ оживлённым तान्यहानि 有朋 ஸ்றீனிவாஸ ٱلرَّحْمـَبنِ
diff --git a/tests/test_sessions.py b/tests/test_sessions.py
index 7a71ed13..f9ca700f 100644
--- a/tests/test_sessions.py
+++ b/tests/test_sessions.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import shutil
 
 from httpie.plugins.builtin import HTTPBasicAuth
 from tests import TestEnvironment, mk_config_dir, http, httpbin, HTTP_OK
+from tests.fixtures import UNICODE
 
 
 class SessionTestBase(object):
@@ -125,7 +126,6 @@ class TestSession(SessionTestBase):
         assert r2.json['headers']['Foo'] == 'Bar'
 
     def test_session_unicode(self):
-        UNICODE = u'太陽'
         r1 = http('--session=test', '--auth', u'test:' + UNICODE,
                   'GET', httpbin('/get'),
                   u'Test:%s' % UNICODE,
diff --git a/tests/test_unicode.py b/tests/test_unicode.py
index 278e8316..58c39a7b 100644
--- a/tests/test_unicode.py
+++ b/tests/test_unicode.py
@@ -4,9 +4,7 @@ Various unicode handling related tests.
 
 """
 from tests import http, httpbin, HTTP_OK
-
-
-UNICODE = u'太陽'
+from tests.fixtures import UNICODE
 
 
 class TestUnicode: