diff --git a/qiita_client/plugin.py b/qiita_client/plugin.py
index d455e48..4c30bdc 100644
--- a/qiita_client/plugin.py
+++ b/qiita_client/plugin.py
@@ -279,7 +279,7 @@ def __call__(self, server_url, job_id, output_dir):
         logger.debug('Entered BaseQiitaPlugin.__call__()')
         # Set up the Qiita Client
         config = ConfigParser()
-        with open(self.conf_fp, 'U') as conf_file:
+        with open(self.conf_fp, 'r') as conf_file:
             config.readfp(conf_file)
 
         plugincoupling = self._DEFAULT_PLUGIN_COUPLINGS