diff --git a/libcloud/compute/drivers/azure.py b/libcloud/compute/drivers/azure.py
index 35cc0917ba..a9b249eeee 100644
--- a/libcloud/compute/drivers/azure.py
+++ b/libcloud/compute/drivers/azure.py
@@ -1709,7 +1709,8 @@ def _convert_class_to_xml(self, source, xml_prefix=True):
         root = ET.Element()
         doc = self._construct_element_tree(source, root)
 
-        result = ensure_string(ET.tostring(doc, encoding='utf8', method='xml'))
+        result = ensure_string(ET.tostring(doc, encoding='utf-8',
+                                           method='xml'))
         return result
 
     def _construct_element_tree(self, source, etree):
@@ -2108,7 +2109,7 @@ def restart_role_operation_to_xml():
             'RestartRoleOperation',
             xml
         )
-        result = ensure_string(ET.tostring(doc, encoding='utf8'))
+        result = ensure_string(ET.tostring(doc, encoding='utf-8'))
         return result
 
     @staticmethod
@@ -2119,7 +2120,7 @@ def shutdown_role_operation_to_xml():
             'ShutdownRoleOperation',
             xml
         )
-        result = ensure_string(ET.tostring(doc, encoding='utf8'))
+        result = ensure_string(ET.tostring(doc, encoding='utf-8'))
         return result
 
     @staticmethod
@@ -2130,7 +2131,7 @@ def start_role_operation_to_xml():
             'StartRoleOperation',
             xml
         )
-        result = ensure_string(ET.tostring(doc, encoding='utf8'))
+        result = ensure_string(ET.tostring(doc, encoding='utf-8'))
         return result
 
     @staticmethod
@@ -2520,7 +2521,7 @@ def add_role_to_xml(role_name,
             system_configuration_set,
             doc
         )
-        result = ensure_string(ET.tostring(xml, encoding='utf8'))
+        result = ensure_string(ET.tostring(xml, encoding='utf-8'))
         return result
 
     @staticmethod
@@ -2547,7 +2548,7 @@ def update_role_to_xml(role_name,
             doc
         )
 
-        result = ensure_string(ET.tostring(doc, encoding='utf8'))
+        result = ensure_string(ET.tostring(doc, encoding='utf-8'))
         return result
 
     @staticmethod
@@ -2587,7 +2588,7 @@ def capture_role_to_xml(post_capture_action,
             xml
         )
         doc = AzureXmlSerializer.doc_from_xml('CaptureRoleOperation', xml)
-        result = ensure_string(ET.tostring(doc, encoding='utf8'))
+        result = ensure_string(ET.tostring(doc, encoding='utf-8'))
         return result
 
     @staticmethod
@@ -2638,7 +2639,7 @@ def virtual_machine_deployment_to_xml(deployment_name,
                 )
             )
 
-        result = ensure_string(ET.tostring(doc, encoding='utf8'))
+        result = ensure_string(ET.tostring(doc, encoding='utf-8'))
         return result
 
     @staticmethod
@@ -2707,7 +2708,7 @@ def doc_from_data(document_element_name, data, extended_properties=None):
                 )
             )
 
-        result = ensure_string(ET.tostring(doc, encoding='utf8'))
+        result = ensure_string(ET.tostring(doc, encoding='utf-8'))
         return result
 
     @staticmethod