diff --git a/bok_choy/a11y/axe_core_ruleset.py b/bok_choy/a11y/axe_core_ruleset.py
index b100f05..d62b3d0 100644
--- a/bok_choy/a11y/axe_core_ruleset.py
+++ b/bok_choy/a11y/axe_core_ruleset.py
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ def customize_ruleset(self, custom_ruleset_file=None):
         if not custom_file:
             return
 
-        with open(custom_file) as additional_rules:
+        with open(custom_file, encoding="utf8") as additional_rules:
             custom_rules = additional_rules.read()
 
         if "var customRules" not in custom_rules:
diff --git a/bok_choy/browser.py b/bok_choy/browser.py
index 88ab88a..1002cc6 100644
--- a/bok_choy/browser.py
+++ b/bok_choy/browser.py
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ def save_driver_logs(driver, prefix):
             file_name = os.path.join(
                 log_dir, f'{prefix}_{log_type}.log'
             )
-            with open(file_name, 'w') as output_file:
+            with open(file_name, 'w', encoding="utf8") as output_file:
                 for line in log:
                     output_file.write("{}{}".format(dumps(line), '\n'))
         except:  # pylint: disable=bare-except
diff --git a/bok_choy/page_object.py b/bok_choy/page_object.py
index 70e4bcc..3026dcf 100644
--- a/bok_choy/page_object.py
+++ b/bok_choy/page_object.py
@@ -450,7 +450,7 @@ def _is_document_ready():
             ).fulfill()
         except BrokenPromise:
             LOGGER.warning(
-                u'document.readyState does not become complete for following url: {}'.format(self.url),
+                'document.readyState does not become complete for following url: {}'.format(self.url),
                 exc_info=True
             )
             # If document.readyState does not become complete after a specific time relax the
diff --git a/requirements/dev.txt b/requirements/dev.txt
index 336679c..8189dbb 100644
--- a/requirements/dev.txt
+++ b/requirements/dev.txt
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 #
 #    make upgrade
 #
-astroid==2.6.6
+astroid==2.7.2
     # via
     #   -r requirements/needle.txt
     #   pylint
@@ -129,7 +129,9 @@ pip-tools==6.2.0
     # via -r requirements/pip-tools.txt
 platformdirs==2.2.0
     # via
+    #   -r requirements/needle.txt
     #   -r requirements/travis.txt
+    #   pylint
     #   virtualenv
 pluggy==0.13.1
     # via
@@ -146,7 +148,7 @@ py==1.10.0
     #   tox
 pycodestyle==2.7.0
     # via -r requirements/needle.txt
-pylint==2.9.6
+pylint==2.10.2
     # via
     #   -r requirements/needle.txt
     #   edx-lint
@@ -216,7 +218,7 @@ sqlparse==0.4.1
     # via
     #   -r requirements/needle.txt
     #   django
-stevedore==3.3.0
+stevedore==3.4.0
     # via
     #   -r requirements/needle.txt
     #   code-annotations
@@ -236,7 +238,7 @@ tomli==1.2.1
     # via
     #   -r requirements/pip-tools.txt
     #   pep517
-tox==3.24.1
+tox==3.24.3
     # via
     #   -r requirements/travis.txt
     #   tox-battery
diff --git a/requirements/needle.txt b/requirements/needle.txt
index 249a7ec..68f79dc 100644
--- a/requirements/needle.txt
+++ b/requirements/needle.txt
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 #
 #    make upgrade
 #
-astroid==2.6.6
+astroid==2.7.2
     # via
     #   -r requirements/test.txt
     #   pylint
@@ -84,6 +84,10 @@ pbr==5.6.0
     #   stevedore
 pillow==8.3.1
     # via needle
+platformdirs==2.2.0
+    # via
+    #   -r requirements/test.txt
+    #   pylint
 pluggy==0.13.1
     # via
     #   -r requirements/test.txt
@@ -95,7 +99,7 @@ py==1.10.0
     #   pytest-forked
 pycodestyle==2.7.0
     # via -r requirements/test.txt
-pylint==2.9.6
+pylint==2.10.2
     # via
     #   -r requirements/test.txt
     #   edx-lint
@@ -157,7 +161,7 @@ sqlparse==0.4.1
     # via
     #   -r requirements/test.txt
     #   django
-stevedore==3.3.0
+stevedore==3.4.0
     # via
     #   -r requirements/test.txt
     #   code-annotations
diff --git a/requirements/test.txt b/requirements/test.txt
index 953650e..7dcfba2 100644
--- a/requirements/test.txt
+++ b/requirements/test.txt
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 #
 #    make upgrade
 #
-astroid==2.6.6
+astroid==2.7.2
     # via
     #   pylint
     #   pylint-celery
@@ -51,6 +51,8 @@ packaging==21.0
     #   pytest
 pbr==5.6.0
     # via stevedore
+platformdirs==2.2.0
+    # via pylint
 pluggy==0.13.1
     # via pytest
 py==1.10.0
@@ -59,7 +61,7 @@ py==1.10.0
     #   pytest-forked
 pycodestyle==2.7.0
     # via -r requirements/test.in
-pylint==2.9.6
+pylint==2.10.2
     # via
     #   edx-lint
     #   pylint-celery
@@ -98,7 +100,7 @@ six==1.16.0
     # via edx-lint
 sqlparse==0.4.1
     # via django
-stevedore==3.3.0
+stevedore==3.4.0
     # via code-annotations
 text-unidecode==1.3
     # via python-slugify
diff --git a/requirements/travis.txt b/requirements/travis.txt
index 5b6ca92..4abbad4 100644
--- a/requirements/travis.txt
+++ b/requirements/travis.txt
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ six==1.16.0
     #   virtualenv
 toml==0.10.2
     # via tox
-tox==3.24.1
+tox==3.24.3
     # via
     #   -r requirements/travis.in
     #   tox-battery