diff --git a/bantam.pl b/bantam.pl
index 182e965..b0f481d 100755
--- a/bantam.pl
+++ b/bantam.pl
@@ -15,12 +15,9 @@ $SIG{__WARN__} = sub {
   warn $m;
 };
 
-# Make STDOUT/STDERR UTF-8 aware so decoded Unicode (model output, tool
-# results) prints cleanly instead of triggering "Wide character in print".
-binmode(STDOUT, ':encoding(UTF-8)');
-binmode(STDERR, ':encoding(UTF-8)');
-use File::Path qw(make_path); use POSIX qw(strftime); use Term::ReadLine;
+binmode $_ => ':encoding(UTF-8)' for *STDIN, *STDOUT, *STDERR;
 
+use File::Path qw(make_path); use POSIX qw(strftime); use Term::ReadLine;
 use constant MAX_DEPTH => 5;
 
 my $home = $ENV{HOME} || $ENV{USERPROFILE} || '.';
diff --git a/mb b/mb
index f60b549..dff5cdb 100755
--- a/mb
+++ b/mb
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ use strict; use warnings; use HTTP::Tiny; use JSON::PP; use POSIX qw(strftime);
 
 $SIG{__WARN__} = sub { warn $_[0] unless $_[0] =~ /^Use of uninitialized value \$err in numeric eq \(==\) at .*IO\/Socket\/IP\.pm line \d+/ };
 
-binmode(STDOUT, ':encoding(UTF-8)'); binmode(STDERR, ':encoding(UTF-8)'); binmode(STDIN, ':encoding(UTF-8)');
+binmode $_ => ':encoding(UTF-8)' for *STDIN, *STDOUT, *STDERR;
 
 $| = 1; # unbuffered output: live spinner, responsive prompt