diff --git a/.github/workflows/pre-merge-tests.yml b/.github/workflows/pre-merge-tests.yml
index 898c50aa6..6f9679c03 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pre-merge-tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pre-merge-tests.yml
@@ -12,9 +12,6 @@ on:
 env:
   PREMERGE_TEST_REPORT: pre_merge_test_report.html
   REPORT_DIRECTORY: reports
-  PYTHONIOENCODING: 'utf-8'
-  PYTHONLEGACYWINDOWSSTDIO: 'utf-8'
-  PYTHONUTF8: '1'
 
 jobs:
   pr_tests:
diff --git a/tests/conftest.py b/tests/conftest.py
index 8f6e22e6b..4ed61a3c0 100644
--- a/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/conftest.py
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@
 # ---------------- Environment variables ----------------
 # -------------------------------------------------------
 
+os.environ["PYTHONIOENCODING"] = "UTF-8"
+
 TEST_MODE = SdkTestMode[os.environ.get("TEST_MODE", "OFFLINE")]
 # TEST_MODE specifies the mode in which tests are run. Only applies to the integration
 # tests. Possible modes are: "OFFLINE", "ONLINE", "RECORD"