diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..dfbdf4208
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitattributes
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+tests/sample_data/** binary
diff --git a/tests/__init__.py b/tests/__init__.py
index 4253017fa..12ce79fa9 100644
--- a/tests/__init__.py
+++ b/tests/__init__.py
@@ -28,5 +28,5 @@ tests_datadir = os.path.join(os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__)),
 def get_testdata(*paths):
     """Return test data"""
     path = os.path.join(tests_datadir, *paths)
-    with open(path, 'rb', newline='') as f:
+    with open(path, 'rb') as f:
         return f.read()