diff --git a/processors.ttl b/processors.ttl
index e2768e8..20ec872 100644
--- a/processors.ttl
+++ b/processors.ttl
@@ -29,6 +29,10 @@ js:GlobRead a js:JsProcess;
       a fnom:PositionParameterMapping ;
       fnom:functionParameter "closeOnEnd";
       fnom:implementationParameterPosition "3"^^xsd:integer
+    ], [
+      a fnom:PositionParameterMapping ;
+      fnom:functionParameter "binary";
+      fnom:implementationParameterPosition "4"^^xsd:integer
     ]
   ].
 
@@ -56,6 +60,11 @@ js:GlobRead a js:JsProcess;
     sh:name "closeOnEnd";
     sh:datatype xsd:boolean;
     sh:maxCount 1
+  ], [
+    sh:path js:binary;
+    sh:name "binary";
+    sh:datatype xsd:boolean;
+    sh:maxCount 1
   ].
 
 js:FolderRead a js:JsProcess;
diff --git a/src/FileUtils.ts b/src/FileUtils.ts
index 6928472..ee1b0d6 100644
--- a/src/FileUtils.ts
+++ b/src/FileUtils.ts
@@ -9,13 +9,14 @@ export async function globRead(
     globPattern: string,
     writer: Writer<string | Buffer>,
     wait: number = 0,
-    closeOnEnd: boolean = true
+    closeOnEnd: boolean = true,
+    binary: boolean = false
 ) {
     const jsfiles = await glob(globPattern, {});
     const files = await Promise.all(
         jsfiles.map((x) => {
             console.log(`[globRead] reading file ${x} (from glob pattern ${globPattern})`);
-            return readFile(x)
+            return readFile(x, binary ? {} : { encoding: "utf8" });
         }),
     );
 
diff --git a/tests/Processors.test.ts b/tests/Processors.test.ts
index a8d34a4..e6f6858 100644
--- a/tests/Processors.test.ts
+++ b/tests/Processors.test.ts
@@ -30,7 +30,8 @@ describe("File Utils tests", () => {
                 js:glob "./*"; 
                 js:output <jw>;
                 js:wait 0;
-                js:closeOnEnd true.
+                js:closeOnEnd true;
+                js:binary true.
         `;
 
         const source: Source = {
@@ -45,13 +46,14 @@ describe("File Utils tests", () => {
 
         const argss = extractSteps(env, quads, config);
         expect(argss.length).toBe(1);
-        expect(argss[0].length).toBe(4);
+        expect(argss[0].length).toBe(5);
 
-        const [[glob, output, wait, closeOnEnd]] = argss;
+        const [[glob, output, wait, closeOnEnd, binary]] = argss;
         expect(glob).toBe("./*");
         testWriter(output);
         expect(wait).toBe(0);
         expect(closeOnEnd).toBeTruthy();
+        expect(binary).toBeTruthy();
 
         await checkProc(env.file, env.func);
     });