diff --git a/cuda_core/cuda/core/experimental/_linker.py b/cuda_core/cuda/core/experimental/_linker.py
index 42dd2c0bac3..5c5e1c3cea6 100644
--- a/cuda_core/cuda/core/experimental/_linker.py
+++ b/cuda_core/cuda/core/experimental/_linker.py
@@ -465,7 +465,7 @@ def get_error_log(self) -> str:
             _nvjitlink.get_error_log(self._mnff.handle, log)
         else:
             log = self._options.formatted_options[2]
-        return log.decode()
+        return log.decode("utf-8", errors="backslashreplace")
 
     def get_info_log(self) -> str:
         """Get the info log generated by the linker.
@@ -481,7 +481,7 @@ def get_info_log(self) -> str:
             _nvjitlink.get_info_log(self._mnff.handle, log)
         else:
             log = self._options.formatted_options[0]
-        return log.decode()
+        return log.decode("utf-8", errors="backslashreplace")
 
     def _input_type_from_code_type(self, code_type: str):
         # this list is based on the supported values for code_type in the ObjectCode class definition.
diff --git a/cuda_core/cuda/core/experimental/_program.py b/cuda_core/cuda/core/experimental/_program.py
index ab936253138..3125cbb7fcf 100644
--- a/cuda_core/cuda/core/experimental/_program.py
+++ b/cuda_core/cuda/core/experimental/_program.py
@@ -503,7 +503,7 @@ def compile(self, target_type, name_expressions=(), logs=None):
                 if logsize > 1:
                     log = b" " * logsize
                     handle_return(nvrtc.nvrtcGetProgramLog(self._mnff.handle, log), handle=self._mnff.handle)
-                    logs.write(log.decode())
+                    logs.write(log.decode("utf-8", errors="backslashreplace"))
 
             return ObjectCode._init(data, target_type, symbol_mapping=symbol_mapping)
 
diff --git a/cuda_core/cuda/core/experimental/_utils/cuda_utils.py b/cuda_core/cuda/core/experimental/_utils/cuda_utils.py
index 1bc66a24af5..ac8e5e17224 100644
--- a/cuda_core/cuda/core/experimental/_utils/cuda_utils.py
+++ b/cuda_core/cuda/core/experimental/_utils/cuda_utils.py
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ def _check_error(error, handle=None):
             _, logsize = nvrtc.nvrtcGetProgramLogSize(handle)
             log = b" " * logsize
             _ = nvrtc.nvrtcGetProgramLog(handle, log)
-            err += f", compilation log:\n\n{log.decode()}"
+            err += f", compilation log:\n\n{log.decode('utf-8', errors='backslashreplace')}"
         raise NVRTCError(err)
     else:
         raise RuntimeError(f"Unknown error type: {error}")