diff --git a/CHANGES.md b/CHANGES.md
index f9bec185ff5..6a9923f8d8d 100644
--- a/CHANGES.md
+++ b/CHANGES.md
@@ -16,11 +16,14 @@
 
 - Implicitly concatenated strings used as function args are no longer wrapped inside
   parentheses (#3640)
+- Remove blank lines between a class definition and its docstring (#3692)
 
 ### Configuration
 
 <!-- Changes to how Black can be configured -->
 
+- `.pytest_cache`, `.ruff_cache` and `.vscode` are now excluded by default (#3691)
+
 ### Packaging
 
 <!-- Changes to how Black is packaged, such as dependency requirements -->
diff --git a/src/blib2to3/pgen2/pgen.py b/src/blib2to3/pgen2/pgen.py
index 631682a77c9..b5ebc7b3e42 100644
--- a/src/blib2to3/pgen2/pgen.py
+++ b/src/blib2to3/pgen2/pgen.py
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@ class PgenGrammar(grammar.Grammar):
 
 
 class ParserGenerator(object):
-
     filename: Path
     stream: IO[Text]
     generator: Iterator[GoodTokenInfo]
@@ -39,7 +38,7 @@ class ParserGenerator(object):
     def __init__(self, filename: Path, stream: Optional[IO[Text]] = None) -> None:
         close_stream = None
         if stream is None:
-            stream = open(filename)
+            stream = open(filename, encoding="utf-8")
             close_stream = stream.close
         self.filename = filename
         self.stream = stream
diff --git a/src/cercis/lines.py b/src/cercis/lines.py
index 082bbd2b5d8..cbb6bd1bbe2 100644
--- a/src/cercis/lines.py
+++ b/src/cercis/lines.py
@@ -696,6 +696,8 @@ def _maybe_empty_lines(self, current_line: Line) -> Tuple[int, int]:
             and self.previous_line.is_class
             and current_line.is_triple_quoted_string
         ):
+            if Preview.no_blank_line_before_class_docstring in current_line.mode:
+                return 0, 1
             return before, 1
 
         if self.previous_line and self.previous_line.opens_block:
diff --git a/src/cercis/mode.py b/src/cercis/mode.py
index 2cb55bc6582..913c2dc9d07 100644
--- a/src/cercis/mode.py
+++ b/src/cercis/mode.py
@@ -170,6 +170,7 @@ class Preview(Enum):
     hex_codes_in_unicode_sequences = auto()
     improved_async_statements_handling = auto()
     multiline_string_handling = auto()
+    no_blank_line_before_class_docstring = auto()
     prefer_splitting_right_hand_side_of_assignments = auto()
     # NOTE: string_processing requires wrap_long_dict_values_in_parens
     # for https://github.com/psf/black/issues/3117 to be fixed.
diff --git a/tests/data/preview/no_blank_line_before_docstring.py b/tests/data/preview/no_blank_line_before_docstring.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..a37362de100
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/data/preview/no_blank_line_before_docstring.py
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+def line_before_docstring():
+
+    """Please move me up"""
+
+
+class LineBeforeDocstring:
+
+    """Please move me up"""
+
+
+class EvenIfThereIsAMethodAfter:
+
+    """I'm the docstring"""
+    def method(self):
+        pass
+
+
+class TwoLinesBeforeDocstring:
+
+
+    """I want to be treated the same as if I were closer"""
+
+
+class MultilineDocstringsAsWell:
+
+    """I'm so far
+
+    and on so many lines...
+    """
+
+
+# output
+
+
+def line_before_docstring():
+    """Please move me up"""
+
+
+class LineBeforeDocstring:
+    """Please move me up"""
+
+
+class EvenIfThereIsAMethodAfter:
+    """I'm the docstring"""
+
+    def method(self):
+        pass
+
+
+class TwoLinesBeforeDocstring:
+    """I want to be treated the same as if I were closer"""
+
+
+class MultilineDocstringsAsWell:
+    """I'm so far
+
+    and on so many lines...
+    """