https://github.com/datalad/git-annex/pull/7/checks?check_run_id=1376365603

2020-11-09T20:27:43.3824770Z     prop_upFrom_basics:                                   FAIL
2020-11-09T20:27:43.3827072Z       *** Failed! Exception: 'recoverEncode: invalid argument (invalid character)' (after 3 tests):
2020-11-09T20:27:43.3828330Z       "\522233"
2020-11-09T20:27:43.3829895Z       Use --quickcheck-replay=884646 to reproduce.
2020-11-09T20:27:43.3836556Z     prop_relPathDirToFileAbs_basics:                      FAIL
2020-11-09T20:27:43.3838482Z       *** Failed! Exception: 'recoverEncode: invalid argument (invalid character)' (after 3 tests and 2 shrinks):
2020-11-09T20:27:43.3839816Z       "a"
2020-11-09T20:27:43.3840575Z       "\1046632"
2020-11-09T20:27:43.3841805Z       Use --quickcheck-replay=45910 to reproduce.
...
2020-11-09T20:27:52.3356280Z     prop_viewedFile_rountrips:                            FAIL
2020-11-09T20:27:52.3358132Z       *** Failed! Exception: 'recoverEncode: invalid argument (invalid character)' (after 3 tests and 1 shrink):
2020-11-09T20:27:52.3358797Z       "\897292"
2020-11-09T20:27:52.3359408Z       Use --quickcheck-replay=262390 to reproduce.

that is for 8.20201103+git55-g0f2813377

OSX and Windows still FTBFS differently so cannot say either it is linux or not specific

fixed --Joey