diff --git a/src/conversation_textview.py b/src/conversation_textview.py
index 77ababa20..de5be4f79 100644
--- a/src/conversation_textview.py
+++ b/src/conversation_textview.py
@@ -1363,7 +1363,7 @@ class ConversationTextview(GObject.GObject):
             try:
                 if name and (text.startswith('/me ') or text.startswith('/me\n')):
                     xhtml = xhtml.replace('/me', '<i>* %s</i>' % (name,), 1)
-                self.tv.display_html(xhtml.encode('utf-8'), self)
+                self.tv.display_html(xhtml, self)
                 return
             except Exception as e:
                 gajim.log.debug('Error processing xhtml' + str(e))
diff --git a/src/htmltextview.py b/src/htmltextview.py
index 7c6d33c42..81c6c8aad 100644
--- a/src/htmltextview.py
+++ b/src/htmltextview.py
@@ -525,7 +525,8 @@ class HtmlHandler(xml.sax.handler.ContentHandler):
                 # The "data" URL scheme http://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc2397
                 import base64
                 img = attrs['src'].split(',')[1]
-                mem = base64.standard_b64decode(urllib.parse.unquote(img))
+                mem = base64.standard_b64decode(urllib.parse.unquote(
+                    img).encode('utf-8'))
             elif loaded is not None:
                 (mem, alt, replace_mark) = loaded
                 update = True