diff --git a/src/plugins/gajimplugin.py b/src/plugins/gajimplugin.py
index 98a39e0e2..2a78e4977 100644
--- a/src/plugins/gajimplugin.py
+++ b/src/plugins/gajimplugin.py
@@ -202,8 +202,8 @@ class GajimPluginConfig():
     @log_calls('GajimPluginConfig')
     def __init__(self, plugin):
         self.plugin = plugin
-        self.FILE_PATH = os.path.join(gajim.PLUGINS_CONFIG_DIR,
-            self.plugin.short_name).encode(locale.getpreferredencoding())
+        self.FILE_PATH = os.path.join(
+            gajim.PLUGINS_CONFIG_DIR, self.plugin.short_name)
         self.data = {}
 
     @log_calls('GajimPluginConfig')