diff --git a/toxygen/contacts/basecontact.py b/toxygen/contacts/basecontact.py
index 988b0bc..0357809 100644
--- a/toxygen/contacts/basecontact.py
+++ b/toxygen/contacts/basecontact.py
@@ -39,7 +39,6 @@ class BaseContact:
         return self._name
 
     def set_name(self, value):
-        value = str(value, 'utf-8')
         if self._name != value:
             self._name = value
             self._widget.name.setText(self._name)
@@ -61,7 +60,6 @@ class BaseContact:
         return self._status_message
 
     def set_status_message(self, value):
-        value = str(value, 'utf-8')
         if self._status_message != value:
             self._status_message = value
             self._widget.status_message.setText(self._status_message)
diff --git a/toxygen/contacts/contacts_manager.py b/toxygen/contacts/contacts_manager.py
index f56f13a..c140b59 100644
--- a/toxygen/contacts/contacts_manager.py
+++ b/toxygen/contacts/contacts_manager.py
@@ -224,7 +224,6 @@ class ContactsManager:
         friend = self.get_friend_by_number(number)
         tmp = friend.name
         friend.set_name(name)
-        name = str(name, 'utf-8')
         if friend.name == name and tmp != name:
             # TODO: move to friend?
             message = util_ui.tr('User {} is now known as {}')
diff --git a/toxygen/contacts/profile.py b/toxygen/contacts/profile.py
index c775268..4e29147 100644
--- a/toxygen/contacts/profile.py
+++ b/toxygen/contacts/profile.py
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ class Profile(basecontact.BaseContact):
     def set_name(self, value):
         if self.name == value:
             return
-        super().set_name(value.encode('utf-8'))
+        super().set_name(value)
         self._tox.self_set_name(self._name.encode('utf-8'))
 
     def set_status_message(self, value):
diff --git a/toxygen/groups/groups_service.py b/toxygen/groups/groups_service.py
index c5be5cf..5b0dd67 100644
--- a/toxygen/groups/groups_service.py
+++ b/toxygen/groups/groups_service.py
@@ -53,8 +53,8 @@ class GroupsService(tox_save.ToxSave):
     # -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
     def update_group_info(self, group):
-        group.name = self._tox.group_get_name(group.number).encode('utf-8')
-        group.status_message = self._tox.group_get_topic(group.number).encode('utf-8')
+        group.name = self._tox.group_get_name(group.number)
+        group.status_message = self._tox.group_get_topic(group.number)
 
     # -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     # Private methods
diff --git a/toxygen/middleware/callbacks.py b/toxygen/middleware/callbacks.py
index 1182466..99f9db8 100644
--- a/toxygen/middleware/callbacks.py
+++ b/toxygen/middleware/callbacks.py
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ def friend_name(contacts_manager):
         Friend changed his name
         """
         print('New name friend #' + str(friend_number))
-        invoke_in_main_thread(contacts_manager.new_name, friend_number, name)
+        invoke_in_main_thread(contacts_manager.new_name, friend_number, str(name, 'utf-8'))
 
     return wrapped
 
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ def friend_status_message(contacts_manager, messenger):
         and calls window repaint
         """
         friend = contacts_manager.get_friend_by_number(friend_number)
-        invoke_in_main_thread(friend.set_status_message, status_message)
+        invoke_in_main_thread(friend.set_status_message, str(status_message, 'utf-8'))
         print('User #{} has new status'.format(friend_number))
         invoke_in_main_thread(messenger.send_messages, friend_number)
 
diff --git a/toxygen/ui/menu.py b/toxygen/ui/menu.py
index d912619..e98405d 100644
--- a/toxygen/ui/menu.py
+++ b/toxygen/ui/menu.py
@@ -272,7 +272,7 @@ class ProfileSettings(CenteredWidget):
 
     def closeEvent(self, event):
         self._profile.set_name(self.nick.text())
-        self._profile.set_status_message(self.status_message.text().encode('utf-8'))
+        self._profile.set_status_message(self.status_message.text())
         self._profile.set_status(self.status.currentIndex())