diff --git a/tests/tests.py b/tests/tests.py
index 54e374e..e3c9b6b 100644
--- a/tests/tests.py
+++ b/tests/tests.py
@@ -6,13 +6,13 @@ from toxygen.middleware.tox_factory import *
 class TestTox:
 
     def test_creation(self):
-        name = b'Toxygen User'
-        status_message = b'Toxing on Toxygen'
+        name = 'Toxygen User'
+        status_message = 'Toxing on Toxygen'
         tox = tox_factory()
         tox.self_set_name(name)
         tox.self_set_status_message(status_message)
         data = tox.get_savedata()
         del tox
         tox = tox_factory(data)
-        assert tox.self_get_name() == str(name, 'utf-8')
-        assert tox.self_get_status_message() == str(status_message, 'utf-8')
+        assert tox.self_get_name() == name
+        assert tox.self_get_status_message() == status_message
diff --git a/toxygen/app.py b/toxygen/app.py
index 62025d9..ec0a1cb 100644
--- a/toxygen/app.py
+++ b/toxygen/app.py
@@ -251,8 +251,8 @@ class App:
             return False
         name = profile_name or 'toxygen_user'
         self._tox = tox_factory()
-        self._tox.self_set_name(bytes(name, 'utf-8') if name else b'Toxygen User')
-        self._tox.self_set_status_message(b'Toxing on Toxygen')
+        self._tox.self_set_name(name if name else 'Toxygen User')
+        self._tox.self_set_status_message('Toxing on Toxygen')
         self._path = profile_path
         if result.password:
             self._toxes.set_password(result.password)
diff --git a/toxygen/contacts/profile.py b/toxygen/contacts/profile.py
index ab8cb2a..c47eca2 100644
--- a/toxygen/contacts/profile.py
+++ b/toxygen/contacts/profile.py
@@ -51,11 +51,11 @@ class Profile(basecontact.BaseContact, tox_save.ToxSave):
         if self.name == value:
             return
         super().set_name(value)
-        self._tox.self_set_name(self._name.encode('utf-8'))
+        self._tox.self_set_name(self._name)
 
     def set_status_message(self, value):
         super().set_status_message(value)
-        self._tox.self_set_status_message(self._status_message.encode('utf-8'))
+        self._tox.self_set_status_message(self._status_message)
 
     def set_new_nospam(self):
         """Sets new nospam part of tox id"""
diff --git a/toxygen/wrapper/tox.py b/toxygen/wrapper/tox.py
index 836d38c..9cdac2e 100644
--- a/toxygen/wrapper/tox.py
+++ b/toxygen/wrapper/tox.py
@@ -375,6 +375,7 @@ class Tox:
         :return: True on success.
         """
         tox_err_set_info = c_int()
+        name = bytes(name, 'utf-8')
         result = Tox.libtoxcore.tox_self_set_name(self._tox_pointer, c_char_p(name),
                                                   c_size_t(len(name)), byref(tox_err_set_info))
         tox_err_set_info = tox_err_set_info.value
@@ -423,6 +424,7 @@ class Tox:
         :return: True on success.
         """
         tox_err_set_info = c_int()
+        status_message = bytes(status_message, 'utf-8')
         result = Tox.libtoxcore.tox_self_set_status_message(self._tox_pointer, c_char_p(status_message),
                                                             c_size_t(len(status_message)), byref(tox_err_set_info))
         tox_err_set_info = tox_err_set_info.value