diff --git a/src/allmydata/test/web/test_root.py b/src/allmydata/test/web/test_root.py
index 113efad5b..40bb2bf9a 100644
--- a/src/allmydata/test/web/test_root.py
+++ b/src/allmydata/test/web/test_root.py
@@ -35,13 +35,12 @@ class RenderSlashUri(unittest.TestCase):
     """
 
     def setUp(self):
-        self.request = DummyRequest("/uri")
+        self.request = DummyRequest(b"/uri")
         self.request.fields = {}
 
         def prepathURL():
-            return "http://127.0.0.1.99999/{}".format(
-                "/".join(self.request.prepath)
-            )
+            return b"http://127.0.0.1.99999/" + b"/".join(self.request.prepath)
+
         self.request.prePathURL = prepathURL
         self.client = Mock()
         self.res = URIHandler(self.client)
diff --git a/src/allmydata/web/root.py b/src/allmydata/web/root.py
index c638c64e3..0e241cfc3 100644
--- a/src/allmydata/web/root.py
+++ b/src/allmydata/web/root.py
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ class URIHandler(resource.Resource, object):
         redir_uri = redir_uri.child(urllib.quote(uri_arg).decode('utf8'))
         # add back all the query args that AREN'T "?uri="
         for k, values in req.args.items():
-            if k != "uri":
+            if k != b"uri":
                 for v in values:
                     redir_uri = redir_uri.add(k.decode('utf8'), v.decode('utf8'))
         return redirectTo(redir_uri.to_text().encode('utf8'), req)