diff --git a/gunicorn/http/message.py b/gunicorn/http/message.py
index 069a1c8f8..70708b7e5 100644
--- a/gunicorn/http/message.py
+++ b/gunicorn/http/message.py
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ def parse(self, unreader):
             buf.write(rbuf)
             line, rbuf = self.read_line(unreader, buf, self.limit_request_line)
 
-        self.parse_request_line(bytes_to_str(line))
+        self.parse_request_line(line)
         buf = BytesIO()
         buf.write(rbuf)
 
@@ -301,10 +301,10 @@ def parse_proxy_protocol(self, line):
             "proxy_port": d_port
         }
 
-    def parse_request_line(self, line):
-        bits = line.split(None, 2)
+    def parse_request_line(self, line_bytes):
+        bits = [bytes_to_str(bit) for bit in line_bytes.split(None, 2)]
         if len(bits) != 3:
-            raise InvalidRequestLine(line)
+            raise InvalidRequestLine(bytes_to_str(line_bytes))
 
         # Method
         if not METH_RE.match(bits[0]):
@@ -325,7 +325,7 @@ def parse_request_line(self, line):
         try:
             parts = urlsplit(self.uri)
         except ValueError:
-            raise InvalidRequestLine(line)
+            raise InvalidRequestLine(bytes_to_str(line_bytes))
         self.path = parts.path or ""
         self.query = parts.query or ""
         self.fragment = parts.fragment or ""
diff --git a/tests/requests/valid/027.http b/tests/requests/valid/027.http
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..19291458d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/requests/valid/027.http
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+GET /à%20k HTTP/1.0\r\n
+\r\n
diff --git a/tests/requests/valid/027.py b/tests/requests/valid/027.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1673e5c11
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/requests/valid/027.py
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+request = {
+    "method": "GET",
+    "uri": uri("/\xc3\xa0%20k"),
+    "version": (1, 0),
+    "headers": [
+    ],
+    "body": ''
+}