diff --git a/src/hamster/reports.py b/src/hamster/reports.py
index 5622e2e45..69314c802 100644
--- a/src/hamster/reports.py
+++ b/src/hamster/reports.py
@@ -334,7 +334,7 @@ def _finish(self, facts):
 
         for key, val in data.items():
             if isinstance(val, str):
-                data[key] = val.encode("utf-8")
+                data[key] = val
 
         self.file.write(Template(self.main_template).safe_substitute(data))