diff --git a/granary/github.py b/granary/github.py
index a6d2a7a6..83385e13 100644
--- a/granary/github.py
+++ b/granary/github.py
@@ -620,7 +620,7 @@ def _create(self, obj, preview=None, include_link=source.OMIT_LINK,
             })
             return source.creation_result(resp['addComment']['commentEdge']['node'])
           except ValueError as e:
-            return source.creation_result(abort=True, error_plain=unicode(e))
+            return source.creation_result(abort=True, error_plain=str(e))
 
     return source.creation_result(
       abort=False,