diff --git a/frappe/app.py b/frappe/app.py
index eb42948cfd..84df9e7a0b 100644
--- a/frappe/app.py
+++ b/frappe/app.py
@@ -213,11 +213,11 @@ def serve(port=8000, profile=False, site=None, sites_path='.'):
 
 	if not os.environ.get('NO_STATICS'):
 		application = SharedDataMiddleware(application, {
-			b'/assets': os.path.join(sites_path, 'assets').encode("utf-8"),
+			b'/assets': os.path.join(sites_path, 'assets'),
 		})
 
 		application = StaticDataMiddleware(application, {
-			b'/files': os.path.abspath(sites_path).encode("utf-8")
+			b'/files': os.path.abspath(sites_path)
 		})
 
 	application.debug = True