diff --git a/ietf/message/utils.py b/ietf/message/utils.py
index 5fae361fd..9ae32f796 100644
--- a/ietf/message/utils.py
+++ b/ietf/message/utils.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+# Copyright The IETF Trust 2012-2019, All Rights Reserved
 import re, datetime, email
 
 from ietf.utils.mail import send_mail_text, send_mail_mime
@@ -6,16 +7,16 @@ from ietf.message.models import Message
 first_dot_on_line_re = re.compile(r'^\.', re.MULTILINE)
 
 def infer_message(s):
-    parsed = email.message_from_string(s.encode("utf-8"))
+    parsed = email.message_from_string(s)
 
     m = Message()
-    m.subject = parsed.get("Subject", "").decode("utf-8")
-    m.frm = parsed.get("From", "").decode("utf-8")
-    m.to = parsed.get("To", "").decode("utf-8")
-    m.cc = parsed.get("Cc", "").decode("utf-8")
-    m.bcc = parsed.get("Bcc", "").decode("utf-8")
-    m.reply_to = parsed.get("Reply-To", "").decode("utf-8")
-    m.body = parsed.get_payload().decode("utf-8")
+    m.subject = parsed.get("Subject", "")
+    m.frm = parsed.get("From", "")
+    m.to = parsed.get("To", "")
+    m.cc = parsed.get("Cc", "")
+    m.bcc = parsed.get("Bcc", "")
+    m.reply_to = parsed.get("Reply-To", "")
+    m.body = parsed.get_payload()
 
     return m
 
diff --git a/ietf/utils/mail.py b/ietf/utils/mail.py
index 7f22acbf3..778582f68 100644
--- a/ietf/utils/mail.py
+++ b/ietf/utils/mail.py
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ def send_smtp(msg, bcc=None):
                 # advertise the AUTH capability.
                 server.ehlo()
                 server.login(settings.EMAIL_HOST_USER, settings.EMAIL_HOST_PASSWORD)
-            unhandled = server.sendmail(frm, to, msg.as_string())
+            unhandled = server.sendmail(frm, to, msg.as_bytes())
             if unhandled != {}:
                 raise SMTPSomeRefusedRecipients(message="%d addresses were refused"%len(unhandled),original_msg=msg,refusals=unhandled)
         except Exception as e:
@@ -352,7 +352,7 @@ def send_mail_mime(request, to, frm, subject, msg, cc=None, extra=None, toUser=F
 
 def parse_preformatted(preformatted, extra={}, override={}):
     """Parse preformatted string containing mail with From:, To:, ...,"""
-    msg = message_from_string(preformatted.encode("utf-8"))
+    msg = message_from_string(preformatted)
     msg.set_charset('UTF-8')
 
     for k, v in override.items():
@@ -408,7 +408,7 @@ def send_mail_preformatted(request, preformatted, extra={}, override={}):
     extra headers as needed)."""
 
     (msg, extra, bcc) = parse_preformatted(preformatted, extra, override)
-    txt = msg.get_payload().decode(str(msg.get_charset()))
+    txt = msg.get_payload()
     send_mail_text(request, msg['To'], msg["From"], msg["Subject"], txt, extra=extra, bcc=bcc)
     return msg