diff --git a/beets/dbcore/query.py b/beets/dbcore/query.py
index e80010ccf..cd891148e 100644
--- a/beets/dbcore/query.py
+++ b/beets/dbcore/query.py
@@ -37,13 +37,7 @@ class InvalidQueryError(ParsingError):
     def __init__(self, query, explanation):
         if isinstance(query, list):
             query = " ".join(query)
-        try:
-            message = "'{0}': {1}".format(query, explanation)
-        except UnicodeDecodeError:
-            # queries are unicode. however if for an unholy reason it's not
-            # the case, an InvalidQueryError may be raised -- and report it
-            # correctly than fail again here
-            message = "{0!r}: {1}".format(query, explanation)
+        message = "'{0}': {1}".format(query, explanation)
         super(InvalidQueryError, self).__init__(message)
 
 
diff --git a/test/test_library.py b/test/test_library.py
index d2193b25f..6bb88076e 100644
--- a/test/test_library.py
+++ b/test/test_library.py
@@ -1195,13 +1195,6 @@ class ParseQueryTest(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertIsInstance(raised.exception,
                               beets.dbcore.query.ParsingError)
 
-    def test_parse_byte_string(self):
-        with self.assertRaises(beets.dbcore.InvalidQueryError) as raised:
-            beets.library.parse_query_string(b'f\xf2o', None)
-        self.assertIn("can't decode", unicode(raised.exception))
-        self.assertIsInstance(raised.exception,
-                              beets.dbcore.query.ParsingError)
-
 
 def suite():
     return unittest.TestLoader().loadTestsFromName(__name__)