diff --git a/beets/dbcore/query.py b/beets/dbcore/query.py
index cd891148e..e80010ccf 100644
--- a/beets/dbcore/query.py
+++ b/beets/dbcore/query.py
@@ -37,7 +37,13 @@ class InvalidQueryError(ParsingError):
     def __init__(self, query, explanation):
         if isinstance(query, list):
             query = " ".join(query)
-        message = "'{0}': {1}".format(query, explanation)
+        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)
         super(InvalidQueryError, self).__init__(message)
 
 
diff --git a/test/test_library.py b/test/test_library.py
index 6bb88076e..d2193b25f 100644
--- a/test/test_library.py
+++ b/test/test_library.py
@@ -1195,6 +1195,13 @@ 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__)