diff --git a/beets/util/m3u.py b/beets/util/m3u.py
index 0d36e5aa1..0f03d78da 100644
--- a/beets/util/m3u.py
+++ b/beets/util/m3u.py
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ class M3UFile():
 
         Handles the creation of potential parent directories.
         """
-        header = ["#EXTM3U"] if self.extm3u else []
+        header = [b"#EXTM3U"] if self.extm3u else []
         if not self.media_list:
             raise EmptyPlaylistError
         contents = header + self.media_list
@@ -84,9 +84,10 @@ class M3UFile():
         mkdirall(pl_normpath)
 
         try:
-            with open(syspath(pl_normpath), "w", encoding="utf-8") as pl_file:
-                pl_file.writelines('\n'.join(contents))
-                pl_file.write('\n')  # Final linefeed to prevent noeol file.
+            with open(syspath(pl_normpath), "wb") as pl_file:
+                for line in contents:
+                    pl_file.write(line + b'\n')
+                pl_file.write(b'\n')  # Final linefeed to prevent noeol file.
         except OSError as exc:
             raise FilesystemError(exc, 'create', (pl_normpath, ),
                                   traceback.format_exc())
diff --git a/beetsplug/convert.py b/beetsplug/convert.py
index b77b9dfa2..ee9cf3641 100644
--- a/beetsplug/convert.py
+++ b/beetsplug/convert.py
@@ -486,7 +486,7 @@ class ConvertPlugin(BeetsPlugin):
             self._log.info("Creating playlist file: {0}",
                            util.normpath(playlist))
             items_paths = [
-                util.syspath(item.destination(
+                util.bytestring_path(item.destination(
                     basedir=dest, path_formats=path_formats, fragment=True
                 )) for item in items
             ]
diff --git a/test/test_m3ufile.py b/test/test_m3ufile.py
index 07635597b..b133f65e1 100644
--- a/test/test_m3ufile.py
+++ b/test/test_m3ufile.py
@@ -42,8 +42,8 @@ class M3UFileTest(unittest.TestCase):
         the_playlist_file = path.join(tempdir, b'playlist.m3u')
         m3ufile = M3UFile(the_playlist_file)
         m3ufile.set_contents([
-            '/This/is/a/path/to_a_file.mp3',
-            '/This/is/another/path/to_a_file.mp3',
+            bytestring_path('/This/is/a/path/to_a_file.mp3'),
+            bytestring_path('/This/is/another/path/to_a_file.mp3')
         ])
         m3ufile.write()
         self.assertTrue(path.exists(the_playlist_file))
@@ -55,8 +55,8 @@ class M3UFileTest(unittest.TestCase):
         the_playlist_file = path.join(tempdir, b'playlist.m3u8')
         m3ufile = M3UFile(the_playlist_file)
         m3ufile.set_contents([
-            '/This/is/å/path/to_a_file.mp3',
-            '/This/is/another/path/tö_a_file.mp3',
+            bytestring_path('/This/is/å/path/to_a_file.mp3'),
+            bytestring_path('/This/is/another/path/tö_a_file.mp3')
         ])
         m3ufile.write()
         self.assertTrue(path.exists(the_playlist_file))
@@ -70,8 +70,8 @@ class M3UFileTest(unittest.TestCase):
                                       b'playlist_write_and_read_windows.m3u8')
         m3ufile = M3UFile(the_playlist_file)
         m3ufile.set_contents([
-            r"x:\This\is\å\path\to_a_file.mp3",
-            r"x:\This\is\another\path\tö_a_file.mp3"
+            bytestring_path(r"x:\This\is\å\path\to_a_file.mp3"),
+            bytestring_path(r"x:\This\is\another\path\tö_a_file.mp3")
         ])
         m3ufile.write()
         self.assertTrue(path.exists(the_playlist_file))
@@ -79,12 +79,14 @@ class M3UFileTest(unittest.TestCase):
         m3ufile_read.load()
         self.assertEquals(
             m3ufile.media_list[0],
-            path.join('x:\\', 'This', 'is', 'å', 'path', 'to_a_file.mp3')
+            bytestring_path(
+                path.join('x:\\', 'This', 'is', 'å', 'path', 'to_a_file.mp3'))
         )
         self.assertEquals(
             m3ufile.media_list[1],
-            r"x:\This\is\another\path\tö_a_file.mp3",
-            path.join('x:\\', 'This', 'is', 'another', 'path', 'tö_a_file.mp3')
+            bytestring_path(r"x:\This\is\another\path\tö_a_file.mp3"),
+            bytestring_path(path.join(
+                'x:\\', 'This', 'is', 'another', 'path', 'tö_a_file.mp3'))
         )
         rmtree(tempdir)