diff --git a/beets/mediafile.py b/beets/mediafile.py
index 5010f8797..02befcbb0 100644
--- a/beets/mediafile.py
+++ b/beets/mediafile.py
@@ -211,9 +211,14 @@ def _pack_asf_image(mime, data, type=3, description=""):
 # iTunes Sound Check encoding.
 
 def _sc_decode(soundcheck):
-    """Convert a Sound Check string value to a (gain, peak) tuple as
+    """Convert a Sound Check bytestring value to a (gain, peak) tuple as
     used by ReplayGain.
     """
+    # We decode binary data. If one of the formats gives us a text
+    # string, guess that it's UTF-8.
+    if isinstance(soundcheck, unicode):
+        soundcheck = soundcheck.decode('utf8')
+
     # SoundCheck tags consist of 10 numbers, each represented by 8
     # characters of ASCII hex preceded by a space.
     try:
diff --git a/docs/changelog.rst b/docs/changelog.rst
index 3803894b2..349d484b9 100644
--- a/docs/changelog.rst
+++ b/docs/changelog.rst
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ Fixes:
 
 * Fix a problem with the :ref:`stats-cmd` in exact mode when filenames on
   Windows use non-ASCII characters. :bug:`1891`
+* Fix a crash when iTunes Sound Check tags contained invalid data. :bug:`1895`
 
 
 1.3.17 (February 7, 2016)