diff --git a/addon-sdk/source/python-lib/cuddlefish/rdf.py b/addon-sdk/source/python-lib/cuddlefish/rdf.py
index 0114fd96c0d..d15dc5c71db 100644
--- a/addon-sdk/source/python-lib/cuddlefish/rdf.py
+++ b/addon-sdk/source/python-lib/cuddlefish/rdf.py
@@ -11,24 +11,9 @@ EM_NS = "http://www.mozilla.org/2004/em-rdf#"
 
 class RDF(object):
     def __str__(self):
-        # real files have an .encoding attribute and use it when you
-        # write() unicode into them: they read()/write() unicode and
-        # put encoded bytes in the backend file. StringIO objects
-        # read()/write() unicode and put unicode in the backing store,
-        # so we must encode the output of getvalue() to get a
-        # bytestring. (cStringIO objects are weirder: they effectively
-        # have .encoding hardwired to "ascii" and put only bytes in
-        # the backing store, so we can't use them here).
-        #
-        # The encoding= argument to dom.writexml() merely sets the XML header's
-        # encoding= attribute. It still writes unencoded unicode to the output file,
-        # so we have to encode it for real afterwards.
-        #
-        # Also see: https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=567660
-
         buf = io.StringIO()
         self.dom.writexml(buf, encoding="utf-8")
-        return buf.getvalue().encode('utf-8')
+        return buf.getvalue()
 
 class RDFUpdate(RDF):
     def __init__(self):