diff --git a/gclient_utils.py b/gclient_utils.py
index 4b858ceee..b645806e6 100644
--- a/gclient_utils.py
+++ b/gclient_utils.py
@@ -1097,13 +1097,13 @@ def RunEditor(content, git, git_editor=None):
   if '\r' in content:
     print(
         '!! Please remove \\r from your change description !!', file=sys.stderr)
-  fileobj = os.fdopen(file_handle, 'w')
+  fileobj = os.fdopen(file_handle, 'wb')
   # Still remove \r if present.
   content = re.sub('\r?\n', '\n', content)
   # Some editors complain when the file doesn't end in \n.
   if not content.endswith('\n'):
     content += '\n'
-  fileobj.write(content)
+  fileobj.write(content.encode('utf-8'))
   fileobj.close()
 
   try:
diff --git a/git_cl.py b/git_cl.py
index 3dd546ffe..a12483ac9 100755
--- a/git_cl.py
+++ b/git_cl.py
@@ -164,8 +164,8 @@ def DieWithError(message, change_desc=None):
 def SaveDescriptionBackup(change_desc):
   backup_path = os.path.join(DEPOT_TOOLS, DESCRIPTION_BACKUP_FILE)
   print('\nsaving CL description to %s\n' % backup_path)
-  with open(backup_path, 'w') as backup_file:
-    backup_file.write(change_desc.description)
+  with open(backup_path, 'wb') as backup_file:
+    backup_file.write(change_desc.description.encode('utf-8'))
 
 
 def GetNoGitPagerEnv():