diff --git a/recipes/README.recipes.md b/recipes/README.recipes.md
index fdfe7c991..f4b54861b 100644
--- a/recipes/README.recipes.md
+++ b/recipes/README.recipes.md
@@ -553,7 +553,7 @@ PYTHON_VERSION_COMPATIBILITY: PY2+3
 
 Module for polling a git repository using the Gitiles web interface.
 
-— **def [canonicalize\_repo\_url](/recipes/recipe_modules/gitiles/api.py#227)(self, repo_url):**
+— **def [canonicalize\_repo\_url](/recipes/recipe_modules/gitiles/api.py#231)(self, repo_url):**
 
 Returns a canonical form of repo_url. If not recognized, returns as is.
     
@@ -568,7 +568,7 @@ Args:
   * step_name (str): If not None, override the step name.
   * attempts (int): Number of times to try the request before failing.
 
-— **def [download\_archive](/recipes/recipe_modules/gitiles/api.py#167)(self, repository_url, destination, revision='refs/heads/main'):**
+— **def [download\_archive](/recipes/recipe_modules/gitiles/api.py#171)(self, repository_url, destination, revision='refs/heads/main'):**
 
 Downloads an archive of the repo and extracts it to `destination`.
 
@@ -621,7 +621,7 @@ Returns:
   Cursor can be used for subsequent calls to log for paging. If None,
   signals that there are no more commits to fetch.
 
-— **def [parse\_repo\_url](/recipes/recipe_modules/gitiles/api.py#216)(self, repo_url):**
+— **def [parse\_repo\_url](/recipes/recipe_modules/gitiles/api.py#220)(self, repo_url):**
 
 Returns (host, project) pair.
 
@@ -631,7 +631,7 @@ Returns (None, None) if repo_url is not recognized.
 
 Returns a list of refs in the remote repository.
 
-— **def [unparse\_repo\_url](/recipes/recipe_modules/gitiles/api.py#223)(self, host, project):**
+— **def [unparse\_repo\_url](/recipes/recipe_modules/gitiles/api.py#227)(self, host, project):**
 
 Generates a Gitiles repo URL. See also parse_repo_url.
 ### *recipe_modules* / [gsutil](/recipes/recipe_modules/gsutil)
diff --git a/recipes/recipe_modules/gitiles/api.py b/recipes/recipe_modules/gitiles/api.py
index 4787592c3..e422063d5 100644
--- a/recipes/recipe_modules/gitiles/api.py
+++ b/recipes/recipe_modules/gitiles/api.py
@@ -158,11 +158,15 @@ class Gitiles(recipe_api.RecipeApi):
         **kwargs)
     if step_result.json.output['value'] is None:
       return None
-    # TODO(crbug.com/1227140): Clean up when py2 is no longer supported.
+
     value = base64.b64decode(step_result.json.output['value'])
-    if sys.version_info >= (3,):
-      return value.decode('utf-8')
-    return value
+    try:
+      # TODO(crbug.com/1227140): Clean up when py2 is no longer supported.
+      # If the file is not utf-8 encodable, return the bytes
+      if sys.version_info >= (3,):
+        value = value.decode('utf-8')
+    finally:
+      return value
 
   def download_archive(self, repository_url, destination,
                        revision='refs/heads/main'):
diff --git a/recipes/recipe_modules/gitiles/examples/full.expected/basic.json b/recipes/recipe_modules/gitiles/examples/full.expected/basic.json
index b61b1bf5c..7f3205803 100644
--- a/recipes/recipe_modules/gitiles/examples/full.expected/basic.json
+++ b/recipes/recipe_modules/gitiles/examples/full.expected/basic.json
@@ -529,6 +529,22 @@
     ],
     "name": "fetch main:OWNERS"
   },
+  {
+    "cmd": [
+      "vpython3",
+      "-u",
+      "RECIPE_MODULE[depot_tools::gitiles]/resources/gerrit_client.py",
+      "--json-file",
+      "/path/to/tmp/json",
+      "--url",
+      "https://chromium.googlesource.com/chromium/src/+/main/BYTES",
+      "--format",
+      "text",
+      "--attempts",
+      "5"
+    ],
+    "name": "fetch main:BYTES"
+  },
   {
     "cmd": [
       "vpython3",
diff --git a/recipes/recipe_modules/gitiles/examples/full.py b/recipes/recipe_modules/gitiles/examples/full.py
index 9a96d80a2..502aa8c18 100644
--- a/recipes/recipe_modules/gitiles/examples/full.py
+++ b/recipes/recipe_modules/gitiles/examples/full.py
@@ -23,6 +23,10 @@ def RunSteps(api):
 
   data = api.gitiles.download_file(url, 'OWNERS', attempts=5)
   assert data == 'foobar'
+
+  data = api.gitiles.download_file(url, 'BYTES', attempts=5)
+  assert data == b'\xab'
+
   data = api.gitiles.download_file(url, 'NONEXISTENT', attempts=1,
                                    accept_statuses=[404])
 
@@ -73,6 +77,10 @@ def GenTests(api):
           'fetch main:OWNERS',
           api.gitiles.make_encoded_file('foobar')
       )
+      + api.step_data(
+          'fetch main:BYTES',
+          api.gitiles.make_encoded_file_from_bytes(b'\xab')
+      )
       + api.step_data(
           'fetch main:NONEXISTENT',
           api.json.output({'value': None})
diff --git a/recipes/recipe_modules/gitiles/test_api.py b/recipes/recipe_modules/gitiles/test_api.py
index 7256a5bd1..06b6f43c2 100644
--- a/recipes/recipe_modules/gitiles/test_api.py
+++ b/recipes/recipe_modules/gitiles/test_api.py
@@ -90,12 +90,23 @@ class GitilesTestApi(recipe_test_api.RecipeTestApi):
     return hashlib.sha1(':'.join(bases).encode('utf-8')).hexdigest()
 
   def make_encoded_file(self, data):
-    value = None
-    # TODO(crbug.com/1227140): Clean up when py2 is no longer supported.
-    try:
-      value = base64.b64encode(data.encode('utf-8')).decode('utf-8')
-    except UnicodeDecodeError:  #pragma: nocover
-      value = base64.b64encode(data)
+    """Encodes data into base64.
+
+    Args:
+      data (str): unicode-encodable string.
+    Returns: (str) base64-encoded data string.
+    """
     return self.m.json.output({
-        'value': value,
+        'value': base64.b64encode(data.encode('utf-8')).decode('utf-8'),
     })
+
+  def make_encoded_file_from_bytes(self, data):
+    """Encodes data into base64.
+
+    Args:
+      data (bytes): byte string to encode.
+    Returns: (str) base64-encoded data string.
+    """
+    return self.m.json.output({
+        'value': base64.b64encode(data).decode('utf-8'),
+    })
\ No newline at end of file