diff --git a/default.py b/default.py
index 1a767615..8eab9599 100644
--- a/default.py
+++ b/default.py
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ import xbmcgui
 import xbmcplugin
 
 from resources.lib import entrypoint, utils, transfer, variables as v, loghandler
-from resources.lib.tools import unicode_paths
 
 ###############################################################################
 
@@ -30,12 +29,8 @@ class Main(object):
         LOG.debug('Full sys.argv received: %s', argv)
         # Parse parameters
         params = dict(parse_qsl(argv[2][1:]))
-        arguments = unicode_paths.decode(argv[2])
-        path = unicode_paths.decode(argv[0])
-        # Ensure unicode
-        for key, value in params.items():
-            params[key.decode('utf-8')] = params.pop(key)
-            params[key] = value.decode('utf-8')
+        arguments = argv[2]
+        path = argv[0]
         mode = params.get('mode', '')
         itemid = params.get('id', '')
 
diff --git a/resources/lib/app/libsync.py b/resources/lib/app/libsync.py
index 7bc03fb4..84a9b783 100644
--- a/resources/lib/app/libsync.py
+++ b/resources/lib/app/libsync.py
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ class Sync(object):
         self.remapSMBphotoOrg = remove_trailing_slash(utils.settings('remapSMBphotoOrg'))
         self.remapSMBphotoNew = remove_trailing_slash(utils.settings('remapSMBphotoNew'))
         self.escape_path = utils.settings('escapePath') == 'true'
-        self.escape_path_safe_chars = utils.settings('escapePathSafeChars').encode('utf-8')
+        self.escape_path_safe_chars = utils.settings('escapePathSafeChars')
         self.indicate_media_versions = utils.settings('indicate_media_versions') == "true"
         self.sync_specific_plex_playlists = utils.settings('syncSpecificPlexPlaylists') == 'true'
         self.sync_specific_kodi_playlists = utils.settings('syncSpecificKodiPlaylists') == 'true'
diff --git a/resources/lib/context_entry.py b/resources/lib/context_entry.py
index 9009df30..0c0cb51c 100644
--- a/resources/lib/context_entry.py
+++ b/resources/lib/context_entry.py
@@ -142,8 +142,8 @@ class ContextMenu(object):
         playqueue.clear()
         app.PLAYSTATE.context_menu_play = True
         handle = self.api.fullpath(force_addon=True)[0]
-        handle = 'RunPlugin(%s)' % handle
-        xbmc.executebuiltin(handle.encode('utf-8'))
+        handle = f'RunPlugin({handle})'
+        xbmc.executebuiltin(handle)
 
     def _extras(self):
         """
diff --git a/resources/lib/entrypoint.py b/resources/lib/entrypoint.py
index 757ee9d6..ce21bdc3 100644
--- a/resources/lib/entrypoint.py
+++ b/resources/lib/entrypoint.py
@@ -483,7 +483,7 @@ def browse_plex(key=None, plex_type=None, section_id=None, synched=True,
         if prompt is None:
             # User cancelled
             return
-        prompt = prompt.strip().decode('utf-8')
+        prompt = prompt.strip()
         args['query'] = prompt
     xml = DU().downloadUrl(utils.extend_url('{server}%s' % key, args))
     try:
diff --git a/resources/lib/initialsetup.py b/resources/lib/initialsetup.py
index ed81d746..86ba59a6 100644
--- a/resources/lib/initialsetup.py
+++ b/resources/lib/initialsetup.py
@@ -410,7 +410,7 @@ class InitialSetup(object):
                 utils.messageDialog(
                     utils.lang(29999),
                     '%s %s\n%s' % (utils.lang(39013),
-                                   server['name'].decode('utf-8'),
+                                   server['name'],
                                    utils.lang(39014)))
                 if self.plex_tv_sign_in() is False:
                     # Exit while loop if user cancels
diff --git a/resources/lib/kodimonitor.py b/resources/lib/kodimonitor.py
index 7a72b4cc..e317c312 100644
--- a/resources/lib/kodimonitor.py
+++ b/resources/lib/kodimonitor.py
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ class KodiMonitor(xbmc.Monitor):
         play_info = json.loads(play_info)
         app.APP.player.stop()
         handle = 'RunPlugin(%s)' % play_info.get('handle')
-        xbmc.executebuiltin(handle.encode('utf-8'))
+        xbmc.executebuiltin(handle)
 
     def PlayBackStart(self, data):
         """
@@ -582,11 +582,11 @@ def _notify_upnext(item):
         }
         _complete_artwork_keys(info[key])
     info['play_info'] = {'handle': next_api.fullpath(force_addon=True)[0]}
-    sender = v.ADDON_ID.encode('utf-8')
-    method = 'upnext_data'.encode('utf-8')
+    sender = v.ADDON_ID
+    method = 'upnext_data'
     data = binascii.hexlify(json.dumps(info))
     data = '\\"[\\"{0}\\"]\\"'.format(data)
-    xbmc.executebuiltin('NotifyAll(%s, %s, %s)' % (sender, method, data))
+    xbmc.executebuiltin(f'NotifyAll({sender}, {method}, {data})')
 
 
 def _videolibrary_onupdate(data):
diff --git a/resources/lib/playback_decision.py b/resources/lib/playback_decision.py
index 8f6a00fc..8e89cd74 100644
--- a/resources/lib/playback_decision.py
+++ b/resources/lib/playback_decision.py
@@ -379,7 +379,7 @@ def audio_subtitle_prefs(api, item):
                                            codec,
                                            channellayout)
             audio_streams_list.append(index)
-            audio_streams.append(track.encode('utf-8'))
+            audio_streams.append(track)
             audio_numb += 1
 
         # Subtitles
@@ -405,7 +405,7 @@ def audio_subtitle_prefs(api, item):
                 track = "%s - %s" % (track, utils.lang(39709))  # Forced
             track = "%s (%s)" % (track, utils.lang(39710))  # burn-in
             subtitle_streams_list.append(index)
-            subtitle_streams.append(track.encode('utf-8'))
+            subtitle_streams.append(track)
             sub_num += 1
 
     if audio_numb > 1:
@@ -437,7 +437,7 @@ def audio_subtitle_prefs(api, item):
         else:
             LOG.info('User chose to burn-in subtitle %s: %s',
                       select_subs_index,
-                      subtitle_streams[resp].decode('utf-8'))
+                      subtitle_streams[resp])
             select_subs_index = subtitle_streams_list[resp - 1]
     # Now prep the PMS for our choice
     args = {
diff --git a/resources/lib/playlist_func.py b/resources/lib/playlist_func.py
index 29e9f1cf..d6b8d92a 100644
--- a/resources/lib/playlist_func.py
+++ b/resources/lib/playlist_func.py
@@ -795,4 +795,4 @@ def get_plextype_from_xml(xml):
     except (TypeError, IndexError, AttributeError):
         LOG.error('Could not get plex metadata for plex id %s', plex_id)
         return
-    return new_xml[0].attrib.get('type').decode('utf-8')
+    return new_xml[0].attrib.get('type')
diff --git a/resources/lib/playlists/common.py b/resources/lib/playlists/common.py
index 1ebd4ab2..4de357ea 100644
--- a/resources/lib/playlists/common.py
+++ b/resources/lib/playlists/common.py
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ def kodi_playlist_hash(path):
     m = hashlib.md5()
     m.update(repr(stat.st_size))
     m.update(repr(stat.st_mtime))
-    return m.hexdigest().decode('utf-8')
+    return m.hexdigest()
 
 
 class PlaylistQueue(OrderedSetQueue):
diff --git a/resources/lib/plex_api/fanart_lookup.py b/resources/lib/plex_api/fanart_lookup.py
index 05c5abc3..bae5c359 100644
--- a/resources/lib/plex_api/fanart_lookup.py
+++ b/resources/lib/plex_api/fanart_lookup.py
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ def external_item_id(title, year, plex_type, collection):
     parameters = {
         'api_key': API_KEY,
         'language': v.KODILANGUAGE,
-        'query': title.encode('utf-8')
+        'query': title
     }
     data = DU().downloadUrl(url,
                             authenticate=False,
diff --git a/resources/lib/plex_companion.py b/resources/lib/plex_companion.py
index d6f3675a..72def4ce 100644
--- a/resources/lib/plex_companion.py
+++ b/resources/lib/plex_companion.py
@@ -141,11 +141,11 @@ class PlexCompanion(backgroundthread.KillableThread):
         app.CONN.plex_transient_token = data.get('key')
         params = {
             'mode': 'plex_node',
-            'key': '{server}%s' % data.get('key'),
+            'key': f"{{server}}{data.get('key')}",
             'offset': data.get('offset')
         }
-        handle = 'RunPlugin(plugin://%s)' % utils.extend_url(v.ADDON_ID, params)
-        executebuiltin(handle.encode('utf-8'))
+        handle = f'RunPlugin(plugin://{utils.extend_url(v.ADDON_ID, params)})'
+        executebuiltin(handle)
 
     @staticmethod
     def _process_playlist(data):
diff --git a/resources/lib/plex_functions.py b/resources/lib/plex_functions.py
index 1e37ebed..a7391b5c 100644
--- a/resources/lib/plex_functions.py
+++ b/resources/lib/plex_functions.py
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ def ParseContainerKey(containerKey):
     Output hence: library, key, query       (str, int, dict)
     """
     result = utils.urlparse(containerKey)
-    library, key = GetPlexKeyNumber(result.path.decode('utf-8'))
+    library, key = GetPlexKeyNumber(result.path)
     query = dict(utils.parse_qsl(result.query))
     return library, key, query
 
diff --git a/resources/lib/utils.py b/resources/lib/utils.py
index 01a0c4b3..be49ae6b 100644
--- a/resources/lib/utils.py
+++ b/resources/lib/utils.py
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ REGEX_MUSICPATH = re.compile(r'''^\^(.+)\$$''')
 # Grab Plex id from an URL-encoded string
 REGEX_PLEX_ID_FROM_URL = re.compile(r'''metadata%2F(\d+)''')
 
-SAFE_URL_CHARACTERS = "%/:=&?~#+!$,;'@()*[]".encode('utf-8')
+SAFE_URL_CHARACTERS = "%/:=&?~#+!$,;'@()*[]"
 HTTP_DAV_FTP = re.compile(r'(http(s)?|dav(s)?|(s)?ftp)://((.+):(.+)@)?([\w\.]+)(:([\d]+))?/')
 
 def garbageCollect():
@@ -332,35 +332,24 @@ def extend_url(url, params):
 
 def parse_qs(qs, keep_blank_values=0, strict_parsing=0):
     """
-    unicode-safe way to use urlparse.parse_qs(). Pass in the query string qs
-    either as str or unicode
-    Returns a dict with lists as values; all entires unicode
+    Pass in the query string qs as string. Returns a dict with lists as values
+    as unicode
     """
-    if isinstance(qs, str):
-        qs = qs.encode('utf-8')
-    qs = _urlparse.parse_qs(qs, keep_blank_values, strict_parsing)
-    return {k.decode('utf-8'): [e.decode('utf-8') for e in v]
-            for k, v in qs.items()}
+    return _urlparse.parse_qs(qs, keep_blank_values, strict_parsing)
 
 
 def parse_qsl(qs, keep_blank_values=0, strict_parsing=0):
     """
-    unicode-safe way to use urlparse.parse_qsl(). Pass in either str or unicode
-    Returns a list of unicode tuples
+    Pass in string. Returns a list of string tuples
     """
-    if isinstance(qs, str):
-        qs = qs.encode('utf-8')
-    qs = _urlparse.parse_qsl(qs, keep_blank_values, strict_parsing)
-    return [(x.decode('utf-8'), y.decode('utf-8')) for (x, y) in qs]
+    return _urlparse.parse_qsl(qs, keep_blank_values, strict_parsing)
 
 
 def urlparse(url, scheme='', allow_fragments=True):
     """
-    unicode-safe way to use urlparse.urlparse(). Pass in either str or unicode
+    Pass in string.
     CAREFUL: returns an encoded urlparse.ParseResult()!
     """
-    if isinstance(url, str):
-        url = url.encode('utf-8')
     return _urlparse.urlparse(url, scheme, allow_fragments)
 
 
diff --git a/resources/lib/windows/direct_path_sources.py b/resources/lib/windows/direct_path_sources.py
index 48716ddb..d7baa287 100644
--- a/resources/lib/windows/direct_path_sources.py
+++ b/resources/lib/windows/direct_path_sources.py
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ def start():
     hostname = utils.dialog('input', utils.lang(30201))
     if not hostname:
         return
-    hostname = hostname.decode('utf-8').strip()
+    hostname = hostname.strip()
     if not is_valid_hostname(hostname) and not is_valid_ip(hostname):
         LOG.error('Entered invalid hostname or IP: %s', hostname)
         # "The hostname or IP '{0}' that you entered is not valid"
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ def start():
     protocol = utils.dialog('input', utils.lang(30203))
     if not protocol:
         return
-    protocol = protocol.decode('utf-8').lower().strip()
+    protocol = protocol.lower().strip()
     if protocol not in SUPPORTED_PROTOCOLS:
         LOG.error('Entered invalid protocol %s', protocol)
         # "The protocol '{0}' that you entered is not supported."