diff --git a/qubes/api/misc.py b/qubes/api/misc.py
index 64dbc114..ba8abea5 100644
--- a/qubes/api/misc.py
+++ b/qubes/api/misc.py
@@ -51,8 +51,7 @@ class QubesMiscAPI(qubes.api.AbstractQubesAPI):
 
         prefix = '/features-request/'
 
-        keys = [key.decode('ascii', errors='strict')
-            for key in self.src.untrusted_qdb.list(prefix)]
+        keys = self.src.untrusted_qdb.list(prefix)
         untrusted_features = {key[len(prefix):]:
             self.src.untrusted_qdb.read(key).decode('ascii', errors='strict')
                 for key in keys}
diff --git a/qubes/ext/block.py b/qubes/ext/block.py
index 8b1224f6..c47be768 100644
--- a/qubes/ext/block.py
+++ b/qubes/ext/block.py
@@ -124,12 +124,11 @@ class BlockDeviceExtension(qubes.ext.Extension):
     def on_device_list_block(self, vm, event):
         # pylint: disable=unused-argument,no-self-use
 
-        safe_set = {ord(c) for c in
-            string.ascii_letters + string.digits}
+        safe_set = string.ascii_letters + string.digits
         if not vm.is_running():
             return
         untrusted_qubes_devices = vm.untrusted_qdb.list('/qubes-block-devices/')
-        untrusted_idents = set(untrusted_path.split(b'/', 3)[2]
+        untrusted_idents = set(untrusted_path.split('/', 3)[2]
             for untrusted_path in untrusted_qubes_devices)
         for untrusted_ident in untrusted_idents:
             if not all(c in safe_set for c in untrusted_ident):
@@ -138,7 +137,7 @@ class BlockDeviceExtension(qubes.ext.Extension):
                 vm.log.warning(msg % vm.name)
                 continue
 
-            ident = untrusted_ident.decode('ascii', errors='strict')
+            ident = untrusted_ident
 
             device_info = self.device_get(vm, ident)
             if device_info:
diff --git a/qubes/tests/api_misc.py b/qubes/tests/api_misc.py
index 340c79be..e11e6385 100644
--- a/qubes/tests/api_misc.py
+++ b/qubes/tests/api_misc.py
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ class TC_00_API_Misc(qubes.tests.QubesTestCase):
             'untrusted_qdb.read.side_effect': (
                 lambda path: entries.get(path, None)),
             'untrusted_qdb.list.side_effect': (
-                lambda path: sorted(map(str.encode, entries.keys()))),
+                lambda path: sorted(entries.keys())),
         })
 
     def call_mgmt_func(self, method, arg=b'', payload=b''):
diff --git a/qubes/tests/devices_block.py b/qubes/tests/devices_block.py
index bacf2dfc..a2e385ae 100644
--- a/qubes/tests/devices_block.py
+++ b/qubes/tests/devices_block.py
@@ -94,13 +94,9 @@ class TestQubesDB(object):
         self._data = data
 
     def read(self, key):
-        if isinstance(key, str):
-            key = key.encode()
         return self._data.get(key, None)
 
     def list(self, prefix):
-        if isinstance(prefix, str):
-            prefix = prefix.encode()
         return [key for key in self._data if key.startswith(prefix)]
 
 
@@ -143,10 +139,10 @@ class TC_00_Block(qubes.tests.QubesTestCase):
 
     def test_000_device_get(self):
         vm = TestVM({
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sda': b'',
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sda/desc': b'Test device',
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sda/size': b'1024000',
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sda/mode': b'w',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sda': b'',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sda/desc': b'Test device',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sda/size': b'1024000',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sda/mode': b'w',
         })
         device_info = self.ext.device_get(vm, 'sda')
         self.assertIsInstance(device_info, qubes.ext.block.BlockDevice)
@@ -161,10 +157,10 @@ class TC_00_Block(qubes.tests.QubesTestCase):
 
     def test_001_device_get_other_node(self):
         vm = TestVM({
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/mapper_dmroot': b'',
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/mapper_dmroot/desc': b'Test device',
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/mapper_dmroot/size': b'1024000',
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/mapper_dmroot/mode': b'w',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/mapper_dmroot': b'',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/mapper_dmroot/desc': b'Test device',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/mapper_dmroot/size': b'1024000',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/mapper_dmroot/mode': b'w',
         })
         device_info = self.ext.device_get(vm, 'mapper_dmroot')
         self.assertIsInstance(device_info, qubes.ext.block.BlockDevice)
@@ -179,20 +175,20 @@ class TC_00_Block(qubes.tests.QubesTestCase):
 
     def test_002_device_get_invalid_desc(self):
         vm = TestVM({
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sda': b'',
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sda/desc': b'Test device<>za\xc4\x87abc',
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sda/size': b'1024000',
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sda/mode': b'w',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sda': b'',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sda/desc': b'Test device<>za\xc4\x87abc',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sda/size': b'1024000',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sda/mode': b'w',
         })
         device_info = self.ext.device_get(vm, 'sda')
         self.assertEqual(device_info.description, 'Test device__za__abc')
 
     def test_003_device_get_invalid_size(self):
         vm = TestVM({
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sda': b'',
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sda/desc': b'Test device',
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sda/size': b'1024000abc',
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sda/mode': b'w',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sda': b'',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sda/desc': b'Test device',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sda/size': b'1024000abc',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sda/mode': b'w',
         })
         device_info = self.ext.device_get(vm, 'sda')
         self.assertEqual(device_info.size, 0)
@@ -200,10 +196,10 @@ class TC_00_Block(qubes.tests.QubesTestCase):
 
     def test_004_device_get_invalid_mode(self):
         vm = TestVM({
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sda': b'',
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sda/desc': b'Test device',
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sda/size': b'1024000',
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sda/mode': b'abc',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sda': b'',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sda/desc': b'Test device',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sda/size': b'1024000',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sda/mode': b'abc',
         })
         device_info = self.ext.device_get(vm, 'sda')
         self.assertEqual(device_info.mode, 'w')
@@ -211,24 +207,24 @@ class TC_00_Block(qubes.tests.QubesTestCase):
 
     def test_005_device_get_none(self):
         vm = TestVM({
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sda': b'',
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sda/desc': b'Test device',
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sda/size': b'1024000',
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sda/mode': b'w',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sda': b'',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sda/desc': b'Test device',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sda/size': b'1024000',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sda/mode': b'w',
         })
         device_info = self.ext.device_get(vm, 'sdb')
         self.assertIsNone(device_info)
 
     def test_010_devices_list(self):
         vm = TestVM({
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sda': b'',
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sda/desc': b'Test device',
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sda/size': b'1024000',
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sda/mode': b'w',
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sdb': b'',
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sdb/desc': b'Test device2',
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sdb/size': b'2048000',
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sdb/mode': b'r',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sda': b'',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sda/desc': b'Test device',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sda/size': b'1024000',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sda/mode': b'w',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sdb': b'',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sdb/desc': b'Test device2',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sdb/size': b'2048000',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sdb/mode': b'r',
         })
         devices = sorted(list(self.ext.on_device_list_block(vm, '')))
         self.assertEqual(len(devices), 2)
@@ -250,9 +246,9 @@ class TC_00_Block(qubes.tests.QubesTestCase):
 
     def test_012_devices_list_invalid_ident(self):
         vm = TestVM({
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/invalid ident': b'',
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/invalid+ident': b'',
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/invalid#': b'',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/invalid ident': b'',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/invalid+ident': b'',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/invalid#': b'',
         })
         devices = sorted(list(self.ext.on_device_list_block(vm, '')))
         self.assertEqual(len(devices), 0)
@@ -334,10 +330,10 @@ class TC_00_Block(qubes.tests.QubesTestCase):
 
     def test_040_attach(self):
         back_vm = TestVM(name='sys-usb', qdb={
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sda': b'',
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sda/desc': b'Test device',
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sda/size': b'1024000',
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sda/mode': b'w',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sda': b'',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sda/desc': b'Test device',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sda/size': b'1024000',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sda/mode': b'w',
         })
         vm = TestVM({}, domain_xml=domain_xml_template.format(''))
         dev = qubes.ext.block.BlockDevice(back_vm, 'sda')
@@ -353,10 +349,10 @@ class TC_00_Block(qubes.tests.QubesTestCase):
 
     def test_041_attach_frontend(self):
         back_vm = TestVM(name='sys-usb', qdb={
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sda': b'',
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sda/desc': b'Test device',
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sda/size': b'1024000',
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sda/mode': b'w',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sda': b'',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sda/desc': b'Test device',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sda/size': b'1024000',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sda/mode': b'w',
         })
         vm = TestVM({}, domain_xml=domain_xml_template.format(''))
         dev = qubes.ext.block.BlockDevice(back_vm, 'sda')
@@ -373,10 +369,10 @@ class TC_00_Block(qubes.tests.QubesTestCase):
 
     def test_042_attach_read_only(self):
         back_vm = TestVM(name='sys-usb', qdb={
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sda': b'',
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sda/desc': b'Test device',
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sda/size': b'1024000',
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sda/mode': b'w',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sda': b'',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sda/desc': b'Test device',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sda/size': b'1024000',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sda/mode': b'w',
         })
         vm = TestVM({}, domain_xml=domain_xml_template.format(''))
         dev = qubes.ext.block.BlockDevice(back_vm, 'sda')
@@ -394,10 +390,10 @@ class TC_00_Block(qubes.tests.QubesTestCase):
 
     def test_043_attach_invalid_option(self):
         back_vm = TestVM(name='sys-usb', qdb={
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sda': b'',
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sda/desc': b'Test device',
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sda/size': b'1024000',
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sda/mode': b'w',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sda': b'',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sda/desc': b'Test device',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sda/size': b'1024000',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sda/mode': b'w',
         })
         vm = TestVM({}, domain_xml=domain_xml_template.format(''))
         dev = qubes.ext.block.BlockDevice(back_vm, 'sda')
@@ -408,10 +404,10 @@ class TC_00_Block(qubes.tests.QubesTestCase):
 
     def test_044_attach_invalid_option2(self):
         back_vm = TestVM(name='sys-usb', qdb={
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sda': b'',
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sda/desc': b'Test device',
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sda/size': b'1024000',
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sda/mode': b'w',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sda': b'',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sda/desc': b'Test device',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sda/size': b'1024000',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sda/mode': b'w',
         })
         vm = TestVM({}, domain_xml=domain_xml_template.format(''))
         dev = qubes.ext.block.BlockDevice(back_vm, 'sda')
@@ -422,10 +418,10 @@ class TC_00_Block(qubes.tests.QubesTestCase):
 
     def test_045_attach_backend_not_running(self):
         back_vm = TestVM(name='sys-usb', running=False, qdb={
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sda': b'',
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sda/desc': b'Test device',
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sda/size': b'1024000',
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sda/mode': b'w',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sda': b'',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sda/desc': b'Test device',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sda/size': b'1024000',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sda/mode': b'w',
         })
         vm = TestVM({}, domain_xml=domain_xml_template.format(''))
         dev = qubes.ext.block.BlockDevice(back_vm, 'sda')
@@ -435,10 +431,10 @@ class TC_00_Block(qubes.tests.QubesTestCase):
 
     def test_046_attach_ro_dev_rw(self):
         back_vm = TestVM(name='sys-usb', qdb={
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sda': b'',
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sda/desc': b'Test device',
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sda/size': b'1024000',
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sda/mode': b'r',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sda': b'',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sda/desc': b'Test device',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sda/size': b'1024000',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sda/mode': b'r',
         })
         vm = TestVM({}, domain_xml=domain_xml_template.format(''))
         dev = qubes.ext.block.BlockDevice(back_vm, 'sda')
@@ -449,10 +445,10 @@ class TC_00_Block(qubes.tests.QubesTestCase):
 
     def test_047_attach_read_only_auto(self):
         back_vm = TestVM(name='sys-usb', qdb={
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sda': b'',
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sda/desc': b'Test device',
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sda/size': b'1024000',
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sda/mode': b'r',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sda': b'',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sda/desc': b'Test device',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sda/size': b'1024000',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sda/mode': b'r',
         })
         vm = TestVM({}, domain_xml=domain_xml_template.format(''))
         dev = qubes.ext.block.BlockDevice(back_vm, 'sda')
@@ -469,10 +465,10 @@ class TC_00_Block(qubes.tests.QubesTestCase):
 
     def test_050_detach(self):
         back_vm = TestVM(name='sys-usb', qdb={
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sda': b'',
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sda/desc': b'Test device',
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sda/size': b'1024000',
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sda/mode': b'r',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sda': b'',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sda/desc': b'Test device',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sda/size': b'1024000',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sda/mode': b'r',
         })
         device_xml = (
             '<disk type="block" device="disk">\n'
@@ -491,10 +487,10 @@ class TC_00_Block(qubes.tests.QubesTestCase):
 
     def test_051_detach_not_attached(self):
         back_vm = TestVM(name='sys-usb', qdb={
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sda': b'',
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sda/desc': b'Test device',
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sda/size': b'1024000',
-            b'/qubes-block-devices/sda/mode': b'r',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sda': b'',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sda/desc': b'Test device',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sda/size': b'1024000',
+            '/qubes-block-devices/sda/mode': b'r',
         })
         device_xml = (
             '<disk type="block" device="disk">\n'