diff --git a/qubesmanager/backup.py b/qubesmanager/backup.py
index 5d149e8..0db4045 100644
--- a/qubesmanager/backup.py
+++ b/qubesmanager/backup.py
@@ -289,8 +289,8 @@ class BackupVMsWindow(Ui_Backup, QWizard):
             if self.appvm_combobox.currentIndex() == 0 and \
                    not os.path.isdir(backup_location):
                 QMessageBox.information(None, self.tr("Wait!"),
-                    self.tr("Selected directory do not exists or "
-                            "not a directory (%s).") % backup_location)
+                    unicode(self.tr("Selected directory do not exists or "
+                            "not a directory (%s).")) % backup_location)
                 return False
             if not len(self.passphrase_line_edit.text()):
                 QMessageBox.information(None, self.tr("Wait!"),
@@ -384,8 +384,8 @@ class BackupVMsWindow(Ui_Backup, QWizard):
                     self.progress_status.setText(self.tr("Backup aborted."))
                     if self.tmpdir_to_remove:
                         if QMessageBox.warning(None, self.tr("Backup aborted"),
-                                self.tr("Do you want to remove temporary files from "
-                                        "%s?") % self.tmpdir_to_remove,
+                                unicode(self.tr("Do you want to remove temporary files from "
+                                        "%s?")) % self.tmpdir_to_remove,
                                 QMessageBox.Yes, QMessageBox.No) == QMessageBox.Yes:
                             shutil.rmtree(self.tmpdir_to_remove)
                 else:
diff --git a/qubesmanager/log_dialog.py b/qubesmanager/log_dialog.py
index 61ef469..97fd71c 100644
--- a/qubesmanager/log_dialog.py
+++ b/qubesmanager/log_dialog.py
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ class LogDialog(Ui_LogDialog, QDialog):
         log = open(self.log_path)
         log.seek(0, os.SEEK_END)
         if log.tell() > LOG_DISPLAY_SIZE:
-            self.displayed_text = self.tr("(Showing only last %d bytes of file)\n") % LOG_DISPLAY_SIZE
+            self.displayed_text = unicode(self.tr("(Showing only last %d bytes of file)\n")) % LOG_DISPLAY_SIZE
             log.seek(-LOG_DISPLAY_SIZE, os.SEEK_END)
         else:
             log.seek(0, os.SEEK_SET)
diff --git a/qubesmanager/main.py b/qubesmanager/main.py
index 79f51ef..b611dc6 100755
--- a/qubesmanager/main.py
+++ b/qubesmanager/main.py
@@ -1217,7 +1217,7 @@ class VmManagerWindow(Ui_VmManagerWindow, QMainWindow):
                     vm.name, thread_monitor.error_msg),
                 msecs=3000)
             self.set_error(vm.qid,
-                           self.tr("Error starting VM: %s") % thread_monitor.error_msg)
+                           unicode(self.tr("Error starting VM: %s")) % thread_monitor.error_msg)
 
     @staticmethod
     def do_start_vm(vm, thread_monitor):
@@ -1267,7 +1267,7 @@ class VmManagerWindow(Ui_VmManagerWindow, QMainWindow):
                     .format(vm.name, thread_monitor.error_msg),
                 msecs=3000)
             self.set_error(vm.qid,
-                           self.tr("Error starting VM: %s") % thread_monitor.error_msg)
+                           unicode(self.tr("Error starting VM: %s")) % thread_monitor.error_msg)
 
     # noinspection PyMethodMayBeStatic
     def do_start_vm_tools_install(self, vm, thread_monitor):
diff --git a/qubesmanager/restore.py b/qubesmanager/restore.py
index 7d99c66..76a3ce2 100644
--- a/qubesmanager/restore.py
+++ b/qubesmanager/restore.py
@@ -265,8 +265,8 @@ class RestoreVMsWindow(Ui_Restore, QWizard):
                 if self.canceled:
                     if self.tmpdir_to_remove and \
                         QMessageBox.warning(None, self.tr("Restore aborted"),
-                            self.tr("Do you want to remove temporary files "
-                                    "from %s?") % self.tmpdir_to_remove,
+                            unicode(self.tr("Do you want to remove temporary files "
+                                    "from %s?")) % self.tmpdir_to_remove,
                             QMessageBox.Yes, QMessageBox.No) == \
                             QMessageBox.Yes:
                         shutil.rmtree(self.tmpdir_to_remove)