diff --git a/novaclient/base.py b/novaclient/base.py
index 120c698fc..a5dad823f 100644
--- a/novaclient/base.py
+++ b/novaclient/base.py
@@ -360,7 +360,7 @@ def _boot(self, resource_url, response_key, name, image, flavor,
                     data = file_or_string
                 personality.append({
                     'path': filepath,
-                    'contents': data.encode('base64'),
+                    'contents': base64.b64encode(data.encode('utf-8')),
                 })
 
         if availability_zone:
diff --git a/novaclient/tests/v1_1/test_shell.py b/novaclient/tests/v1_1/test_shell.py
index 48b08d9b1..93f852ec8 100644
--- a/novaclient/tests/v1_1/test_shell.py
+++ b/novaclient/tests/v1_1/test_shell.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 #    License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
 #    under the License.
 
+import base64
 import datetime
 import os
 import mock
@@ -174,7 +175,8 @@ def test_boot_key(self):
 
     def test_boot_user_data(self):
         testfile = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), 'testfile.txt')
-        expected_file_data = open(testfile).read().encode('base64').strip()
+        data = open(testfile).read()
+        expected_file_data = base64.b64encode(data.encode('utf-8'))
         self.run_command(
             'boot --flavor 1 --image 1 --user_data %s some-server' % testfile)
         self.assert_called_anytime(
@@ -514,7 +516,8 @@ def test_boot_nics_no_netid_or_portid(self):
 
     def test_boot_files(self):
         testfile = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), 'testfile.txt')
-        expected_file_data = open(testfile).read().encode('base64')
+        data = open(testfile).read()
+        expected_file_data = base64.b64encode(data.encode('utf-8'))
 
         cmd = ('boot some-server --flavor 1 --image 1'
                ' --file /tmp/foo=%s --file /tmp/bar=%s')