diff --git a/resources/makeqrc.py b/resources/makeqrc.py
index 31bb8f211..333e0710a 100755
--- a/resources/makeqrc.py
+++ b/resources/makeqrc.py
@@ -46,10 +46,10 @@ def main():
     if newimages:
         log.info("%d images newer than %s found" % (newimages, qrcfile))
         with open(qrcfile, 'wb+') as f:
-            f.write('<!DOCTYPE RCC><RCC version="1.0">\n<qresource>\n')
+            f.write(b'<!DOCTYPE RCC><RCC version="1.0">\n<qresource>\n')
             for filename in sorted(images, key=natsort_key):
-                f.write('    <file>%s</file>\n' % filename.replace('\\', '/'))
-            f.write('</qresource>\n</RCC>\n')
+                f.write(('    <file>%s</file>\n' % filename.replace('\\', '/')).encode())
+            f.write(b'</qresource>\n</RCC>\n')
             log.info("File %s written, %d images" % (qrcfile, len(images)))