diff --git a/datalab/utils/_http.py b/datalab/utils/_http.py
index 62fc0a2fe..3f062bef3 100644
--- a/datalab/utils/_http.py
+++ b/datalab/utils/_http.py
@@ -144,13 +144,12 @@ def request(url, args=None, data=None, headers=None, method=None,
                                        method=method,
                                        body=data,
                                        headers=headers)
+      content = content.decode()
       if 200 <= response.status < 300:
         if raw_response:
           return content
-        if type(content) == str:
-          return json.loads(content)
         else:
-          return json.loads(str(content, encoding='UTF-8'))
+          return json.loads(content)
       else:
         raise RequestException(response.status, content)
     except ValueError:
diff --git a/google/datalab/utils/_http.py b/google/datalab/utils/_http.py
index d5cc55632..06e5fbc49 100644
--- a/google/datalab/utils/_http.py
+++ b/google/datalab/utils/_http.py
@@ -147,13 +147,12 @@ def request(url, args=None, data=None, headers=None, method=None,
                                        method=method,
                                        body=data,
                                        headers=headers)
+      content = content.decode()
       if 200 <= response.status < 300:
         if raw_response:
           return content
-        if type(content) == str:
-          return json.loads(content)
         else:
-          return json.loads(str(content, encoding='UTF-8'))
+          return json.loads(content)
       else:
         raise RequestException(response.status, content)
     except ValueError: