diff --git a/www/conservancy/local_context_processors.py b/www/conservancy/local_context_processors.py
index 9dfe96323af89e8fe60708e2470590fbc875f93a..4759b1e5fc96c33989a65dfb05b6ea1a554c11ab 100644
--- a/www/conservancy/local_context_processors.py
+++ b/www/conservancy/local_context_processors.py
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ def sitefundraiser(request):
 if conservancy.settings.FORCE_CANONICAL_HOSTNAME:
     _HOST_URL_VAR = {'host_url': 'https://' + conservancy.settings.FORCE_CANONICAL_HOSTNAME}
     def host_url(request):
-        return _HOST_URL_VAR
+        return _HOST_URL_VAR.decode('utf-8')
 else:
     def host_url(request):
-        return {'host_url': request.build_absolute_uri('/').rstrip('/')}
+        return {'host_url': request.build_absolute_uri('/').rstrip('/').decode('utf-8')}