diff --git a/examples/set_avatar.py b/examples/set_avatar.py
index cae93c99..08e0b664 100755
--- a/examples/set_avatar.py
+++ b/examples/set_avatar.py
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ class AvatarSetter(sleekxmpp.ClientXMPP):
 
         avatar_file = None
         try:
-            avatar_file = open(os.path.expanduser(self.filepath))
+            avatar_file = open(os.path.expanduser(self.filepath), 'rb')
         except IOError:
             print('Could not find file: %s' % self.filepath)
             return self.disconnect()
diff --git a/sleekxmpp/plugins/xep_0084/stanza.py b/sleekxmpp/plugins/xep_0084/stanza.py
index 22f11b72..fd21e6f1 100644
--- a/sleekxmpp/plugins/xep_0084/stanza.py
+++ b/sleekxmpp/plugins/xep_0084/stanza.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 
 from base64 import b64encode, b64decode
 
-from sleekxmpp.util import bytes
+from sleekxmpp.util import bytes as sbytes
 from sleekxmpp.xmlstream import ET, ElementBase, register_stanza_plugin
 
 
@@ -20,12 +20,15 @@ class Data(ElementBase):
 
     def get_value(self):
         if self.xml.text:
-            return b64decode(bytes(self.xml.text))
+            return b64decode(sbytes(self.xml.text))
         return ''
 
     def set_value(self, value):
         if value:
-            self.xml.text = b64encode(bytes(value))
+            self.xml.text = b64encode(sbytes(value))
+            # Python3 base64 encoded is bytes and needs to be decoded to string
+            if isinstance(self.xml.text, bytes):
+                self.xml.text = self.xml.text.decode()
         else:
             self.xml.text = ''