diff --git a/rbtools/clients/git.py b/rbtools/clients/git.py
index be4cbf18..61b23678 100644
--- a/rbtools/clients/git.py
+++ b/rbtools/clients/git.py
@@ -888,7 +888,7 @@ def make_svn_diff(self, merge_base, diff_lines):
             bytes:
             The reformatted diff contents.
         """
-        rev = self._execute([self.git, 'svn', 'find-rev', merge_base]).strip()
+        rev = self._execute([self.git, 'svn', 'find-rev', merge_base], results_unicode=False).strip()
 
         if not rev:
             return None