diff --git a/plugins/ShrinkUrl/plugin.py b/plugins/ShrinkUrl/plugin.py
index d073edabb..7f2b4c0bf 100644
--- a/plugins/ShrinkUrl/plugin.py
+++ b/plugins/ShrinkUrl/plugin.py
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 ###
 
 import re
+import sys
 import time
 import json
 import urllib
@@ -266,6 +267,8 @@ class ShrinkUrl(callbacks.PluginRegexp):
             headers['content-type'] = 'application/json'
             data = json.dumps({'longUrl': url})
             text = utils.web.getUrl(self._gooApi, data=data, headers=headers)
+            if sys.version_info[0] >= 3 and isinstance(text, bytes):
+                text = text.decode()
             googl = json.loads(text)['id']
             if googl:
                 self.db.set('goo', url, googl)
diff --git a/src/utils/web.py b/src/utils/web.py
index e26b2d224..0f18899db 100644
--- a/src/utils/web.py
+++ b/src/utils/web.py
@@ -108,6 +108,8 @@ def getUrlFd(url, headers=None, data=None, timeout=None):
     a dict and string, respectively, as per urllib2.Request's arguments."""
     if headers is None:
         headers = defaultHeaders
+    if sys.version_info[0] >= 3 and isinstance(data, str):
+        data = data.encode()
     try:
         if not isinstance(url, urllib2.Request):
             (scheme, loc, path, query, frag) = urlparse.urlsplit(url)