diff --git a/www/conservancy/__init__.py b/www/conservancy/__init__.py
index 844bdf38..e900952d 100644
--- a/www/conservancy/__init__.py
+++ b/www/conservancy/__init__.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ class ParameterValidator(object):
             self.given_hash = given_hash_or_params
         else:
             self.given_hash = given_hash_or_params.get(params_hash_key)
-        seed = getattr(settings, 'CONSERVANCY_SECRET_KEY', '')
+        seed = getattr(settings, 'CONSERVANCY_SECRET_KEY', '').encode('utf-8')
         self.hasher = hashlib.sha256(seed)
         if isinstance(self.given_hash, basestring):
             self.hash_type = type(self.given_hash)
diff --git a/www/conservancy/static/views.py b/www/conservancy/static/views.py
index 5ff7aba2..2da8ff8a 100644
--- a/www/conservancy/static/views.py
+++ b/www/conservancy/static/views.py
@@ -32,12 +32,7 @@ def index(request, *args, **kwargs):
     path = request.path.lstrip(u'/')
     if path.endswith(u'/'):
         path += u'index.html'
-    try:
-        path_bytes = path.encode(FILESYSTEM_ENCODING)
-    except UnicodeEncodeError:
-        # If the path can't be expressed on the filesystem, it must not exist.
-        return handler404(request)
-    fullpath = os.path.join(STATIC_ROOT, path_bytes)
+    fullpath = os.path.join(STATIC_ROOT, path)
     if not os.path.exists(fullpath):
         return handler404(request)
     content_type, _ = mimetypes.guess_type(path)