diff --git a/pywb/warc/cdxindexer.py b/pywb/warc/cdxindexer.py
index 585b5711..60dd5ad5 100644
--- a/pywb/warc/cdxindexer.py
+++ b/pywb/warc/cdxindexer.py
@@ -109,7 +109,6 @@ def cdx_filename(filename):
 
 #=================================================================
 def write_multi_cdx_index(output, inputs, **options):
-
     # write one cdx per dir
     if output != '-' and os.path.isdir(output):
         for fullpath, filename in iter_file_or_dir(inputs):
@@ -145,6 +144,9 @@ def write_multi_cdx_index(output, inputs, **options):
 def write_cdx_index(outfile, infile, filename, **options):
     writer_cls = options.get('writer_cls')
 
+    if type(filename) is unicode:
+        filename = filename.encode(sys.getfilesystemencoding())
+
     if writer_cls:
         pass
     elif options.get('sort'):
diff --git a/pywb/warc/test/test_indexing.py b/pywb/warc/test/test_indexing.py
index 88a3d3ff..b90e9d65 100644
--- a/pywb/warc/test/test_indexing.py
+++ b/pywb/warc/test/test_indexing.py
@@ -130,8 +130,8 @@ com,example)/?example=1 20140103030321 http://example.com?example=1 text/html 20
 org,iana)/domains/example 20140128051539 http://www.iana.org/domains/example text/html 302 JZ622UA23G5ZU6Y3XAKH4LINONUEICEG - - 577 2907 example.warc.gz
 4
 
-# test writing to temp dir
->>> cli_lines_with_dir(TEST_WARC_DIR + 'example.warc.gz')
+# test writing to temp dir, also use unicode filename
+>>> cli_lines_with_dir(unicode(TEST_WARC_DIR + 'example.warc.gz'))
 example.cdx
 com,example)/?example=1 20140103030321 http://example.com?example=1 text/html 200 B2LTWWPUOYAH7UIPQ7ZUPQ4VMBSVC36A - - 1043 333 example.warc.gz
 org,iana)/domains/example 20140128051539 http://www.iana.org/domains/example text/html 302 JZ622UA23G5ZU6Y3XAKH4LINONUEICEG - - 577 2907 example.warc.gz