diff --git a/ipaclient/plugins/cert.py b/ipaclient/plugins/cert.py
index d5daaf3a1..d7011e67a 100644
--- a/ipaclient/plugins/cert.py
+++ b/ipaclient/plugins/cert.py
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ class cert_request(CertRetrieveOverride):
             response = self.api.Command.cert_get_requestdata(
                 profile_id=profile_id,
                 principal=options.get('principal'),
-                public_key_info=unicode(pubkey_info_b64))
+                public_key_info=pubkey_info_b64)
 
             req_info_b64 = response['result']['request_info']
             req_info = base64.b64decode(req_info_b64)
diff --git a/ipaclient/plugins/csrgen.py b/ipaclient/plugins/csrgen.py
index d18a90c21..01c75f4bc 100644
--- a/ipaclient/plugins/csrgen.py
+++ b/ipaclient/plugins/csrgen.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ from ipalib import errors
 from ipalib import output
 from ipalib import util
 from ipalib.frontend import Local, Str
-from ipalib.parameters import File, Principal
+from ipalib.parameters import Bytes, Principal
 from ipalib.plugable import Registry
 from ipalib.text import _
 from ipapython import dogtag
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ class cert_get_requestdata(Local):
             label=_('Profile ID'),
             doc=_('CSR Generation Profile to use'),
         ),
-        File(
+        Bytes(
             'public_key_info',
             label=_('Subject Public Key Info'),
             doc=_('DER-encoded SubjectPublicKeyInfo structure'),