diff --git a/method/shell.py b/method/shell.py
index 2ebd83f..5b37fed 100644
--- a/method/shell.py
+++ b/method/shell.py
@@ -25,10 +25,15 @@ class Exec(Method):
         if bufname is None: bufname = '*%s*' % self.name.title()
         if cmdname is None: cmdname = cmd.split(None, 1)[0]
 
-        p      = Popen(cmd, shell=True, stdout=PIPE, stderr=STDOUT)
-        output = p.stdout.read()
-        result = p.wait()
-        status = os.WEXITSTATUS(result)
+        p       = Popen(cmd, shell=True, stdout=PIPE, stderr=STDOUT)
+        output  = p.stdout.read()
+        result  = p.wait()
+        status  = os.WEXITSTATUS(result)
+
+        try:
+            output2 = output.decode('utf-8')
+        except:
+            output2 = output.decode('latin-1')
 
         if not os.WIFEXITED(result) or status != 0:
             err = True
@@ -37,9 +42,9 @@ class Exec(Method):
             err = False
             msg = "exec(%r): ok" % (cmdname,)
 
-        if output:
+        if output2:
             switch_to = err or self.show_success
-            w.application.data_buffer(bufname, output, switch_to=switch_to)
+            w.application.data_buffer(bufname, output2, switch_to=switch_to)
         w.set_error(msg)
         
     def _execute(self, w, **vargs):