diff --git a/weboob/backends/youtube/backend.py b/weboob/backends/youtube/backend.py
index 47146cab..a92d28c6 100644
--- a/weboob/backends/youtube/backend.py
+++ b/weboob/backends/youtube/backend.py
@@ -62,6 +62,8 @@ class YoutubeBackend(BaseBackend, ICapVideo):
         while True:
             query = gdata.youtube.service.YouTubeVideoQuery()
             if pattern is not None:
+                if isinstance(pattern, unicode):
+                    pattern = pattern.encode('utf-8')
                 query.vq = pattern
             query.orderby = ('relevance', 'rating', 'viewCount', 'published')[sortby]
             query.racy = 'include' if nsfw else 'exclude'
diff --git a/weboob/tools/application/repl.py b/weboob/tools/application/repl.py
index 2a364020..1a8fb039 100644
--- a/weboob/tools/application/repl.py
+++ b/weboob/tools/application/repl.py
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ from weboob.core.backendscfg import BackendsConfig, BackendAlreadyExists
 from weboob.tools.application.formatters.iformatter import MandatoryFieldsNotFound
 from weboob.tools.browser import BrowserUnavailable, BrowserIncorrectPassword
 from weboob.tools.value import Value, ValueBool, ValueFloat, ValueInt
+from weboob.tools.misc import to_unicode
 
 from .base import BackendNotFound, BaseApplication
 from .formatters.load import FormattersLoader, FormatterLoadError
@@ -405,6 +406,7 @@ class ReplApplication(Cmd, BaseApplication):
         """
         This REPL method is overrided to catch some particular exceptions.
         """
+        line = to_unicode(line)
         cmd, arg, ignored = self.parseline(line)
 
         # Set the right formatter for the command.