diff --git a/gramps/gen/plug/utils.py b/gramps/gen/plug/utils.py
index 7a352155d..77bd5d14c 100644
--- a/gramps/gen/plug/utils.py
+++ b/gramps/gen/plug/utils.py
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ import os
 if sys.version_info[0] < 3:
     from StringIO import StringIO
 else:
-    from io import StringIO
+    from io import StringIO, BytesIO
 
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 #
@@ -219,7 +219,11 @@ def load_addon_file(path, callback=None):
                 callback(_("Unable to open '%s'") % path)
             return
     try:
-        buffer = StringIO(fp.read())
+        content = fp.read()
+        if sys.version_info[0] < 3:
+            buffer = StringIO(content)
+        else:
+            buffer = BytesIO(content)
     except:
         if callback:
             callback(_("Error in reading '%s'") % path)
diff --git a/gramps/gui/viewmanager.py b/gramps/gui/viewmanager.py
index 6ecb2bc32..03999e968 100644
--- a/gramps/gui/viewmanager.py
+++ b/gramps/gui/viewmanager.py
@@ -397,13 +397,15 @@ class ViewManager(CLIManager):
                 lines = list(fp.readlines())
                 count = 0
                 for line in lines:
+                    if sys.version_info[0] >= 3:
+                        line = line.decode('utf-8').replace(": u'", ": '")
                     try:
                         plugin_dict = safe_eval(line)
                         if type(plugin_dict) != type({}):
                             raise TypeError("Line with addon metadata is not "
                                             "a dictionary")
                     except:
-                        LOG.debug("Skipped a line in the addon listing: " +
+                        LOG.warning("Skipped a line in the addon listing: " +
                                  str(line))
                         continue
                     id = plugin_dict["i"]