diff --git a/resources/lib/librarysync.py b/resources/lib/librarysync.py
index e66cd6fb..5d8857f1 100644
--- a/resources/lib/librarysync.py
+++ b/resources/lib/librarysync.py
@@ -968,7 +968,6 @@ class LibrarySync(threading.Thread):
     def run(self):
 
         try:
-            val = 1/0
             self.run_internal()
         except Warning as e:
             if "restricted" in e:
diff --git a/resources/lib/playutils.py b/resources/lib/playutils.py
index 907d4d21..e7b65af9 100644
--- a/resources/lib/playutils.py
+++ b/resources/lib/playutils.py
@@ -92,6 +92,7 @@ class PlayUtils():
             
             log.info("File is direct streaming.")
             playurl = self.directStream()
+            playurl = playurl.encode('utf-8')
             # Set playmethod property
             window('emby_%s.playmethod' % playurl, value="DirectStream")