diff --git a/resources/lib/playutils.py b/resources/lib/playutils.py
index 8b5474aa..6e0301bb 100644
--- a/resources/lib/playutils.py
+++ b/resources/lib/playutils.py
@@ -52,7 +52,6 @@ class PlayUtils():
 
             self.logMsg("File is direct playing.", 1)
             playurl = self.directPlay()
-            playurl = playurl.encode('utf-8')
             # Set playmethod property
             utils.window('emby_%s.playmethod' % playurl, value="DirectPlay")