diff --git a/addon.xml b/addon.xml
index 78fb95da..69497e71 100644
--- a/addon.xml
+++ b/addon.xml
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?>
 <addon  id="plugin.video.emby"
         name="Emby" 
-        version="2.2.41"
+        version="2.2.42"
         provider-name="Emby.media">
   <requires>
     <import addon="xbmc.python" version="2.19.0"/>
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")