diff --git a/tools/roscreate/src/roscreate/core.py b/tools/roscreate/src/roscreate/core.py
index 3bf80730..fbccd76d 100644
--- a/tools/roscreate/src/roscreate/core.py
+++ b/tools/roscreate/src/roscreate/core.py
@@ -59,11 +59,11 @@ def author_name():
         # in case pwnam is not set
         if not name:
             name = login
-        elif type(name) == str:
-            name = name.decode('utf-8')
     except:
         #pwd failed
         pass
+    if type(name) == str:
+        name = name.decode('utf-8')
     return name
 
 def read_template(tmplf):
@@ -80,6 +80,8 @@ def read_template(tmplf):
         r = rospkg.RosPack()
         with open(os.path.join(r.get_path('roscreate'), 'templates', tmplf)) as f:
             t = f.read()
+    if type(t) == str:
+        t = t.decode('utf-8')
     return t
 
     
diff --git a/tools/roscreate/src/roscreate/roscreatepkg.py b/tools/roscreate/src/roscreate/roscreatepkg.py
index 8c91886d..45a49b5f 100755
--- a/tools/roscreate/src/roscreate/roscreatepkg.py
+++ b/tools/roscreate/src/roscreate/roscreatepkg.py
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ def create_package(package, author, depends, uses_roscpp=False, uses_rospy=False
         contents = instantiate_template(template, package, package, package, author, depends)
         p = os.path.abspath(os.path.join(package, filename))
         with open(p, 'w') as f:
-            f.write(contents)
+            f.write(contents.encode('utf-8'))
             print("Created package file", p)
     print("\nPlease edit %s/manifest.xml and mainpage.dox to finish creating your package"%package)
 
@@ -118,8 +118,11 @@ def roscreatepkg_main():
         except ResourceNotFound:
             print("ERROR: dependency [%s] cannot be found"%d, file=sys.stderr)
             sys.exit(1)
-    depends = ''.join(['  <depend package="%s"/>\n'%d for d in depends])
+
+    depends = u''.join([u'  <depend package="%s"/>\n'%d for d in depends])
 
     if not on_ros_path(os.getcwd()):
         print('!'*80+"\nWARNING: current working directory is not on ROS_PACKAGE_PATH!\nPlease update your ROS_PACKAGE_PATH environment variable.\n"+'!'*80, file=sys.stderr)
+    if type(package) == str:
+        package = package.decode('utf-8')
     create_package(package, author_name(), depends, uses_roscpp=uses_roscpp, uses_rospy=uses_rospy)