diff --git a/evennia/server/server.py b/evennia/server/server.py
index a68f6d5463..457302b5f2 100644
--- a/evennia/server/server.py
+++ b/evennia/server/server.py
@@ -569,9 +569,9 @@ if WEBSERVER_ENABLED:
 
     web_root = DjangoWebRoot(threads)
     # point our media resources to url /media
-    web_root.putChild("media", static.File(settings.MEDIA_ROOT))
+    web_root.putChild(b"media", static.File(settings.MEDIA_ROOT))
     # point our static resources to url /static
-    web_root.putChild("static", static.File(settings.STATIC_ROOT))
+    web_root.putChild(b"static", static.File(settings.STATIC_ROOT))
     EVENNIA.web_root = web_root
 
     if WEB_PLUGINS_MODULE: