diff --git a/deluge/config.py b/deluge/config.py
index fccf4b9f3..4a46065b4 100644
--- a/deluge/config.py
+++ b/deluge/config.py
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@ class Config(object):
         if not filename:
             filename = self.__config_file
         try:
-            self.__config.update(pickle.load(open(filename, "r")))
+            self.__config.update(pickle.load(open(filename, "rb")))
         except Exception, e:
             log.warning("Unable to load config file: %s", filename)
 
@@ -255,7 +255,7 @@ class Config(object):
         # Check to see if the current config differs from the one on disk
         # We will only write a new config file if there is a difference
         try:
-            if self.__config == pickle.load(open(filename, "r")):
+            if self.__config == pickle.load(open(filename, "rb")):
                 # The config has not changed so lets just return
                 self.__save_timer = None
                 return
@@ -267,7 +267,7 @@ class Config(object):
         # Save the new config and make sure it's written to disk
         try:
             log.debug("Saving new config file %s", filename + ".new")
-            f = open(filename + ".new", "w")
+            f = open(filename + ".new", "wb")
             pickle.dump(self.__config, f)
             f.flush()
             os.fsync(f.fileno())