diff --git a/hgext/mq.py b/hgext/mq.py
--- a/hgext/mq.py
+++ b/hgext/mq.py
@@ -148,9 +148,13 @@
 class statusentry(object):
     def __init__(self, node, name):
         self.node, self.name = node, name
-    def __repr__(self):
+
+    def __bytes__(self):
         return hex(self.node) + ':' + self.name
 
+    __str__ = encoding.strmethod(__bytes__)
+    __repr__ = encoding.strmethod(__bytes__)
+
 # The order of the headers in 'hg export' HG patches:
 HGHEADERS = [
 #   '# HG changeset patch',