diff --git a/hgext/mq.py b/hgext/mq.py
--- a/hgext/mq.py
+++ b/hgext/mq.py
@@ -661,13 +661,13 @@
         exactneg = [g for g in patchguards
                     if g.startswith('-') and g[1:] in guards]
         if exactneg:
-            return False, repr(exactneg[0])
+            return False, pycompat.bytestr(repr(exactneg[0]))
         pos = [g for g in patchguards if g.startswith('+')]
         exactpos = [g for g in pos if g[1:] in guards]
         if pos:
             if exactpos:
-                return True, repr(exactpos[0])
-            return False, ' '.join(map(repr, pos))
+                return True, pycompat.bytestr(repr(exactpos[0]))
+            return False, ' '.join([pycompat.bytestr(repr(p)) for p in pos])
         return True, ''
 
     def explainpushable(self, idx, all_patches=False):
@@ -1156,7 +1156,7 @@
         for c in ('#', ':', '\r', '\n'):
             if c in name:
                 raise error.Abort(_('%r cannot be used in the name of a patch')
-                                 % c)
+                                 % pycompat.bytestr(c))
 
     def checkpatchname(self, name, force=False):
         self.checkreservedname(name)