diff --git a/hgext/releasenotes.py b/hgext/releasenotes.py
--- a/hgext/releasenotes.py
+++ b/hgext/releasenotes.py
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@
 ]
 
 RE_DIRECTIVE = re.compile('^\.\. ([a-zA-Z0-9_]+)::\s*([^$]+)?$')
-RE_ISSUE = r'\bissue ?[0-9]{4,6}(?![0-9])\b'
+RE_ISSUE =  br'\bissue ?[0-9]{4,6}(?![0-9])\b'
 
 BULLET_SECTION = _('Other Changes')
 
@@ -631,7 +631,7 @@
 def debugparsereleasenotes(ui, path, repo=None):
     """parse release notes and print resulting data structure"""
     if path == '-':
-        text = sys.stdin.read()
+        text = pycompat.stdin.read()
     else:
         with open(path, 'rb') as fh:
             text = fh.read()