diff --git a/contrib/python3-whitelist b/contrib/python3-whitelist
--- a/contrib/python3-whitelist
+++ b/contrib/python3-whitelist
@@ -575,6 +575,7 @@
 test-template-functions.t
 test-template-keywords.t
 test-template-map.t
+test-tools.t
 test-transplant.t
 test-treemanifest.t
 test-ui-color.py
diff --git a/tests/f b/tests/f
--- a/tests/f
+++ b/tests/f
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@
         elif islink:
             if opts.type:
                 facts.append(b'link')
-            content = os.readlink(f)
+            content = os.readlink(f).encode('utf8')
         elif isstdin:
             content = getattr(sys.stdin, 'buffer', sys.stdin).read()
             if opts.size: