diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index 0eb865a..592ac6e 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ script:
   - python tests/test.py -c tests/salsa20.json
   - python tests/test.py -c tests/table.json
   - python tests/test.py -c tests/server-multi-ports.json
-  - python tests/test.py -c tests/server-multi-passwd.json tests/server-multi-passwd-client-side.json
+  - python tests/test.py -s tests/server-multi-passwd.json -c tests/server-multi-passwd-client-side.json
   - python tests/test.py -c tests/workers.json
   - python tests/test.py -b "-m rc4-md5 -k testrc4 -s 127.0.0.1 -p 8388" -a "-m rc4-md5 -k testrc4 -s 127.0.0.1 -p 8388 -l 1081"
   - python tests/test.py -b "-m aes-256-cfb -k testrc4 -s 127.0.0.1 -p 8388" -a "-m aes-256-cfb -k testrc4 -s 127.0.0.1 -p 8388 -l 1081"
diff --git a/shadowsocks/common.py b/shadowsocks/common.py
index fbc977b..4c599c3 100644
--- a/shadowsocks/common.py
+++ b/shadowsocks/common.py
@@ -47,6 +47,10 @@ ord = compat_ord
 chr = compat_chr
 
 
+def to_bytes(s):
+    return s.encode('utf-8')
+
+
 def inet_ntop(family, ipstr):
     if family == socket.AF_INET:
         return socket.inet_ntoa(ipstr)
diff --git a/shadowsocks/utils.py b/shadowsocks/utils.py
index b610f40..7808d8f 100644
--- a/shadowsocks/utils.py
+++ b/shadowsocks/utils.py
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ import json
 import sys
 import getopt
 import logging
+from shadowsocks.common import to_bytes
 
 
 VERBOSE_LEVEL = 5
@@ -126,15 +127,15 @@ def get_config(is_local):
             if key == '-p':
                 config['server_port'] = int(value)
             elif key == '-k':
-                config['password'] = value
+                config['password'] = to_bytes(value)
             elif key == '-l':
                 config['local_port'] = int(value)
             elif key == '-s':
-                config['server'] = value
+                config['server'] = to_bytes(value)
             elif key == '-m':
-                config['method'] = value
+                config['method'] = to_bytes(value)
             elif key == '-b':
-                config['local_address'] = value
+                config['local_address'] = to_bytes(value)
             elif key == '-v':
                 v_count += 1
                 # '-vv' turns on more verbose mode