diff --git a/gramps/gen/recentfiles.py b/gramps/gen/recentfiles.py
index e26752424..8903914c4 100644
--- a/gramps/gen/recentfiles.py
+++ b/gramps/gen/recentfiles.py
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@
 import os
 import time
 import io
+import sys
+import logging
 from  xml.parsers.expat import ParserCreate
 
 try:
@@ -182,7 +184,8 @@ class RecentFiles(object):
         """
         Saves the current GRAMPS RecentFiles collection to the associated file.
         """
-        xml_file = io.open(os.path.expanduser(GRAMPS_FILENAME),'w', encoding="utf-8")
+        xml_file = open(os.path.expanduser(GRAMPS_FILENAME),'w')
+
         if use_lock:
             fcntl.lockf(xml_file,fcntl.LOCK_EX)
         xml_file.write("<?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"utf-8\"?>\n")
@@ -215,9 +218,13 @@ class RecentParser(object):
     def __init__(self):
         self.recent_files = []
 
+#Python3's expat wants bytes, Python2's wants a string.
         try:
-            xml_file = io.open(os.path.expanduser(GRAMPS_FILENAME), "r",
-                               encoding = 'utf-8')
+            if sys.version_info[0] < 3:
+                xml_file = open(os.path.expanduser(GRAMPS_FILENAME), "r")
+            else:
+                xml_file = open(os.path.expanduser(GRAMPS_FILENAME), "rb")
+
             if use_lock:
                 fcntl.lockf(xml_file,fcntl.LOCK_SH)
 
@@ -230,7 +237,8 @@ class RecentParser(object):
             if use_lock:
                 fcntl.lockf(xml_file,fcntl.LOCK_UN)
             xml_file.close()
-        except:
+        except Exception as err:
+            logging.error("Recent file parse error %s", str(err))
             if xml_file:
                 xml_file.close()