diff --git a/gramps/gen/db/read.py b/gramps/gen/db/read.py
index 359aeb49a..c0812c874 100644
--- a/gramps/gen/db/read.py
+++ b/gramps/gen/db/read.py
@@ -215,10 +215,12 @@ class DbBsddbTreeCursor(BsddbBaseCursor):
         """
         Iterator
         """
-        to_do = ['']
+        _n = self.next_dup
+        to_do = [b'']
         while to_do:
-            data = self.set(str(to_do.pop()))
-            _n = self.next_dup
+            key = to_do.pop()
+            key = key.encode('utf-8') if not isinstance(key, bytes) else key
+            data = self.set(key)
             while data:
                 payload = pickle.loads(data[1])
                 yield (payload[0], payload)
diff --git a/gramps/gen/db/upgrade.py b/gramps/gen/db/upgrade.py
index 359c8f11b..66da1ad73 100644
--- a/gramps/gen/db/upgrade.py
+++ b/gramps/gen/db/upgrade.py
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ LOG = logging.getLogger(".citation")
 
 from ..const import GRAMPS_LOCALE as glocale
 _ = glocale.translation.gettext
-from ..constfunc import cuni, UNITYPE
+from ..constfunc import cuni, UNITYPE, handle2internal
 
 """
 methods to upgrade a database from version 13 to current version
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ def gramps_upgrade_17(self):
 
         if parent_handle is not None:
             placeref = PlaceRef()
-            placeref.ref = parent_handle
+            placeref.ref = handle2internal(parent_handle)
             placeref_list = [placeref.serialize()]
         else:
             placeref_list = []
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@ def add_place(self, name, level, parent, title):
     place.set_type(PlaceType(7-level))
     if parent is not None:
         placeref = PlaceRef()
-        placeref.ref = parent
+        placeref.ref = handle2internal(parent)
         place.set_placeref_list([placeref])
     with BSDDBTxn(self.env, self.place_map) as txn:
         if isinstance(handle, UNITYPE):
diff --git a/gramps/gen/db/write.py b/gramps/gen/db/write.py
index 40f8e9a04..0a919cac6 100644
--- a/gramps/gen/db/write.py
+++ b/gramps/gen/db/write.py
@@ -1096,7 +1096,8 @@ class DbBsddb(DbBsddbRead, DbWriteBase, UpdateCallback):
         """
         Find all child places having the given place as the primary parent.
         """
-        handle = str(handle)
+        if isinstance(handle, UNITYPE):
+            handle = handle.encode('utf-8')
         parent_cur = self.get_place_parent_cursor()
 
         try:
diff --git a/gramps/gen/lib/refbase.py b/gramps/gen/lib/refbase.py
index d50aab088..d85709462 100644
--- a/gramps/gen/lib/refbase.py
+++ b/gramps/gen/lib/refbase.py
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ class RefBase(object):
         """
         Convert a serialized tuple of data to an object.
         """
-        self.ref = str(data)
+        self.ref = data
         return self
 
     def get_referenced_handles(self):
diff --git a/gramps/plugins/lib/libplaceimport.py b/gramps/plugins/lib/libplaceimport.py
index 83d47b134..3551723a8 100644
--- a/gramps/plugins/lib/libplaceimport.py
+++ b/gramps/plugins/lib/libplaceimport.py
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ Helper class for importing places.
 #
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 from gramps.gen.lib import Place, PlaceType, PlaceRef
+from gramps.gen.constfunc import handle2internal
 
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 #
@@ -89,7 +90,7 @@ class PlaceImport(object):
             if parent:
                 place = self.db.get_place_from_handle(handle)
                 placeref = PlaceRef()
-                placeref.ref = parent
+                placeref.ref = handle2internal(parent)
                 place.set_placeref_list([placeref])
                 self.db.commit_place(place, trans, place.get_change_time())
 
@@ -103,7 +104,7 @@ class PlaceImport(object):
         place.place_type = PlaceType(7-type_num)
         if parent is not None:
             placeref = PlaceRef()
-            placeref.ref = parent
+            placeref.ref = handle2internal(parent)
             place.set_placeref_list([placeref])
         handle = self.db.add_place(place, trans)
         self.db.commit_place(place, trans)