diff --git a/pre_commit/five.py b/pre_commit/five.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e3bab85e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pre_commit/five.py
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+"""five: six, redux"""
+# pylint:disable=invalid-name
+PY2 = (str is bytes)
+PY3 = (str is not bytes)
+
+# provide a symettrical `text` type to `bytes`
+if PY2:
+    text = unicode  # flake8: noqa
+else:
+    text = str
+
+
+def n(obj):
+    """Produce a native string.
+
+    Similar in behavior to str(), but uses US-ASCII encoding when necessary.
+    """
+    if isinstance(obj, str):
+        return obj
+    elif PY2 and isinstance(obj, text):
+        return obj.encode('US-ASCII')
+    elif PY3 and isinstance(obj, bytes):
+        return obj.decode('US-ASCII')
+    else:
+        return str(obj)
+
+
+def u(obj):
+    """Produces text.
+
+    Similar in behavior to str() in python3 or unicode() in python2,
+    but uses US-ASCII encoding when necessary.
+    """
+    if isinstance(obj, text):
+        return obj
+    elif isinstance(obj, bytes):
+        return obj.decode('US-ASCII')
+    else:
+        return text(obj)
+
+
+def b(obj):
+    """Produces bytes.
+
+    Similar in behavior to bytes(), but uses US-ASCII encoding when necessary.
+    """
+    if isinstance(obj, bytes):
+        return obj
+    elif isinstance(obj, text):
+        return obj.encode('US-ASCII')
+    else:
+        return bytes(obj)
+
+
+def udict(*args, **kwargs):
+    """Similar to dict(), but keyword-keys are text."""
+    kwargs = dict([
+        (u(key), val)
+        for key, val in kwargs.items()
+    ])
+
+    return dict(*args, **kwargs)
+
+def ndict(*args, **kwargs):
+    """Similar to dict(), but keyword-keys are forced to native strings."""
+    # I hate this :(
+    kwargs = dict([
+        (n(key), val)
+        for key, val in kwargs.items()
+    ])
+
+    return dict(*args, **kwargs)
+
+def open(*args, **kwargs):
+    """Override the builtin open() to return text and use utf8 by default."""
+    from io import open
+    kwargs.setdefault('encoding', 'UTF-8')
+    return open(*args, **kwargs)
diff --git a/pre_commit/repository.py b/pre_commit/repository.py
index f94336cb..b1ac4821 100644
--- a/pre_commit/repository.py
+++ b/pre_commit/repository.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ from asottile.ordereddict import OrderedDict
 from plumbum import local
 
 import pre_commit.constants as C
+from pre_commit import five
 from pre_commit.clientlib.validate_manifest import load_manifest
 from pre_commit.hooks_workspace import in_hooks_workspace
 from pre_commit.languages.all import languages
@@ -70,7 +71,7 @@ class Repository(object):
             logger.info('Installing environment for {0}.'.format(self.repo_url))
             logger.info('Once installed this environment will be reused.')
             logger.info('This may take a few minutes...')
-            with clean_path_on_failure(str(local.path(self.sha))):
+            with clean_path_on_failure(five.u(local.path(self.sha))):
                 local['git']['clone', '--no-checkout', self.repo_url, self.sha]()
                 with self.in_checkout():
                     local['git']['checkout', self.sha]()