diff --git a/eden/scm/edenscm/hgext/lfs/blobstore.py b/eden/scm/edenscm/hgext/lfs/blobstore.py
index 518bf66922..53322eed58 100644
--- a/eden/scm/edenscm/hgext/lfs/blobstore.py
+++ b/eden/scm/edenscm/hgext/lfs/blobstore.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ from edenscm.mercurial import (
     pathutil,
     perftrace,
     progress,
+    pycompat,
     url as urlmod,
     util,
     vfs as vfsmod,
@@ -116,7 +117,9 @@ class _gitlfsremote(object):
         """
         self.ui.log("lfs_url", lfs_url=self.baseurl)
         objects = [{"oid": p.oid(), "size": p.size()} for p in pointers]
-        requestdata = json.dumps({"objects": objects, "operation": action})
+        requestdata = pycompat.encodeutf8(
+            json.dumps({"objects": objects, "operation": action})
+        )
         batchreq = util.urlreq.request(
             "%s/objects/batch" % self.baseurl, data=requestdata
         )
diff --git a/eden/scm/tests/test-lfs-test-server.t b/eden/scm/tests/test-lfs-test-server.t
index fedfefbfea..d2ec0e749c 100644
--- a/eden/scm/tests/test-lfs-test-server.t
+++ b/eden/scm/tests/test-lfs-test-server.t
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#require py2
 XXX: This test is currently broken if lfs-test-server is installed.
 
 #require false lfs-test-server
diff --git a/eden/scm/tests/test-lfs.t b/eden/scm/tests/test-lfs.t
index 52caef9259..ca35a008b7 100644
--- a/eden/scm/tests/test-lfs.t
+++ b/eden/scm/tests/test-lfs.t
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#require py2
   $ disable treemanifest
 # Initial setup