diff --git a/_pytest/pytester.py b/_pytest/pytester.py
index f9da97b18..619bba988 100644
--- a/_pytest/pytester.py
+++ b/_pytest/pytester.py
@@ -236,13 +236,14 @@ class TmpTestdir:
     def _makefile(self, ext, args, kwargs):
         items = list(kwargs.items())
         if args:
-            source = "\n".join(map(str, args)) + "\n"
+            source = py.builtin._totext("\n").join(
+                map(py.builtin._totext, args)) + py.builtin._totext("\n")
             basename = self.request.function.__name__
             items.insert(0, (basename, source))
         ret = None
         for name, value in items:
             p = self.tmpdir.join(name).new(ext=ext)
-            source = str(py.code.Source(value)).lstrip()
+            source = py.builtin._totext(py.code.Source(value)).lstrip()
             p.write(source.encode("utf-8"), "wb")
             if ret is None:
                 ret = p
diff --git a/testing/test_pytester.py b/testing/test_pytester.py
index 8b246d7d1..0501ee200 100644
--- a/testing/test_pytester.py
+++ b/testing/test_pytester.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import py
 import pytest
 import os, sys
 from _pytest.pytester import LineMatcher, LineComp, HookRecorder
@@ -113,3 +114,12 @@ def test_functional(testdir, linecomp):
             assert res == [42]
     """)
     reprec.assertoutcome(passed=1)
+
+
+def test_makepyfile_unicode(testdir):
+    global unichr
+    try:
+        unichr(65)
+    except NameError:
+        unichr = chr
+    testdir.makepyfile(unichr(0xfffd))