diff --git a/django/http/response.py b/django/http/response.py
index aaebefe022b..822589fe816 100644
--- a/django/http/response.py
+++ b/django/http/response.py
@@ -317,7 +317,7 @@ class HttpResponse(HttpResponseBase):
 
     streaming = False
 
-    def __init__(self, content='', *args, **kwargs):
+    def __init__(self, content=b'', *args, **kwargs):
         super(HttpResponse, self).__init__(*args, **kwargs)
         # Content is a bytestring. See the `content` property methods.
         self.content = content
diff --git a/tests/httpwrappers/tests.py b/tests/httpwrappers/tests.py
index 1679b6e036e..4ee342c2521 100644
--- a/tests/httpwrappers/tests.py
+++ b/tests/httpwrappers/tests.py
@@ -385,6 +385,13 @@ class HttpResponseTests(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(r.tell(), 6)
         self.assertEqual(r.content, b'abcdef')
 
+        # with Content-Encoding header
+        r = HttpResponse()
+        r['Content-Encoding'] = 'winning'
+        r.write(b'abc')
+        r.write(b'def')
+        self.assertEqual(r.content, b'abcdef')
+
     def test_unsafe_redirect(self):
         bad_urls = [
             'data:text/html,<script>window.alert("xss")</script>',