diff --git a/src/calibre/devices/mtp/windows/driver.py b/src/calibre/devices/mtp/windows/driver.py
index 154bde0d8d..268ac07a41 100644
--- a/src/calibre/devices/mtp/windows/driver.py
+++ b/src/calibre/devices/mtp/windows/driver.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ from functools import wraps, partial
 from future_builtins import zip
 from itertools import chain
 
-from calibre import as_unicode, prints
+from calibre import as_unicode, prints, force_unicode
 from calibre.constants import plugins, __appname__, numeric_version, isxp
 from calibre.ptempfile import SpooledTemporaryFile
 from calibre.devices.errors import OpenFailed, DeviceError, BlacklistedDevice
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ class MTP_DEVICE(MTPDeviceBase):
             return True
         if self.wpd_error:
             p('Cannot detect MTP devices')
-            p(self.wpd_error)
+            p(force_unicode(self.wpd_error))
             return False
         try:
             pnp_ids = frozenset(self.wpd.enumerate_devices())