diff --git a/openlp/core/lib/mediamanageritem.py b/openlp/core/lib/mediamanageritem.py
index 6027225e2..6e177b7cf 100644
--- a/openlp/core/lib/mediamanageritem.py
+++ b/openlp/core/lib/mediamanageritem.py
@@ -342,8 +342,8 @@ class MediaManagerItem(QtGui.QWidget):
             SettingsManager.get_last_dir(self.settingsSection),
             self.onNewFileMasks)
         # Convert QStringList containing QStrings to a Python list containing unicode strings
-        files =  [unicode(f) for f in files]
-        log.info(u'New files(s) %s', unicode(files))
+        files =  map(unicode, files)
+        log.info(u'New files(s) %s', files)
         if files:
             Receiver.send_message(u'cursor_busy')
             self.validateAndLoad(files)
diff --git a/openlp/plugins/images/lib/mediaitem.py b/openlp/plugins/images/lib/mediaitem.py
index a9087a731..7ea13e9af 100644
--- a/openlp/plugins/images/lib/mediaitem.py
+++ b/openlp/plugins/images/lib/mediaitem.py
@@ -130,17 +130,17 @@ class ImageMediaItem(MediaManagerItem):
         # Sort the images by its filename considering language specific
         # characters.
         images.sort(cmp=locale_compare,
-            key=lambda filename: os.path.split(unicode(filename))[1])
+            key=lambda filename: os.path.split(filename)[1])
         for imageFile in images:
-            filename = os.path.split(unicode(imageFile))[1]
+            filename = os.path.split(imageFile)[1]
             thumb = os.path.join(self.servicePath, filename)
-            if not os.path.exists(unicode(imageFile)):
+            if not os.path.exists(imageFile):
                 icon = build_icon(u':/general/general_delete.png')
             else:
-                if validate_thumb(unicode(imageFile), thumb):
+                if validate_thumb(imageFile, thumb):
                     icon = build_icon(thumb)
                 else:
-                    icon = create_thumb(unicode(imageFile), thumb)
+                    icon = create_thumb(imageFile, thumb)
             item_name = QtGui.QListWidgetItem(filename)
             item_name.setIcon(icon)
             item_name.setToolTip(imageFile)
diff --git a/openlp/plugins/media/lib/mediaitem.py b/openlp/plugins/media/lib/mediaitem.py
index 032b09694..5fbd81448 100644
--- a/openlp/plugins/media/lib/mediaitem.py
+++ b/openlp/plugins/media/lib/mediaitem.py
@@ -299,21 +299,21 @@ class MediaMediaItem(MediaManagerItem):
         # Sort the media by its filename considering language specific
         # characters.
         media.sort(cmp=locale_compare,
-            key=lambda filename: os.path.split(unicode(filename))[1])
+            key=lambda filename: os.path.split(filename)[1])
         for track in media:
             track_info = QtCore.QFileInfo(track)
             if not os.path.exists(track):
-                filename = os.path.split(unicode(track))[1]
+                filename = os.path.split(track)[1]
                 item_name = QtGui.QListWidgetItem(filename)
                 item_name.setIcon(build_icon(ERROR))
                 item_name.setData(QtCore.Qt.UserRole, QtCore.QVariant(track))
             elif track_info.isFile():
-                filename = os.path.split(unicode(track))[1]
+                filename = os.path.split(track)[1]
                 item_name = QtGui.QListWidgetItem(filename)
                 item_name.setIcon(build_icon(VIDEO))
                 item_name.setData(QtCore.Qt.UserRole, QtCore.QVariant(track))
             else:
-                filename = os.path.split(unicode(track))[1]
+                filename = os.path.split(track)[1]
                 item_name = QtGui.QListWidgetItem(filename)
                 #TODO: add the appropriate Icon
                 #item_name.setIcon(build_icon(DVD_ICON))
diff --git a/openlp/plugins/presentations/lib/mediaitem.py b/openlp/plugins/presentations/lib/mediaitem.py
index cc0ab992c..a9bd8bce9 100644
--- a/openlp/plugins/presentations/lib/mediaitem.py
+++ b/openlp/plugins/presentations/lib/mediaitem.py
@@ -175,13 +175,13 @@ class PresentationMediaItem(MediaManagerItem):
         # Sort the presentations by its filename considering language specific
         # characters.
         files.sort(cmp=locale_compare,
-            key=lambda filename: os.path.split(unicode(filename))[1])
+            key=lambda filename: os.path.split(filename)[1])
         for file in files:
             if not initialLoad:
                 self.plugin.formParent.incrementProgressBar()
             if currlist.count(file) > 0:
                 continue
-            filename = os.path.split(unicode(file))[1]
+            filename = os.path.split(file)[1]
             if not os.path.exists(file):
                 item_name = QtGui.QListWidgetItem(filename)
                 item_name.setIcon(build_icon(ERROR))
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ class PresentationMediaItem(MediaManagerItem):
                 controller_name = self.findControllerByType(filename)
                 if controller_name:
                     controller = self.controllers[controller_name]
-                    doc = controller.add_document(unicode(file))
+                    doc = controller.add_document(file)
                     thumb = os.path.join(doc.get_thumbnail_folder(),
                         u'icon.png')
                     preview = doc.get_thumbnail_path(1, True)