diff --git a/collects/framework/private/collapsed-snipclass-helpers.ss b/collects/framework/private/collapsed-snipclass-helpers.ss
index 49dc3b30..75e6d184 100644
--- a/collects/framework/private/collapsed-snipclass-helpers.ss
+++ b/collects/framework/private/collapsed-snipclass-helpers.ss
@@ -7,15 +7,15 @@
   (define (make-sexp-snipclass% sexp-snip%)
     (class snip-class%
       (define/override (read in)
-        (let* ([left-bracket (string-ref (send in get-string) 0)]
-               [right-bracket (string-ref (send in get-string) 0)]
+        (let* ([left-bracket (integer->char (bytes-ref (send in get-bytes) 0))]
+               [right-bracket (integer->char (bytes-ref (send in get-bytes) 0))]
                [snip-count (send in get-exact)]
                [saved-snips
                 (let loop ([n snip-count])
                   (cond
                     [(zero? n) null]
                     [else
-                     (let* ([classname (send in get-string)]
+                     (let* ([classname (bytes->string/utf-8 (send in get-bytes))]
                             [snipclass (send (get-the-snip-class-list) find classname)])
                        (cons (send snipclass read in)
                              (loop (- n 1))))]))])
diff --git a/collects/framework/private/scheme.ss b/collects/framework/private/scheme.ss
index f9241304..05d29192 100644
--- a/collects/framework/private/scheme.ss
+++ b/collects/framework/private/scheme.ss
@@ -98,8 +98,8 @@
               (saved-snips saved-snips)))
           
           (define/override (write stream-out)
-            (send stream-out put (string left-bracket))
-            (send stream-out put (string right-bracket))
+            (send stream-out put (bytes (char->integer left-bracket)))
+            (send stream-out put (bytes (char->integer right-bracket)))
             (send stream-out put (length saved-snips))
             (let loop ([snips saved-snips])
               (cond
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@
                 [else
                  (let* ([snip (car snips)]
                         [snipclass (send snip get-snipclass)])
-                   (send stream-out put (send snipclass get-classname))
+                   (send stream-out put (string->bytes/utf-8 (send snipclass get-classname)))
                    (send snip write stream-out))
                  (loop (cdr snips))])))
           
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@
                                 (right-bracket right-bracket)
                                 (saved-snips snips))
                   left-pos left-pos)
-            (send text end-edit-sequence)))) 
+            (send text end-edit-sequence))))