diff --git a/tests/test_workflow_import.py b/tests/test_workflow_import.py
index 27374fee2..f1a09f31a 100644
--- a/tests/test_workflow_import.py
+++ b/tests/test_workflow_import.py
@@ -381,6 +381,10 @@ def test_commentable_action(pub):
     wf2 = Workflow.import_from_xml_tree(ET.parse(BytesIO(xml_export)))
     assert wf2.possible_status[0].items[0].required is False
 
+    commentable.button_label = 'button label'
+    wf2 = assert_import_export_works(wf)
+    assert wf2.possible_status[0].items[0].button_label == 'button label'
+
 
 def test_variables_formdef(pub):
     wf = Workflow(name='variables')
diff --git a/wcs/workflows.py b/wcs/workflows.py
index 4cee17d62..ad537a2e7 100644
--- a/wcs/workflows.py
+++ b/wcs/workflows.py
@@ -2293,12 +2293,7 @@ class CommentableWorkflowStatusItem(WorkflowStatusItem):
             el = ET.SubElement(xml_item, 'button_label')
         else:
             el = ET.SubElement(xml_item, 'button_label')
-            if type(self.button_label) is unicode:
-                el.text = self.button_label
-            elif type(self.button_label) is str:
-                el.text = force_text(self.button_label, charset, errors='replace')
-            else:
-                raise AssertionError('unknown type for button_label (%r)' % self.button_label)
+            el.text = self.button_label
 
     def button_label_init_with_xml(self, element, charset, include_id=False):
         if element is None: