diff --git a/offlineimap.conf b/offlineimap.conf
index 14d14df..3ea9817 100644
--- a/offlineimap.conf
+++ b/offlineimap.conf
@@ -765,9 +765,9 @@ remotehost = examplehost
 
 # This option stands in the [Repository RemoteExample] section.
 #
-# Specify the remote user name. Must be unicode.
+# Specify the remote user name.
 #
-remoteuser = u"username"
+remoteuser = username
 
 
 # This option stands in the [Repository RemoteExample] section.
@@ -783,9 +783,7 @@ remoteuser = u"username"
 # mechanism, so consider using auth_mechanisms to prioritize PLAIN
 # or even make it the only mechanism to be tried.
 #
-# Must be unicode type.
-#
-#remote_identity = u"authzuser"
+#remote_identity = authzuser
 
 
 # This option stands in the [Repository RemoteExample] section.
@@ -866,11 +864,14 @@ remoteuser = u"username"
 #    OfflineIMAP starts when using a UI that supports this.
 #
 # 2. The remote password stored in this file with the remotepass
-#    option. Any '%' needs to be encoded as '%%'. Example:
-#remotepass = u"myp%%ssword" # Password is: myp%ssword
+#    option. Save this file with the UTF-8 encoding if your server expect UTF-8
+#    encoded password.
 #
-# 3. The remote password stored as a single line in an external
-#    file, which is referenced by the remotefile option.  Example:
+#    Any '%' needs to be encoded as '%%'. Example:
+#remotepass = myp%%ssword # Real password is myp%ssword
+#
+# 3. The remote password stored as a single line in an external file, which is
+#    referenced by the remotefile option. Must be UTF-8 encoded. Example:
 #remotepassfile = ~/Password.IMAP.Account1
 #
 # 4. With a preauth tunnel.  With this method, you invoke an external
@@ -1222,9 +1223,7 @@ type = Gmail
 #
 # Specify the Gmail user name. This is the only mandatory parameter.
 #
-# Must be unicode type.
-#
-remoteuser = u"username@gmail.com"
+remoteuser = username@gmail.com
 
 
 # This option stands in the [Repository GmailExample] section.
diff --git a/offlineimap/repository/IMAP.py b/offlineimap/repository/IMAP.py
index 01a5583..bd06983 100644
--- a/offlineimap/repository/IMAP.py
+++ b/offlineimap/repository/IMAP.py
@@ -180,13 +180,15 @@ class IMAPRepository(BaseRepository):
 
         if self.config.has_option(self.getsection(), 'remoteusereval'):
             user = self.getconf('remoteusereval')
-        if user != None:
-            return localeval.eval(user).encode('UTF-8')
+            if user != None:
+                return localeval.eval(user).encode('UTF-8')
 
         if self.config.has_option(self.getsection(), 'remoteuser'):
+            # Assume the configuration file to be UTF-8 encoded so we must not
+            # encode this string again.
             user = self.getconf('remoteuser')
-        if user != None:
-            return user.encode('UTF-8')
+            if user != None:
+                return user
 
         try:
             netrcentry = netrc.netrc().authenticators(self.gethost())
@@ -355,7 +357,9 @@ class IMAPRepository(BaseRepository):
         # 2. read password from Repository 'remotepass'
         password = self.getconf('remotepass', None)
         if password != None:
-            return password.encode('UTF-8')
+            # Assume the configuration file to be UTF-8 encoded so we must not
+            # encode this string again.
+            return password
         # 3. read password from file specified in Repository 'remotepassfile'
         passfile = self.getconf('remotepassfile', None)
         if passfile != None: