diff --git a/Obok_plugin/obok/obok.py b/Obok_plugin/obok/obok.py
index 4de7644..dc0a30d 100644
--- a/Obok_plugin/obok/obok.py
+++ b/Obok_plugin/obok/obok.py
@@ -312,11 +312,17 @@ class KoboLibrary(object):
                     if sys.getwindowsversion().major > 5:
                         if 'LOCALAPPDATA' in os.environ.keys():
                             # Python 2.x does not return unicode env. Use Python 3.x
-                            self.kobodir = winreg.ExpandEnvironmentStrings("%LOCALAPPDATA%")
+                            if sys.version_info[0] == 2:
+                                self.kobodir = winreg.ExpandEnvironmentStrings(u"%LOCALAPPDATA%")
+                            else: 
+                                self.kobodir = winreg.ExpandEnvironmentStrings("%LOCALAPPDATA%")
                     if (self.kobodir == u""):
                         if 'USERPROFILE' in os.environ.keys():
                             # Python 2.x does not return unicode env. Use Python 3.x
-                            self.kobodir = os.path.join(winreg.ExpandEnvironmentStrings("%USERPROFILE%"), "Local Settings", "Application Data")
+                            if sys.version_info[0] == 2:
+                                self.kobodir = os.path.join(winreg.ExpandEnvironmentStrings(u"%USERPROFILE%"), "Local Settings", "Application Data")
+                            else: 
+                                self.kobodir = os.path.join(winreg.ExpandEnvironmentStrings("%USERPROFILE%"), "Local Settings", "Application Data")
                     self.kobodir = os.path.join(self.kobodir, "Kobo", "Kobo Desktop Edition")
                 elif sys.platform.startswith('darwin'):
                     self.kobodir = os.path.join(os.environ['HOME'], "Library", "Application Support", "Kobo", "Kobo Desktop Edition")