4 files changed, 21 insertions, 9 deletions
diff --git a/Lib/xml/sax/__init__.py b/Lib/xml/sax/__init__.py
index b161b1f07a..ef67ae67a6 100644
--- a/Lib/xml/sax/__init__.py
+++ b/Lib/xml/sax/__init__.py
@@ -33,8 +33,7 @@ def parse(source, handler, errorHandler=ErrorHandler()):
     parser.parse(source)
 
 def parseString(string, handler, errorHandler=ErrorHandler()):
-    from io import BytesIO
-
+    import io
     if errorHandler is None:
         errorHandler = ErrorHandler()
     parser = make_parser()
@@ -42,7 +41,10 @@ def parseString(string, handler, errorHandler=ErrorHandler()):
     parser.setErrorHandler(errorHandler)
 
     inpsrc = InputSource()
-    inpsrc.setByteStream(BytesIO(string))
+    if isinstance(string, str):
+        inpsrc.setCharacterStream(io.StringIO(string))
+    else:
+        inpsrc.setByteStream(io.BytesIO(string))
     parser.parse(inpsrc)
 
 # this is the parser list used by the make_parser function if no
diff --git a/Lib/xml/sax/expatreader.py b/Lib/xml/sax/expatreader.py
index 3b63737457..98b5ca9539 100644
--- a/Lib/xml/sax/expatreader.py
+++ b/Lib/xml/sax/expatreader.py
@@ -232,9 +232,14 @@ class ExpatParser(xmlreader.IncrementalParser, xmlreader.Locator):
                 parser.ErrorColumnNumber = self._parser.ErrorColumnNumber
                 parser.ErrorLineNumber = self._parser.ErrorLineNumber
                 self._parser = parser
-            bs = self._source.getByteStream()
-            if bs is not None:
-                bs.close()
+            try:
+                file = self._source.getCharacterStream()
+                if file is not None:
+                    file.close()
+            finally:
+                file = self._source.getByteStream()
+                if file is not None:
+                    file.close()
 
     def _reset_cont_handler(self):
         self._parser.ProcessingInstructionHandler = \
diff --git a/Lib/xml/sax/saxutils.py b/Lib/xml/sax/saxutils.py
index 1d3d0ecc5f..a69c7f7621 100644
--- a/Lib/xml/sax/saxutils.py
+++ b/Lib/xml/sax/saxutils.py
@@ -345,11 +345,14 @@ def prepare_input_source(source, base=""):
     elif hasattr(source, "read"):
         f = source
         source = xmlreader.InputSource()
-        source.setByteStream(f)
+        if isinstance(f.read(0), str):
+            source.setCharacterStream(f)
+        else:
+            source.setByteStream(f)
         if hasattr(f, "name") and isinstance(f.name, str):
             source.setSystemId(f.name)
 
-    if source.getByteStream() is None:
+    if source.getCharacterStream() is None and source.getByteStream() is None:
         sysid = source.getSystemId()
         basehead = os.path.dirname(os.path.normpath(base))
         sysidfilename = os.path.join(basehead, sysid)
diff --git a/Lib/xml/sax/xmlreader.py b/Lib/xml/sax/xmlreader.py
index 7ef497f94f..716f228404 100644
--- a/Lib/xml/sax/xmlreader.py
+++ b/Lib/xml/sax/xmlreader.py
@@ -117,7 +117,9 @@ class IncrementalParser(XMLReader):
         source = saxutils.prepare_input_source(source)
 
         self.prepareParser(source)
-        file = source.getByteStream()
+        file = source.getCharacterStream()
+        if file is None:
+            file = source.getByteStream()
         buffer = file.read(self._bufsize)
         while buffer:
             self.feed(buffer)