diff --git a/Python/bltinmodule.c b/Python/bltinmodule.c
--- a/Python/bltinmodule.c
+++ b/Python/bltinmodule.c
@@ -1672,11 +1672,16 @@ builtin_input(PyObject *self, PyObject *
                 Py_DECREF(stdin_encoding);
                 return NULL;
             }
-            stdout_encoding_str = _PyUnicode_AsString(stdout_encoding);
-            if (stdout_encoding_str == NULL) {
-                Py_DECREF(stdin_encoding);
-                Py_DECREF(stdout_encoding);
-                return NULL;
+            if (stdout_encoding != Py_None) {
+                stdout_encoding_str = _PyUnicode_AsString(stdout_encoding);
+                if (stdout_encoding_str == NULL) {
+                    Py_DECREF(stdin_encoding);
+                    Py_DECREF(stdout_encoding);
+                    return NULL;
+                }
+            }
+            else {
+                stdout_encoding_str = "utf-8";
             }
             stringpo = PyObject_Str(promptarg);
             if (stringpo == NULL) {