diff -r cf70f030a744 Lib/gettext.py
--- a/Lib/gettext.py	Wed Jun 18 23:07:46 2014 -0400
+++ b/Lib/gettext.py	Mon Jun 23 21:50:29 2014 +0300
@@ -308,7 +308,12 @@
                     elif lastk:
                         self._info[lastk] += '\n' + item
                     if k == 'content-type':
-                        self._charset = v.split('charset=')[1]
+                        try:
+                            unicode
+                        except NameError:
+                            pass
+                        else:
+                            self._charset = v.split('charset=')[1]
                     elif k == 'plural-forms':
                         v = v.split(';')
                         plural = v[1].split('plural=')[1]
diff -r cf70f030a744 Lib/test/test_gettext.py
--- a/Lib/test/test_gettext.py	Wed Jun 18 23:07:46 2014 -0400
+++ b/Lib/test/test_gettext.py	Mon Jun 23 21:50:29 2014 +0300
@@ -138,17 +138,18 @@
         # Install the translation object
         t.install()
         eq(_('nudge nudge'), 'wink wink')
-        # Try unicode return type
-        t.install(unicode=True)
-        eq(_('mullusk'), 'bacon')
-        # Test installation of other methods
-        import __builtin__
-        t.install(unicode=True, names=["gettext", "lgettext"])
-        eq(_, t.ugettext)
-        eq(__builtin__.gettext, t.ugettext)
-        eq(lgettext, t.lgettext)
-        del __builtin__.gettext
-        del __builtin__.lgettext
+        if test_support.have_unicode:
+            # Try unicode return type
+            t.install(unicode=True)
+            eq(_('mullusk'), 'bacon')
+            # Test installation of other methods
+            import __builtin__
+            t.install(unicode=True, names=["gettext", "lgettext"])
+            eq(_, t.ugettext)
+            eq(__builtin__.gettext, t.ugettext)
+            eq(lgettext, t.lgettext)
+            del __builtin__.gettext
+            del __builtin__.lgettext
 
 
 class GettextTestCase2(GettextBaseTest):
@@ -292,6 +293,7 @@
         raises(ValueError, gettext.c2py, "os.chmod('/etc/passwd',0777)")
 
 
+@test_support.requires_unicode
 class UnicodeTranslationsTest(GettextBaseTest):
     def setUp(self):
         GettextBaseTest.setUp(self)