diff -r cf70f030a744 Lib/optparse.py
--- a/Lib/optparse.py	Wed Jun 18 23:07:46 2014 -0400
+++ b/Lib/optparse.py	Mon Jun 23 21:45:46 2014 +0300
@@ -1666,8 +1666,12 @@
         """
         if file is None:
             file = sys.stdout
-        encoding = self._get_encoding(file)
-        file.write(self.format_help().encode(encoding, "replace"))
+        try:
+            encoding = self._get_encoding(file)
+        except AttributeError:
+            file.write(self.format_help())
+        else:
+            file.write(self.format_help().encode(encoding, "replace"))
 
 # class OptionParser
 
diff -r cf70f030a744 Lib/test/test_optparse.py
--- a/Lib/test/test_optparse.py	Wed Jun 18 23:07:46 2014 -0400
+++ b/Lib/test/test_optparse.py	Mon Jun 23 21:45:46 2014 +0300
@@ -1504,7 +1504,7 @@
             return InterceptingOptionParser(option_list=options)
 
     def assertHelpEquals(self, expected_output):
-        if type(expected_output) is types.UnicodeType:
+        if test_support.have_unicode and type(expected_output) is types.UnicodeType:
             encoding = self.parser._get_encoding(sys.stdout)
             expected_output = expected_output.encode(encoding, "replace")
 
@@ -1542,21 +1542,23 @@
         self.parser = self.make_parser(0)
         self.assertHelpEquals(_expected_very_help_short_lines)
 
+    @test_support.requires_unicode
     def test_help_unicode(self):
         self.parser = InterceptingOptionParser(usage=SUPPRESS_USAGE)
-        self.parser.add_option("-a", action="store_true", help=u"ol\u00E9!")
+        self.parser.add_option("-a", action="store_true", help=u"ol\xE9!")
         expect = u"""\
 Options:
   -h, --help  show this help message and exit
-  -a          ol\u00E9!
+  -a          ol\xE9!
 """
         self.assertHelpEquals(expect)
 
+    @test_support.requires_unicode
     def test_help_unicode_description(self):
         self.parser = InterceptingOptionParser(usage=SUPPRESS_USAGE,
-                                               description=u"ol\u00E9!")
+                                               description=u"ol\xE9!")
         expect = u"""\
-ol\u00E9!
+ol\xE9!
 
 Options:
   -h, --help  show this help message and exit