# HG changeset patch
# User fschwarz
# Date 1300564221 0
# Node ID bf8b876cb8c78c8b8ab2e8f013a3bc3b68e73b03
# Parent  b33c36615fe9a8da67c2d1b2cc6654e279aedfc4
babel.messages.pofile should only apply encoding when actually writing a file (eases Python 3 transition, closes #251)

diff --git a/babel/messages/pofile.py b/babel/messages/pofile.py
--- a/babel/messages/pofile.py
+++ b/babel/messages/pofile.py
@@ -382,12 +382,11 @@
                              updating the catalog
     """
     def _normalize(key, prefix=''):
-        return normalize(key, prefix=prefix, width=width) \
-            .encode(catalog.charset, 'backslashreplace')
+        return normalize(key, prefix=prefix, width=width)
 
     def _write(text):
         if isinstance(text, unicode):
-            text = text.encode(catalog.charset)
+            text = text.encode(catalog.charset, 'backslashreplace')
         fileobj.write(text)
 
     def _write_comment(comment, prefix=''):