diff --git a/rcon/async_rcon.py b/rcon/async_rcon.py
index af3de82..ba5a02d 100644
--- a/rcon/async_rcon.py
+++ b/rcon/async_rcon.py
@@ -19,11 +19,11 @@ async def communicate(reader: IO, writer: IO, packet: Packet) -> Packet:
 
 
 async def rcon(command: str, *arguments: str, host: str, port: int,
-               passwd: str) -> str:
+               passwd: str, encoding: str = 'utf-8') -> str:
     """Runs a command asynchronously."""
 
     reader, writer = await open_connection(host, port)
-    login = Packet.make_login(passwd)
+    login = Packet.make_login(passwd, encoding=encoding)
     response = await communicate(reader, writer, login)
 
     # Wait for SERVERDATA_AUTH_RESPONSE according to:
@@ -34,10 +34,10 @@ async def rcon(command: str, *arguments: str, host: str, port: int,
     if response.id == -1:
         raise WrongPassword()
 
-    request = Packet.make_command(command, *arguments)
+    request = Packet.make_command(command, *arguments, encoding=encoding)
     response = await communicate(reader, writer, request)
 
     if response.id != request.id:
         raise RequestIdMismatch(request.id, response.id)
 
-    return response.payload
+    return response.payload.decode(encoding)
diff --git a/rcon/client.py b/rcon/client.py
index 5433932..4510cd8 100644
--- a/rcon/client.py
+++ b/rcon/client.py
@@ -70,9 +70,10 @@ class Client:
         with self._socket.makefile('rb') as file:
             return Packet.read(file)
 
-    def login(self, passwd: str) -> bool:
+    def login(self, passwd: str, *, encoding: str = 'utf-8') -> bool:
         """Performs a login."""
-        response = self.communicate(Packet.make_login(passwd))
+        request = Packet.make_login(passwd, encoding=encoding)
+        response = self.communicate(request)
 
         # Wait for SERVERDATA_AUTH_RESPONSE according to:
         # https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Source_RCON_Protocol
@@ -84,12 +85,12 @@ class Client:
 
         return True
 
-    def run(self, command: str, *arguments: str, raw: bool = False) -> str:
+    def run(self, command: str, *args: str, encoding: str = 'utf-8') -> str:
         """Runs a command."""
-        request = Packet.make_command(command, *arguments)
+        request = Packet.make_command(command, *args, encoding=encoding)
         response = self.communicate(request)
 
         if response.id != request.id:
             raise RequestIdMismatch(request.id, response.id)
 
-        return response if raw else response.payload
+        return response.payload.decode(encoding)
diff --git a/rcon/proto.py b/rcon/proto.py
index cb653d1..44913f9 100644
--- a/rcon/proto.py
+++ b/rcon/proto.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 from enum import Enum
+from functools import partial
 from logging import getLogger
 from random import randint
 from typing import IO, NamedTuple
@@ -11,7 +12,7 @@ __all__ = ['LittleEndianSignedInt32', 'Type', 'Packet', 'random_request_id']
 
 
 LOGGER = getLogger(__file__)
-TERMINATOR = '\x00\x00'
+TERMINATOR = b'\x00\x00'
 
 
 def random_request_id() -> LittleEndianSignedInt32:
@@ -80,15 +81,15 @@ class Packet(NamedTuple):
 
     id: LittleEndianSignedInt32
     type: Type
-    payload: str
-    terminator: str = TERMINATOR
+    payload: bytes
+    terminator: bytes = TERMINATOR
 
     def __bytes__(self):
         """Returns the packet as bytes with prepended length."""
         payload = bytes(self.id)
         payload += bytes(self.type)
-        payload += self.payload.encode()
-        payload += self.terminator.encode()
+        payload += self.payload
+        payload += self.terminator
         size = bytes(LittleEndianSignedInt32(len(payload)))
         return size + payload
 
@@ -101,10 +102,10 @@ class Packet(NamedTuple):
         payload = await file.read(size - 10)
         terminator = await file.read(2)
 
-        if (terminator := terminator.decode()) != TERMINATOR:
+        if terminator != TERMINATOR:
             LOGGER.warning('Unexpected terminator: %s', terminator)
 
-        return cls(id_, type_, payload.decode(), terminator)
+        return cls(id_, type_, payload, terminator)
 
     @classmethod
     def read(cls, file: IO) -> Packet:
@@ -112,8 +113,8 @@ class Packet(NamedTuple):
         size = LittleEndianSignedInt32.read(file)
         id_ = LittleEndianSignedInt32.read(file)
         type_ = Type.read(file)
-        payload = file.read(size - 10).decode()
-        terminator = file.read(2).decode()
+        payload = file.read(size - 10)
+        terminator = file.read(2)
 
         if terminator != TERMINATOR:
             LOGGER.warning('Unexpected terminator: %s', terminator)
@@ -121,12 +122,13 @@ class Packet(NamedTuple):
         return cls(id_, type_, payload, terminator)
 
     @classmethod
-    def make_command(cls, *args: str) -> Packet:
+    def make_command(cls, *args: str, encoding: str = 'utf-8') -> Packet:
         """Creates a command packet."""
         return cls(random_request_id(), Type.SERVERDATA_EXECCOMMAND,
-                   ' '.join(args))
+                   b' '.join(map(partial(str.encode, encoding=encoding), args)))
 
     @classmethod
-    def make_login(cls, passwd: str) -> Packet:
+    def make_login(cls, passwd: bytes, *, encoding: str = 'utf-8') -> Packet:
         """Creates a login packet."""
-        return cls(random_request_id(), Type.SERVERDATA_AUTH, passwd)
+        return cls(random_request_id(), Type.SERVERDATA_AUTH,
+                   passwd.encode(encoding))
diff --git a/tests/test_proto.py b/tests/test_proto.py
index 8031222..1e4df3b 100644
--- a/tests/test_proto.py
+++ b/tests/test_proto.py
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ class TestPacket(TestCase):
         self.packet = Packet(
             random_request_id(),
             Type.SERVERDATA_EXECCOMMAND,
-            'Lorem ipsum sit amet...'
+            'Lorem ipsum sit amet...'.encode()
         )
 
     def test_bytes_rw(self):