--- a/src/reportlab/lib/rl_accel.py	Sun Dec 01 11:15:41 2013 +0000
+++ b/src/reportlab/lib/rl_accel.py	Mon Dec 02 10:42:16 2013 +0000
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@
         This is a compact encoding used for binary data within
         a PDF file.  Four bytes of binary data become five bytes of
         ASCII.  This is the default method used for encoding images."""
-        doOrd = isPy3 and isUnicode(input)
+        doOrd = isPy3 and isUnicode(input) or not isPy3
         # special rules apply if not a multiple of four bytes.
         whole_word_count, remainder_size = divmod(len(input), 4)
         cut = 4 * whole_word_count