diff --git a/tests/models.py b/tests/models.py
index a60a2ff..1657299 100644
--- a/tests/models.py
+++ b/tests/models.py
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+from __future__ import unicode_literals
+
 from django.db import models
 
 from timezone_field import TimeZoneField
diff --git a/tests/tests.py b/tests/tests.py
index c3ac6fa..f41cd30 100644
--- a/tests/tests.py
+++ b/tests/tests.py
@@ -289,6 +289,7 @@ class TimeZoneFieldDeconstructTestCase(TestCase):
 
     test_fields = (
         TimeZoneField(),
+        TimeZoneField(default='UTC'),
         TimeZoneField(max_length=42),
         TimeZoneField(choices=[
             (pytz.timezone('US/Pacific'), 'US/Pacific'),
@@ -316,6 +317,15 @@ def test_full_serialization(self):
             # ensuring the following call doesn't throw an error
             MigrationWriter.serialize(field)
 
+    def test_from_db_value(self):
+        """
+        Verify that the field can handle data coming back as bytes from the
+        db.
+        """
+        field = TimeZoneField()
+        value = field.from_db_value(b'UTC', None, None, None)
+        self.assertEqual(pytz.UTC, value)
+
     def test_default_kwargs_not_frozen(self):
         """
         Ensure the deconstructed representation of the field does not contain
diff --git a/tests/urls.py b/tests/urls.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..637600f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/urls.py
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+urlpatterns = []
diff --git a/timezone_field/fields.py b/timezone_field/fields.py
index adbeb50..28388ab 100644
--- a/timezone_field/fields.py
+++ b/timezone_field/fields.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 from django.core.exceptions import ValidationError
 from django.db import models
 from django.utils import six
+from django.utils.encoding import force_text
 
 from timezone_field.utils import is_pytz_instance
 
@@ -114,4 +115,8 @@ def _get_python_and_db_repr(self, value):
                 return (pytz.timezone(value), value)
             except pytz.UnknownTimeZoneError:
                 pass
+        try:
+            return (pytz.timezone(force_text(value)), force_text(value))
+        except pytz.UnknownTimeZoneError:
+            pass
         raise ValidationError("Invalid timezone '%s'" % value)
diff --git a/tox.ini b/tox.ini
index cb795c7..ec067b3 100644
--- a/tox.ini
+++ b/tox.ini
@@ -34,4 +34,4 @@ commands = coverage erase
 [testenv:coverage-report]
 commands =
     coverage report
-    coverage html
+    coverage html
\ No newline at end of file