diff --git a/voluptuous/schema_builder.py b/voluptuous/schema_builder.py
index 1227673..8b49814 100644
--- a/voluptuous/schema_builder.py
+++ b/voluptuous/schema_builder.py
@@ -283,17 +283,12 @@ def _compile_mapping(self, schema, invalid_msg=None):
                 additional_candidates.append((skey, (ckey, cvalue)))
 
         def validate_mapping(path, iterable, out):
-            try:
-                from util import to_utf8_py2
-            except ImportError:
-                from .util import to_utf8_py2
             required_keys = all_required_keys.copy()
             # keeps track of all default keys that haven't been filled
             default_keys = all_default_keys.copy()
             error = None
             errors = []
             for key, value in iterable:
-                key = to_utf8_py2(key)
                 key_path = path + [key]
                 remove_key = False
 
@@ -885,11 +880,6 @@ class Marker(object):
     """Mark nodes for special treatment."""
 
     def __init__(self, schema_, msg=None):
-        try:
-            from util import to_utf8_py2
-        except ImportError:
-            from .util import to_utf8_py2
-        schema_ = to_utf8_py2(schema_)
         self.schema = schema_
         self._schema = Schema(schema_)
         self.msg = msg
diff --git a/voluptuous/tests/tests.py b/voluptuous/tests/tests.py
index 884384a..045ad12 100644
--- a/voluptuous/tests/tests.py
+++ b/voluptuous/tests/tests.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import copy
 import collections
+import sys
 from nose.tools import assert_equal, assert_raises, assert_true
 
 from voluptuous import (
@@ -9,7 +10,7 @@
     validate, ExactSequence, Equal, Unordered, Number, Maybe, Datetime, Date,
     Contains, Marker)
 from voluptuous.humanize import humanize_error
-from voluptuous.util import to_utf8_py2, u
+from voluptuous.util import u
 
 
 def test_exact_sequence():
@@ -642,15 +643,13 @@ def fn(arg):
     assert_raises(Invalid, fn, 1)
 
 
-def test_unicode_key_is_converted_to_utf8_when_in_marker():
-    """Verify that when using unicode key the 'u' prefix is not thrown in the exception"""
-    schema = Schema({Required(u('q')): 1})
-    # Can't use nose's raises (because we need to access the raised
-    # exception, nor assert_raises which fails with Python 2.6.9.
-    try:
-        schema({})
-    except Invalid as e:
-        assert_equal(str(e), "required key not provided @ data['q']")
+def test_unicode_as_key():
+    if sys.version_info >= (3,):
+        text_type = str
+    else:
+        text_type = unicode
+    schema = Schema({text_type: int})
+    schema({u("foobar"): 1})
 
 
 def test_number_validation_with_string():
@@ -665,17 +664,6 @@ def test_number_validation_with_string():
         assert False, "Did not raise Invalid for String"
 
 
-def test_unicode_key_is_converted_to_utf8_when_plain_text():
-    key = u('q')
-    schema = Schema({key: int})
-    # Can't use nose's raises (because we need to access the raised
-    # exception, nor assert_raises which fails with Python 2.6.9.
-    try:
-        schema({key: 'will fail'})
-    except Invalid as e:
-        assert_equal(str(e), "expected int for dictionary value @ data['q']")
-
-
 def test_number_validation_with_invalid_precision_invalid_scale():
     """ test with Number with invalid precision and scale"""
     schema = Schema({"number": Number(precision=6, scale=2)})
@@ -716,11 +704,6 @@ def test_number_when_precision_none_n_valid_scale_case2_yield_decimal_true():
     assert_equal(float(out_.get("number")), 123456789012.00)
 
 
-def test_to_utf8():
-    s = u('hello')
-    assert_true(isinstance(to_utf8_py2(s), str))
-
-
 def test_number_when_precision_none_n_invalid_scale_yield_decimal_true():
     """ test with Number with no precision and invalid scale"""
     schema = Schema({"number": Number(scale=2, yield_decimal=True)})
diff --git a/voluptuous/util.py b/voluptuous/util.py
index b2157bc..3a09297 100644
--- a/voluptuous/util.py
+++ b/voluptuous/util.py
@@ -152,12 +152,6 @@ def __repr__(self):
         return repr(self.lit)
 
 
-def to_utf8_py2(data):
-    if sys.version_info < (3,) and isinstance(data, unicode):
-        return data.encode('utf-8')
-    return data
-
-
 def u(x):
     if sys.version_info < (3,):
         return unicode(x)