diff --git a/jupytext/contentsmanager.py b/jupytext/contentsmanager.py
index 8e36ef90a..ec2cfb1c5 100644
--- a/jupytext/contentsmanager.py
+++ b/jupytext/contentsmanager.py
@@ -3,21 +3,26 @@
 import os
 import nbformat
 import mock
-import six
+from tornado.web import HTTPError
+from traitlets import Unicode
+from traitlets.config import Configurable
+
+from notebook.services.contents.filemanager import FileContentsManager
 
 try:
     import notebook.transutils  # noqa
 except ImportError:
     pass
-from notebook.services.contents.filemanager import FileContentsManager
-from tornado.web import HTTPError
-from traitlets import Unicode
-from traitlets.config import Configurable
-import jupytext
 
+import jupytext
 from . import combine
 from .file_format_version import check_file_version
 
+try:
+    unicode  # Python 2
+except NameError:
+    unicode = str  # Python 3
+
 
 def _jupytext_writes(ext):
     def _writes(nbk, version=nbformat.NO_CONVERT, **kwargs):
@@ -58,7 +63,7 @@ def check_formats(formats):
             return check_formats([formats])
         validated_group = []
         for fmt in group:
-            if not isinstance(fmt, six.string_types):
+            if not isinstance(fmt, unicode):
                 raise ValueError('Extensions should be strings among {}'
                                  ', not {}.\n{}'
                                  .format(str(jupytext.NOTEBOOK_EXTENSIONS),
@@ -173,14 +178,14 @@ def _read_notebook(self, os_path, as_version=4,
                     break
 
         if source_format != fmt:
-            self.log.info('Reading SOURCE from {}'
+            self.log.info(u'Reading SOURCE from {}'
                           .format(os.path.basename(file + source_format)))
             nb_outputs = nbk
             nbk = self._read_notebook(file + source_format,
                                       as_version=as_version,
                                       load_alternative_format=False)
         elif outputs_format != fmt:
-            self.log.info('Reading OUTPUTS from {}'
+            self.log.info(u'Reading OUTPUTS from {}'
                           .format(os.path.basename(file + outputs_format)))
             if outputs_format != fmt:
                 nb_outputs = self._read_notebook(file + outputs_format,
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index 44fd03cb6..800aacc61 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 nbformat>=4.0.0
 pyyaml
 mock
-six
 testfixtures
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index de56fc0c8..1dc31b8ae 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
                        'pynotebook = jupytext:PyNotebookExporter',
                        'rnotebook = jupytext:RNotebookExporter']},
     tests_require=['pytest'],
-    install_requires=['nbformat>=4.0.0', 'mock', 'pyyaml', 'six', 'testfixtures'],
+    install_requires=['nbformat>=4.0.0', 'mock', 'pyyaml', 'testfixtures'],
     license='MIT',
     classifiers=('Development Status :: 4 - Beta',
                  'Environment :: Console',
diff --git a/tests/test_contentsmanager.py b/tests/test_contentsmanager.py
index a27d83d8e..3d5c7639a 100644
--- a/tests/test_contentsmanager.py
+++ b/tests/test_contentsmanager.py
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+# coding: utf-8
+
 import os
 import sys
 import pytest
@@ -119,3 +121,45 @@ def test_load_save_rename_nbpy_default_config(nb_file, tmpdir):
 
     assert not os.path.isfile(str(tmpdir.join('new.ipynb')))
     assert os.path.isfile(str(tmpdir.join('new.nb.py')))
+
+
+@pytest.mark.skipif(isinstance(TextFileContentsManager, str),
+                    reason=TextFileContentsManager)
+@pytest.mark.parametrize('nb_file', list_py_notebooks('.ipynb'))
+def test_load_save_rename_non_ascii_path(nb_file, tmpdir):
+    tmp_ipynb = u'notebôk.ipynb'
+    tmp_nbpy = u'notebôk.nb.py'
+
+    cm = TextFileContentsManager()
+    cm.default_jupytext_formats = 'ipynb'
+    tmpdir = u'' + str(tmpdir)
+    cm.root_dir = tmpdir
+
+    # open ipynb, save nb.py, reopen
+    nb = readf(nb_file)
+    cm.save(model=dict(type='notebook', content=nb), path=tmp_nbpy)
+    nbpy = cm.get(tmp_nbpy)
+    compare_notebooks(nb, nbpy['content'])
+
+    # open ipynb
+    nbipynb = cm.get(tmp_ipynb)
+    compare_notebooks(nb, nbipynb['content'])
+
+    # save ipynb
+    cm.save(model=dict(type='notebook', content=nb), path=tmp_ipynb)
+
+    # rename nbpy
+    cm.rename(tmp_nbpy, u'nêw.nb.py')
+    assert not os.path.isfile(os.path.join(tmpdir, tmp_ipynb))
+    assert not os.path.isfile(os.path.join(tmpdir, tmp_nbpy))
+
+    assert os.path.isfile(os.path.join(tmpdir, u'nêw.ipynb'))
+    assert os.path.isfile(os.path.join(tmpdir, u'nêw.nb.py'))
+
+    # rename ipynb
+    cm.rename(u'nêw.ipynb', tmp_ipynb)
+    assert os.path.isfile(os.path.join(tmpdir, tmp_ipynb))
+    assert not os.path.isfile(os.path.join(tmpdir, tmp_nbpy))
+
+    assert not os.path.isfile(os.path.join(tmpdir, u'nêw.ipynb'))
+    assert os.path.isfile(os.path.join(tmpdir, u'nêw.nb.py'))