diff --git a/menuinst/_legacy/win32.py b/menuinst/_legacy/win32.py
index dffbce90..c2632914 100644
--- a/menuinst/_legacy/win32.py
+++ b/menuinst/_legacy/win32.py
@@ -316,10 +316,10 @@ def create(self, remove=False):
                 # and 4 optional ones (args, working_dir, icon_path and
                 # icon_index).
                 create_shortcut(
-                    u'' + cmd,
-                    u'' + name + name_suffix,
-                    u'' + dst,
-                    u' '.join(arg for arg in args),
-                    u'' + workdir,
-                    u'' + icon,
+                    str(cmd),
+                    str(name + name_suffix),
+                    str(dst),
+                    ' '.join([str(arg) for arg in args]),
+                    str(workdir),
+                    str(icon),
                 )