--- a/hgext/absorb.py	Tue Sep 18 19:26:44 2018 -0700
+++ b/hgext/absorb.py	Sun Sep 23 22:57:17 2018 +0300
@@ -972,6 +972,7 @@
 
     Returns 0 on success, 1 if all chunks were ignored and nothing amended.
     """
+    opts = pycompat.byteskwargs(opts)
     state = absorb(ui, repo, pats=pats, opts=opts)
     if sum(s[0] for s in state.chunkstats.values()) == 0:
         return 1