diff --git a/vcsserver/remote/git_remote.py b/vcsserver/remote/git_remote.py
--- a/vcsserver/remote/git_remote.py
+++ b/vcsserver/remote/git_remote.py
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ from dulwich.server import update_server
 
 import rhodecode
 from vcsserver import exceptions, settings, subprocessio
-from vcsserver.str_utils import safe_str, safe_int, safe_bytes, ascii_bytes
+from vcsserver.str_utils import safe_str, safe_int, safe_bytes, ascii_bytes, convert_to_str
 from vcsserver.base import RepoFactory, obfuscate_qs, ArchiveNode, store_archive_in_cache, BytesEnvelope, BinaryEnvelope
 from vcsserver.hgcompat import (
     hg_url as url_parser, httpbasicauthhandler, httpdigestauthhandler)
@@ -461,18 +461,10 @@ class GitRemote(RemoteBase):
         url_obj = url_parser(safe_bytes(url))
         authinfo = url_obj.authinfo()[1]
 
-        def _convert_to_strings(data):
-            if isinstance(data, bytes):
-                return safe_str(data)
-            elif isinstance(data, tuple):
-                return tuple(_convert_to_strings(item) for item in data)
-            else:
-                return data
-
         if authinfo:
             # create a password manager
             passmgr = urllib.request.HTTPPasswordMgrWithDefaultRealm()
-            passmgr.add_password(*_convert_to_strings(authinfo))
+            passmgr.add_password(*convert_to_str(authinfo))
 
             handlers.extend((httpbasicauthhandler(passmgr),
                              httpdigestauthhandler(passmgr)))
diff --git a/vcsserver/remote/hg_remote.py b/vcsserver/remote/hg_remote.py
--- a/vcsserver/remote/hg_remote.py
+++ b/vcsserver/remote/hg_remote.py
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 # You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
 # along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation,
 # Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301  USA
+
 import binascii
 import io
 import logging
@@ -23,7 +24,7 @@ import urllib.request
 import urllib.parse
 import hashlib
 
-from hgext import largefiles, rebase, purge
+from hgext import largefiles, rebase
 
 from mercurial import commands
 from mercurial import unionrepo
@@ -74,10 +75,9 @@ from vcsserver.hgcompat import (
     RequirementError,
     alwaysmatcher,
     patternmatcher,
-    hgutil,
     hgext_strip,
 )
-from vcsserver.str_utils import ascii_bytes, ascii_str, safe_str, safe_bytes
+from vcsserver.str_utils import ascii_bytes, ascii_str, safe_str, safe_bytes, convert_to_str
 from vcsserver.vcs_base import RemoteBase
 from vcsserver.config import hooks as hooks_config
 from vcsserver.lib.exc_tracking import format_exc
@@ -488,7 +488,7 @@ class HgRemote(RemoteBase):
         if authinfo:
             # create a password manager
             passmgr = urllib.request.HTTPPasswordMgrWithDefaultRealm()
-            passmgr.add_password(*authinfo)
+            passmgr.add_password(*convert_to_str(authinfo))
 
             handlers.extend((httpbasicauthhandler(passmgr),
                              httpdigestauthhandler(passmgr)))
diff --git a/vcsserver/str_utils.py b/vcsserver/str_utils.py
--- a/vcsserver/str_utils.py
+++ b/vcsserver/str_utils.py
@@ -131,3 +131,14 @@ def ascii_str(str_) -> str:
     if not isinstance(str_, bytes):
         raise ValueError(f'ascii_str cannot convert other types than bytes: got: {type(str_)}')
     return str_.decode('ascii')
+
+
+def convert_to_str(data):
+    if isinstance(data, bytes):
+        return safe_str(data)
+    elif isinstance(data, tuple):
+        return tuple(convert_to_str(item) for item in data)
+    elif isinstance(data, list):
+        return list(convert_to_str(item) for item in data)
+    else:
+        return data
diff --git a/vcsserver/tests/test_utils.py b/vcsserver/tests/test_utils.py
--- a/vcsserver/tests/test_utils.py
+++ b/vcsserver/tests/test_utils.py
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 # Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301  USA
 
 import pytest
-from vcsserver.str_utils import ascii_bytes, ascii_str
+from vcsserver.str_utils import ascii_bytes, ascii_str, convert_to_str
 
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize('given, expected', [
@@ -51,3 +51,19 @@ def test_ascii_str(given, expected):
 def test_ascii_str_raises(given):
     with pytest.raises(ValueError):
         ascii_str(given)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize('given, expected', [
+    ('a', 'a'),
+    (b'a', 'a'),
+    # tuple
+    (('a', b'b', b'c'), ('a', 'b', 'c')),
+    # nested tuple
+    (('a', b'b', (b'd', b'e')), ('a', 'b', ('d', 'e'))),
+    # list
+    (['a', b'b', b'c'], ['a', 'b', 'c']),
+    # mixed
+    (['a', b'b', b'c', (b'b1', b'b2')], ['a', 'b', 'c', ('b1', 'b2')])
+])
+def test_convert_to_str(given, expected):
+    assert convert_to_str(given) == expected