diff --git a/IPython/core/magics/history.py b/IPython/core/magics/history.py
index 6dcc768..c21fa2f 100644
--- a/IPython/core/magics/history.py
+++ b/IPython/core/magics/history.py
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ from IPython.core.magic_arguments import (argument, magic_arguments,
                                           parse_argstring)
 from IPython.testing.skipdoctest import skip_doctest
 from IPython.utils import io
+from IPython.utils.py3compat import cast_unicode_py2
 
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Magics class implementation
@@ -213,7 +214,7 @@ class HistoryMagics(Magics):
                     inline = "\n... ".join(inline.splitlines()) + "\n..."
             print(inline, file=outfile)
             if get_output and output:
-                print(output, file=outfile)
+                print(cast_unicode_py2(output), file=outfile)
 
         if close_at_end:
             outfile.close()
diff --git a/IPython/core/tests/test_magic.py b/IPython/core/tests/test_magic.py
index 3e583ad..89f46df 100644
--- a/IPython/core/tests/test_magic.py
+++ b/IPython/core/tests/test_magic.py
@@ -236,6 +236,16 @@ def doctest_hist_op():
     >>> 
     """
 
+def test_hist_pof():
+    ip = get_ipython()
+    ip.run_cell(u"1+2", store_history=True)
+    #raise Exception(ip.history_manager.session_number)
+    #raise Exception(list(ip.history_manager._get_range_session()))
+    with TemporaryDirectory() as td:
+        tf = os.path.join(td, 'hist.py')
+        ip.run_line_magic('history', '-pof %s' % tf)
+        assert os.path.isfile(tf)
+
 
 @dec.skip_without('sqlite3')
 def test_macro():