diff --git a/kivy/graphics/context_instructions.pxd b/kivy/graphics/context_instructions.pxd
index 189cd334f..2e3a0b3a9 100644
--- a/kivy/graphics/context_instructions.pxd
+++ b/kivy/graphics/context_instructions.pxd
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ cdef class Color(ContextInstruction):
 
 cdef class BindTexture(ContextInstruction):
     cdef int _index
-    cdef bytes _source
+    cdef object _source
     cdef Texture _texture
     cdef void apply(self)
 
diff --git a/kivy/graphics/context_instructions.pyx b/kivy/graphics/context_instructions.pyx
index 7b3482d82..0e758fc0f 100644
--- a/kivy/graphics/context_instructions.pyx
+++ b/kivy/graphics/context_instructions.pyx
@@ -285,9 +285,9 @@ cdef class BindTexture(ContextInstruction):
         '''
         def __get__(self):
             return self._source
-        def __set__(self, bytes filename):
+        def __set__(self, filename):
             Logger.trace('BindTexture: setting source: <%s>' % filename)
-            self._source = <bytes>resource_find(filename)
+            self._source = resource_find(filename)
             if self._source:
                 tex = Cache.get('kv.texture', filename)
                 if not tex: