diff --git a/hplip-pil.patch b/hplip-pil.patch
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2784b54
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hplip-pil.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+diff --git a/installer/dcheck.py b/installer/dcheck.py
+index 3d0624e..1817819 100644
+--- a/installer/dcheck.py
++++ b/installer/dcheck.py
+@@ -366,11 +366,11 @@ def get_xsane_version():
+ 
+ def get_pil_version():
+     try:
+-        from PIL import Image
++        import PIL
+     except ImportError:
+         return '-'
+     else:
+-         return Image.PILLOW_VERSION
++         return PIL.__version__
+ 
+ def get_libpthread_version():
+     try:
diff --git a/hplip-unicodeerror.patch b/hplip-unicodeerror.patch
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f98c7a3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hplip-unicodeerror.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+diff --git a/base/sixext.py b/base/sixext.py
+index 0bf4fc4..311bf72 100644
+--- a/base/sixext.py
++++ b/base/sixext.py
+@@ -110,11 +110,11 @@ if PY3:
+ 
+ 
+     def to_string_utf8(s):
+-        return s.decode("utf-8")
++        return s.decode("utf-8", 'ignore')
+ 
+ 
+     def to_string_latin(s):
+-        return s.decode("latin-1")
++        return s.decode("latin-1", 'ignore')
+ 
+ 
+     def to_unicode(s, enc=None):
diff --git a/hplip.spec b/hplip.spec
index 2fcdd1e..c1f01ea 100644
--- a/hplip.spec
+++ b/hplip.spec
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 Summary: HP Linux Imaging and Printing Project
 Name: hplip
 Version: 3.19.12
-Release: 3%{?dist}
+Release: 4%{?dist}
 License: GPLv2+ and MIT and BSD and IJG and Public Domain and GPLv2+ with exceptions and ISC
 
 Url: https://developers.hp.com/hp-linux-imaging-and-printing
@@ -123,6 +123,12 @@ Patch48: hplip-missing-drivers.patch
 # https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1772698
 # reported upstream https://bugs.launchpad.net/hplip/+bug/1853002
 Patch49: hplip-missing-laserjet2200.patch
+# sixext has problems with python3 strings (bz#1573430)
+# reported https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1480152
+Patch50: hplip-unicodeerror.patch
+# the version attribute in python-pillow got changed again..
+# https://bugs.launchpad.net/hplip/+bug/1863620
+Patch51: hplip-pil.patch
 
 Requires: %{name}-libs%{?_isa} = %{version}-%{release}
 Requires: python3-pillow
@@ -381,6 +387,9 @@ rm prnt/hpcups/ErnieFilter.{cpp,h} prnt/hpijs/ernieplatform.h
 %patch48 -p1 -b .missing-drivers
 # 1772698 - Can't setup printer (HP LJ 2200): no attributes found in model.dat
 %patch49 -p1 -b .missing-laserjet-2200
+# 1573430 - sixext.py:to_string_utf8:UnicodeDecodeError: 'utf-8' codec can't decode bytes
+%patch50 -p1 -b .unicodeerror
+%patch51 -p1 -b .pil
 
 sed -i.duplex-constraints \
     -e 's,\(UIConstraints.* \*Duplex\),//\1,' \
@@ -687,6 +696,10 @@ rm -f %{buildroot}%{_sysconfdir}/xdg/autostart/hplip-systray.desktop
 %config(noreplace) %{_sysconfdir}/sane.d/dll.d/hpaio
 
 %changelog
+* Mon Feb 17 2020 Zdenek Dohnal <zdohnal@redhat.com> - 3.19.12-4
+- 1573430 - sixext.py:to_string_utf8:UnicodeDecodeError: 'utf-8' codec can't decode bytes
+- fix pillow version check
+
 * Wed Jan 29 2020 Fedora Release Engineering <releng@fedoraproject.org> - 3.19.12-3
 - Rebuilt for https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Fedora_32_Mass_Rebuild