diff --git a/gluon/html.py b/gluon/html.py
index 73eae9b8..4adf287c 100644
--- a/gluon/html.py
+++ b/gluon/html.py
@@ -1419,20 +1419,21 @@ class LINK(DIV):
 
 class SCRIPT(DIV):
 
-    tag = 'script'
+    tag = b'script'
+    tagname = to_bytes(tag)
 
     def xml(self):
         (fa, co) = self._xml()
-        fa = to_native(fa)
+        fa = to_bytes(fa)
         # no escaping of subcomponents
-        co = '\n'.join([str(component) for component in
+        co = b'\n'.join([to_bytes(component) for component in
                        self.components])
         if co:
             # <script [attributes]><!--//--><![CDATA[//><!--
             # script body
             # //--><!]]></script>
             # return '<%s%s><!--//--><![CDATA[//><!--\n%s\n//--><!]]></%s>' % (self.tag, fa, co, self.tag)
-            return '<%s%s><!--\n%s\n//--></%s>' % (self.tag, fa, co, self.tag)
+            return b'<%s%s><!--\n%s\n//--></%s>' % (self.tagname, fa, co, self.tagname)
         else:
             return DIV.xml(self)
 
@@ -1440,18 +1441,19 @@ class SCRIPT(DIV):
 class STYLE(DIV):
 
     tag = 'style'
+    tagname = to_bytes(tag)
 
     def xml(self):
         (fa, co) = self._xml()
-        fa = to_native(fa)
+        fa = to_bytes(fa)
         # no escaping of subcomponents
-        co = '\n'.join([str(component) for component in
+        co = b'\n'.join([to_bytes(component) for component in
                        self.components])
         if co:
             # <style [attributes]><!--/*--><![CDATA[/*><!--*/
             # style body
             # /*]]>*/--></style>
-            return '<%s%s><!--/*--><![CDATA[/*><!--*/\n%s\n/*]]>*/--></%s>' % (self.tag, fa, co, self.tag)
+            return b'<%s%s><!--/*--><![CDATA[/*><!--*/\n%s\n/*]]>*/--></%s>' % (self.tagname, fa, co, self.tagname)
         else:
             return DIV.xml(self)
 
diff --git a/gluon/tests/test_html.py b/gluon/tests/test_html.py
index 26693efb..4cca19e2 100644
--- a/gluon/tests/test_html.py
+++ b/gluon/tests/test_html.py
@@ -340,18 +340,20 @@ class TestBareHelpers(unittest.TestCase):
 
     def test_SCRIPT(self):
         self.assertEqual(SCRIPT('<>', _a='1', _b='2').xml(),
-                         '''<script a="1" b="2"><!--
+                         b'''<script a="1" b="2"><!--
 <>
 //--></script>''')
         self.assertEqual(SCRIPT('<>').xml(),
-                         '''<script><!--
+                         b'''<script><!--
 <>
 //--></script>''')
         self.assertEqual(SCRIPT().xml(), b'<script></script>')
+        self.assertEqual(SCRIPT(';').xml() + DIV().xml(), 
+                         b'<script><!--\n;\n//--></script><div></div>')
 
     def test_STYLE(self):
         self.assertEqual(STYLE('<>', _a='1', _b='2').xml(),
-                         '<style a="1" b="2"><!--/*--><![CDATA[/*><!--*/\n<>\n/*]]>*/--></style>')
+                         b'<style a="1" b="2"><!--/*--><![CDATA[/*><!--*/\n<>\n/*]]>*/--></style>')
         # Try to hit : return DIV.xml(self)
         self.assertEqual(STYLE().xml(), b'<style></style>')