diff --git a/metadex/metadex.py b/metadex/metadex.py
index 3ef5b81..78b69df 100644
--- a/metadex/metadex.py
+++ b/metadex/metadex.py
@@ -169,7 +169,8 @@ def _scan_remove_missing(
                 log.error(err)
                 continue
 
-            expected = {name for name in db.files_in_dir(conn, str(cwd))}
+            cwd_utf8 = str(cwd).encode(errors="replace").decode()
+            expected = {name for name in db.files_in_dir(conn, cwd_utf8)}
 
             subdirs: deque[Path] = deque()
             with scan as files:
@@ -210,7 +211,7 @@ def _scan_remove_missing(
             dirs.extendleft(subdirs)
 
             for name in expected:
-                ff = str(cwd / name)
+                ff = str(cwd / name).encode(errors="replace").decode()
                 if is_ignored(ff):
                     log.info("Ignoring file (for removal): %a", ff)
                     continue
@@ -402,7 +403,7 @@ def ingest_rclone_json(
                     else:
                         # remove missing
                         for name in expected:
-                            loc = str(parent / name)
+                            loc = str(parent / name).encode(errors="replace").decode()
                             if is_ignored(loc):
                                 log.info("Ignoring file (for removal): %a", loc)
                                 continue
@@ -413,7 +414,8 @@ def ingest_rclone_json(
 
                     parent = new_parent
 
-                    expected = {name for name in db.files_in_dir(conn, str(new_parent))}
+                    parent_utf8 = str(new_parent).encode(errors="replace").decode()
+                    expected = {name for name in db.files_in_dir(conn, parent_utf8)}
 
             context.seen += 1
 
@@ -435,7 +437,7 @@ def ingest_rclone_json(
         if remove_missing:
             if parent is not None:
                 for name in expected:
-                    loc = str(parent / name)
+                    loc = str(parent / name).encode(errors="replace").decode()
                     if is_ignored(loc):
                         log.info("Ignoring file (for removal): %a", loc)
                         continue
@@ -507,7 +509,7 @@ def _dict_from_lsfile(f: ls_parser.File) -> "dict[str, Any]":
         mode = "-"
 
     return dict(
-        location=str(f.path),
+        location=str(f.path).encode(errors="replace").decode(),
         hostname=config.hostname,
         stat_bytes=f.size_bytes,
         stat_modified=f.date,
@@ -528,12 +530,13 @@ def _ingest_ls_remove_missing(
         for f in ls_parser.parse_file(file, ref_year=ref_year):
             if isinstance(f, ls_parser.ChangeDir):
                 if f.to is not None:
-                    expected = {name for name in db.files_in_dir(conn, str(f.to))}
+                    fto_utf8 = str(f.to).encode(errors="replace").decode()
+                    expected = {name for name in db.files_in_dir(conn, fto_utf8)}
 
                 elif f.from_:
                     # remove missing
                     for name in expected:
-                        loc = str(f.from_ / name)
+                        loc = str(f.from_ / name).encode(errors="replace").decode()
                         if is_ignored(loc):
                             log.info("Ignoring file (for removal): %a", loc)
                             continue