diff --git a/frigate/comms/dispatcher.py b/frigate/comms/dispatcher.py
index 0c2ba5a89..af7581023 100644
--- a/frigate/comms/dispatcher.py
+++ b/frigate/comms/dispatcher.py
@@ -610,14 +610,19 @@ class Dispatcher:
     def _on_ptz_command(self, camera_name: str, payload: str) -> None:
         """Callback for ptz topic."""
         try:
-            if "preset" in payload.lower():
+            if isinstance(payload, bytes):
+                payload = payload.decode("utf-8")
+
+            preset = payload.lower()
+
+            if "preset" in preset:
                 command = OnvifCommandEnum.preset
-                param = payload.lower()[payload.index("_") + 1 :]
-            elif "move_relative" in payload.lower():
+                param = preset[preset.index("_") + 1 :]
+            elif "move_relative" in preset:
                 command = OnvifCommandEnum.move_relative
-                param = payload.lower()[payload.index("_") + 1 :]
+                param = preset[preset.index("_") + 1 :]
             else:
-                command = OnvifCommandEnum[payload.lower()]
+                command = OnvifCommandEnum[preset]
                 param = ""
 
             self.onvif.handle_command(camera_name, command, param)
diff --git a/frigate/ptz/onvif.py b/frigate/ptz/onvif.py
index e7539b1d6..488dbd278 100644
--- a/frigate/ptz/onvif.py
+++ b/frigate/ptz/onvif.py
@@ -95,12 +95,21 @@ class OnvifController:
 
         cam = self.camera_configs[cam_name]
         try:
+            user = cam.onvif.user
+            password = cam.onvif.password
+
+            if user is not None and isinstance(user, bytes):
+                user = user.decode("utf-8")
+
+            if password is not None and isinstance(password, bytes):
+                password = password.decode("utf-8")
+
             self.cams[cam_name] = {
                 "onvif": ONVIFCamera(
                     cam.onvif.host,
                     cam.onvif.port,
-                    cam.onvif.user,
-                    cam.onvif.password,
+                    user,
+                    password,
                     wsdl_dir=str(Path(find_spec("onvif").origin).parent / "wsdl"),
                     adjust_time=cam.onvif.ignore_time_mismatch,
                     encrypt=not cam.onvif.tls_insecure,
@@ -325,9 +334,15 @@ class OnvifController:
             presets = []
 
         for preset in presets:
-            self.cams[camera_name]["presets"][
-                (getattr(preset, "Name") or f"preset {preset['token']}").lower()
-            ] = preset["token"]
+            # Ensure preset name is a Unicode string and handle UTF-8 characters correctly
+            preset_name = getattr(preset, "Name") or f"preset {preset['token']}"
+
+            if isinstance(preset_name, bytes):
+                preset_name = preset_name.decode("utf-8")
+
+            # Convert to lowercase while preserving UTF-8 characters
+            preset_name_lower = preset_name.lower()
+            self.cams[camera_name]["presets"][preset_name_lower] = preset["token"]
 
         # get list of supported features
         supported_features = []
@@ -563,6 +578,11 @@ class OnvifController:
         self.cams[camera_name]["active"] = False
 
     async def _move_to_preset(self, camera_name: str, preset: str) -> None:
+        if isinstance(preset, bytes):
+            preset = preset.decode("utf-8")
+
+        preset = preset.lower()
+
         if preset not in self.cams[camera_name]["presets"]:
             logger.error(f"{preset} is not a valid preset for {camera_name}")
             return