diff --git a/gallery_dl/downloader/common.py b/gallery_dl/downloader/common.py
index bb6ad653..3d042fe6 100644
--- a/gallery_dl/downloader/common.py
+++ b/gallery_dl/downloader/common.py
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ import logging
 class DownloaderBase():
     """Base class for downloaders"""
     retries = 1
-    mode = "b"
     part = True
 
     def __init__(self, session, output):
@@ -66,13 +65,13 @@ class DownloaderBase():
 
             # check response
             if not offset:
-                mode = "w" + self.mode
+                mode = "wb"
                 if filesize:
                     self.log.info("Unable to resume partial download")
             elif offset == -1:
                 break  # early finish
             else:
-                mode = "a" + self.mode
+                mode = "ab"
                 self.log.info("Resuming download at byte %d", offset)
 
             # set missing filename extension
diff --git a/gallery_dl/downloader/text.py b/gallery_dl/downloader/text.py
index 3f332c11..de0543f9 100644
--- a/gallery_dl/downloader/text.py
+++ b/gallery_dl/downloader/text.py
@@ -14,21 +14,21 @@ from .. import config
 
 class Downloader(DownloaderBase):
     part = config.interpolate(("downloader", "text", "part"), True)
-    mode = "t"
 
     def __init__(self, session, output):
         DownloaderBase.__init__(self, session, output)
-        self.text = ""
+        self.content = b""
 
     def connect(self, url, offset):
-        self.text = url[offset + 5:]
-        return offset, len(url) - 5
+        data = url.encode()
+        self.content = data[offset + 5:]
+        return offset, len(data) - 5
 
     def receive(self, file):
-        file.write(self.text)
+        file.write(self.content)
 
     def reset(self):
-        self.text = ""
+        self.content = b""
 
     @staticmethod
     def get_extension():