diff --git a/lib/connection.js b/lib/connection.js
index f443a1c..c681c92 100644
--- a/lib/connection.js
+++ b/lib/connection.js
@@ -159,6 +159,7 @@ class Connection extends events.EventEmitter {
   }
 
   write (data, len, cb) {
+    if (typeof data === 'string') data = Buffer.from(data)
     if (typeof len === 'function') this._write(data, data.length, len)
     else if (!len) this._write(data, data.length, cb || noop)
     else this._write(data, len, cb || noop)